It will void your warranty if your dealer installs a Mopar limited slip

[azaustin]

I recently purchased a used 2022 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 from the same dealer I have purchased two other new Jeeps (‘17 Rubincon Unlimited, ‘21 Gladiator Rubicon diesel) from in the last six years. This truck had only 1200 miles on it when I bought it and was like new, except for some small dings in the paint (another story, for another post.) I had planned to just buy a new 2023 or order a 2024, but when my dealer asked me to consider a low mileage truck with everything I wanted, I agreed. The truck I bought had everything I wanted except limited-slip. When I asked about having it installed, the salesperson told me that it would void the entire warranty on the vehicle, including the original warranty and extended Certified Used Car warranty that also came with it. When I mentioned the SEMA law (Magnusson-Moss Act) they just ignored me. I talked to the parts department, same story. If I bought a new Mopar limited-slip differential and had the dealer install it, it would void all warranties on the entire car. When I pressed him about the MMA, he said it would just void the warranty on the entire rear end. Per recommendations I received on this web site I contacted RAM Care and received a case number. After an email or two, some long waits on hold, and three different RC folks, I was told that any modification to a vehicle from its’ original state of manufacture, even if it was a part or accessory that could have been ordered as an option, would void the warranty. Period. Even if it was a genuine Mopar part installed by a RAM dealer.

Needless to say, I am pretty disappointed. I’ve spent about $200,000 on new Stellantis vehicles in the last six years. Overall, I’ve been pretty satisfied with my local dealer. But I’m not someone who knows nothing about cars, accessories, and warranties. I’m a former professional mechanic, and I’ve worked in a dealership. At one time I was certified to teach auto repair in the state of Arizona. At one time I was the fleet manager for a large public utilitY. I have a home shop equipped with more tools than some garages. I’m retired and enjoying the luxury of new vehicles with warranties and spending my spare time restoring my classic cars and motorcycles. I simply cannot understand why I can’t pay my local dealer to install a factory part that could have been ordered on the truck originally. The service department is willing to do it if RAM care will approve It.

The bottom line is that RAM Care… doesn’t.

 

[mikeru]

I understand your frustration but you're mad at the wrong people. RamCares doesn't make those decisions. All they do is act as an intermediary the vehicle owner and the people who do make those decisions. I will say that dealing with warranties sucks, especially extended warranties. And I don't make any modifications which will void them while they are in effect. About all I do is upgrade wheels/tires and maybe add something like a dash cam or radar detector until after a warranty expires.

 

[brian42]

They are wrong. If you buy a factory part and have it installed by factory-certified mechanics (e.g. the dealership) then it is covered under Chrysler's warranties (basic and extended). Even if they are claiming that there it is not covered they should have a warranty for their work so that's already suspicious.

Some were going the factory 2" lift route when the 5th gen first came out because it was warrantied.

Your basic warranty specifically states that using non-FCA parts or parts not certified for your truck will void your warranty. The limited slip meets both of those requirements:



My MaxCare ESP says that anything not authorized by FCA is not covered but that any FCA mechanical or accessory part installed by an authorized dealer is covered.

The intent is obvious that as long as it is approved for the truck and installed by a dealer then it's covered (if it's in the dealer's parts system for your truck and it is installed by the dealer's service department). Some will split hairs to avoid any possible responsibility or chance of non-reimbursement from FCA.

 

[Daw14]

My best day with my ram was when the warranty expired !!!! No more concerns if I will be covered for something I may have changed . I never let it dictate what I wanted installed or modified anyhow . It became mine when I signed 180 times at the dealer . Warranties hold folks hostage , then do not honor what’s in them when the owner has problems. Only cause lots of stress and wasted time.

 

[azaustin]

Brian 42, thanks for your response and post. You stated that “your MaxCare ESP says that anything not not authorized by FCA is not covered but that any FCA mechanical or accessory part installed by an authorized dealer is covered.” I’m not sure what MaxCare ESP stands for (extended service program?) but that’s what I’m looking for. Your attachments were both the same. Did you mean to post two different pages? If so, I’d like to have the other page, especially if it contains the statement you made on what it says is covered. Where did you find this? Is it something I can download online?

Again, thanks for your response. This is the kind of information I was looking for.

 

[likes2build]

I recently purchased a used 2022 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 from the same dealer I have purchased two other new Jeeps (‘17 Rubincon Unlimited, ‘21 Gladiator Rubicon diesel) from in the last six years. This truck had only 1200 miles on it when I bought it and was like new, except for some small dings in the paint (another story, for another post.) I had planned to just buy a new 2023 or order a 2024, but when my dealer asked me to consider a low mileage truck with everything I wanted, I agreed. The truck I bought had everything I wanted except limited-slip. When I asked about having it installed, the salesperson told me that it would void the entire warranty on the vehicle, including the original warranty and extended Certified Used Car warranty that also came with it. When I mentioned the SEMA law (Magnusson-Moss Act) they just ignored me. I talked to the parts department, same story. If I bought a new Mopar limited-slip differential and had the dealer install it, it would void all warranties on the entire car. When I pressed him about the MMA, he said it would just void the warranty on the entire rear end. Per recommendations I received on this web site I contacted RAM Care and received a case number. After an email or two, some long waits on hold, and three different RC folks, I was told that any modification to a vehicle from its’ original state of manufacture, even if it was a part or accessory that could have been ordered as an option, would void the warranty. Period. Even if it was a genuine Mopar part installed by a RAM dealer.

