{"id":4818,"date":"2020-12-20T11:57:56","date_gmt":"2020-12-20T11:57:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carexamer.com\/blog\/?p=4818"},"modified":"2026-03-06T00:36:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T00:36:01","slug":"7-things-that-can-void-your-cars-warranty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carexamer.com\/blog\/7-things-that-can-void-your-cars-warranty\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Things That Can Void Your Car\u2019s Warranty"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span>Estimated reading time: <\/span>6<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make sure you know what things you can and can’t do to your car’s warranty in order to prevent it from being void when you need it. Car warranties are a great thing to have under your belt as a vehicle owner. That only means, though, that knowing about what things can void your warranty is more important than ever. All car warranties are essentially a contract between you and the provider, after all. Like all contracts, each warranty is different in what you can and can\u2019t do with them, and that\u2019s why it\u2019s so important you understand yours and find a contract that will fit your needs. It\u2019s highly likely that at least one of not all of these things is present in your vehicle warranty contract, so make sure you take notes both now and for future use. See how to select warranty company.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using Wrong Fluids<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you do any research on things that can void your car’s warranty, you\u2019ll always find this one because of how much of an issue it is to vehicle owners. If you have a vehicle warranty, especially a warranty from the manufacturer of the vehicle, it\u2019s extremely common to have to use the specified oil in the manual in your warranty terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using the wrong oil opens up opportunities for all kinds of different issues with your engine. Whether it\u2019s too little or too much lubricant or the wrong type of oil altogether, it\u2019s an accident waiting to happen if you\u2019re not sure what to use. If you do slip up, it\u2019s likely you can damage your whole engine, and it is not a cheap job to fix. Since it\u2019s your own negligence, or so they will argue, you\u2019ll almost always be liable. What extended warranty covers and what’s excluded.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keeping Poor Documentation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Another highly common warranty requirement that will void yours all together if you mess up comes from the required maintenance. Almost always, you\u2019ll be contractually obligated to have regular services on your vehicle. It could be one annual full service, it could be a half service or even a combination of the two. Whatever it is, you need to do it, or your car’s warranty will be completely void, again, for negligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On top of just getting the required work done, though, it\u2019s just as important to remember to back it up. Having the right documentation is great life advice in general, but especially when it comes to contractual obligations with a car warranty, being able to say you did, in fact, have the work done can go a really long way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having Work Done Outside of the Ts&Cs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On top of all of the other requirements we\u2019ve just looked at with getting work done on your vehicle, there\u2019s one other major factor that needs to be kept in mind, too. You also need to make sure you\u2019re adhering to the required service providers when having work done. That goes for routine maintenance as well as anything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MOT\u2019s, repairs and servicing alike, as well as anything else you should need, may all have to come from the same place. Even if it might cost you more money than it would to go elsewhere, if you go against this and still try to use your warranty, should anything go wrong, you might well be out of luck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Implementing Modifications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just like modifications to your vehicle can invalidate your insurance<\/a>, they can also very easily void your car’s warranty, too. It does, of course, depend on your particular car warranty contract as to what you can and can\u2019t do, but in most cases, there are some very common no go areas that will land you in hot water. That doesn\u2019t mean that you\u2019re left on your own though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although modifications can fully void your warranty in many cases, they can also only partially void your warranty, too. If you fit an engine or powertrain related modification, for example, and something goes wrong with that particular system, even if it\u2019s not the modification itself, your warranty will likely be invalid. Anything else, however, and you could well still be covered too. It really does all come down to the fine print, but some of the most common modifications that will not void your warranty include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n