Auto Talk

Your car's warranty

Routine maintenance can save vehicle owners a bundle in repair costs. It can also increase gas mileage, reduce tailpipe emissions and make for a safer vehicle overall. But when it comes to scheduling maintenance, are you required to go to the dealer's own service department or else risk voiding your warranty? The answer is "No!"

In 1975, Congress passed the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. This federal law governs consumer product warranties. Under this law, your vehicle's warranty cannot require you to return to your dealer for maintenance, or to use only the dealer's brands of replacement parts.

"We receive inquiries daily regarding our ability to service a vehicle without voiding the factory warranty," says Russ Lindemann, owner of Rocky Mountain Tire and Auto in Broomfield. "It amazes me how many people are unaware of their rights when it comes to vehicle maintenance."

Keep receipts and records

Federal law allows consumers to use any qualified facility of their choice for vehicle maintenance under warranty. To keep the warranty in effect, all that is required is that the vehicle is serviced at factory-recommended intervals. These can be found in the owner's manual or warranty manual.

Keep the receipts for the maintenance performed, and be sure the invoice includes the date of service, the vehicle identification number (VIN), any parts installed, and also that the mileage is recorded. If you have a service log, keep it up to date.

Using the owner's manual

The owner's manual gives recommended service intervals and maintenance schedules, based on how you use the vehicle. Your style of driving, and the conditions in which you drive, can both affect the intervals required between services. The manual also provides an explanation of what counts as "severe" use—for example, stop-and-go driving in commuter traffic.

If you have misplaced your owner's manual, do not despair! Any competent facility has access to the factory-recommended maintenance schedules and can install quality replacement parts at the factory-recommended intervals.

Establishing a good working relationship with a competent facility also allows you to access your maintenance records from one source, should there be an issue.

While repairs under warranty do require a return to the dealership, it is not a legal requirement for scheduled maintenance. The choice of where to have your vehicle serviced is yours. Good maintenance can keep a vehicle on the road for years to come—and keep you safer on the road.