Needless to say, I am pretty disappointed. I’ve spent about $200,000 on new Stellantis vehicles in the last six years. Overall, I’ve been pretty satisfied with my local dealer. But I’m not someone who knows nothing about cars, accessories, and warranties. I’m a former professional mechanic, and I’ve worked in a dealership. At one time I was certified to teach auto repair in the state of Arizona. At one time I was the fleet manager for a large public utilitY. I have a home shop equipped with more tools than some garages. I’m retired and enjoying the luxury of new vehicles with warranties and spending my spare time restoring my classic cars and motorcycles. I simply cannot understand why I can’t pay my local dealer to install a factory part that could have been ordered on the truck originally. The service department is willing to do it if RAM care will approve It.

The bottom line is that RAM Care… doesn’t.

I just have to ask where in AZ? Both of Swanty's and Anderson in Mohave County told me the same story. Swanty in Kingman told me $3300 + to swap from 3.21 to 3.55 gears in a 2wd 1500, Anderson wouldn't even do it and I bought the truck brand new from them. Joke is at the time a complete rear axle with LSD was less than $2k.

 

[tjfdesmo]

Most CDJR dealers have Wranglers on the lot with Mopar lift kits installed. There is no way they are selling them without a warranty. I call BS.

 

[CanRebel]

Brian 42, thanks for your response and post. You stated that “your MaxCare ESP says that anything not not authorized by FCA is not covered but that any FCA mechanical or accessory part installed by an authorized dealer is covered.” I’m not sure what MaxCare ESP stands for (extended service program?) but that’s what I’m looking for. Your attachments were both the same. Did you mean to post two different pages? If so, I’d like to have the other page, especially if it contains the statement you made on what it says is covered. Where did you find this? Is it something I can download online?

Again, thanks for your response. This is the kind of information I was looking for.

He is not correct, and reading it wrong. That is for "Warranty" work. This isn't warranty work. It's you wanting to change the options after the fact. When you bought the truck, the warranty is with those parts.
So technically the Dealer is correct but also wrong.

If you change the part, the whole warranty isn't void. That is were MMA would cover you. But warranty and/or extended warranty on the part you changed is not. It's gone, because you changed the part to something else. If you put same part from either manufacture or 3rd part that was equal. Then MMA would cover you.
You are not requesting "warranty" on defective part. You want to change it, no matter if manufacture made/sold or dealer is installing it or not, warranty on the part is void.

Warranty is void for that part you changed. Now You should get new warranty on that part from Manufacture or dealer, but old one is voided(not the whole warranty)
Now if something happens after you make the change. They could claim part changed, if it was their part or not, broken something else. They would then denied your claim. You would have to prove otherwise, not them.
You would have sue either dealer and/or manufacture to prove either dealer installed poorly or part had no cause or effect.

Many dealers won't do work like the above because if something going bad, there isn't enough profit for potential loss, and/or warranty issues.

Option you could do is call whoever extended warranty is with. say Mopar. and Request Part change. They would likely add a charge.
As long as it's new factory part, installed by authorized dealer, it wouldn't effect your extended warranty. RamCares has nothing to do with what you are trying to do.

 

[azaustin]

Thanks for everyone’s responses. I finally talked to someone in Mopar Customer Service and she said the the part should be covered under Mopar’s replacement part warranty which would also cover the labor to replace a defective part. Not the same as the OEM warranty on the original part, but better than nothing. There should be no effect on the rest of the rear end, i.e., the axle bearings, pinion bearing, gears, etc., unless the installation caused them to be damaged. We’ll see. I agree that my dealer probably just doesn’t want to be bothered with this, but that seems in direct conflict with their willingness to install factory lift kits, which are quite labor intensive. This is a pretty simple swap. I know because I’ve done it on other rear ends. I sent a pdf. copy of the Mopar Basic Limited Warranty to my dealer along with the details of my conversation with Customer Service. We’ll see what they say. In the meantime I’ve contacted two other dealers and requested an estimate to do what I want. I may just keep trying until I get a positive response.

One final note. I contacted RAM Cares at the suggestion of others on this forum. Even though this is my third Stellantis vehicle, this is the first time I’ve had to deal with a problem like this. Sometimes you have to know the right question to get the right answer. At least now I know what not to call RAM Cares about.

Thanks again to everyone for their suggestions.

 

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

Just a concern, what electrically needs to be done to swap your rear end is traction control affected, I know that Anti-Spin differential is different from a Limited slip differential, also is the gear ratio the same with the Diff you want installed, because the front diff gear ratio need to be the same.