Car warranty voided for using a hitch

[Veloo]

With my 2013 Impreza wagon looking like it's finally been fixed, I'm open to getting a rack for it. Recent threads are pointing me in the direction of a hitch instead of a roof rack.

Turns out however that Subaru (North America) doesn't recommend hitches for the Impreza cuz it's low and lacking the power to haul - so I'm told.

The manual has a few lines saying that towing is only allowed on the Crosstrek.
I'm just looking to haul two bikes around which will mostly like weigh less than 100 pounds with rack and hitch included.

I called Subaru and they told me it wouldn't void my extended warranty for other areas of the car but if there was rust that resulted from the hitch then that's another story. Nothing in writing, just verbal.

Has anyone ever had a fight with a dealership where they voided your warranty because of a non OEM hitch being used?

[biker72]

Get something in writing either from Subaru or the dealership. If it's not written down, they didn't say it.

Warranty in grey areas are best to avoid. This could become very ugly and time consuming.

[Jgrooms]

The warranty void is for towing. You aren't towing anything.


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[ftf]

The warranty void is for towing. You aren't towing anything.


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How are you going to prove you never towed anything, when you have a hitch mounted to the car?


Frankly I wouldn't risk it, but that's just me. I have a roof rack on my car, I've never had an issue.

[VPI]

I had a car in the past that would void the transmission warranty if you did not get the tow package, with integrated transmission cooler in the original build and put on your own receiver hitch. Think maybe it was an Acura MDX.

[AngryScientist]

as with any insurance policy, you have to read the fine print of the policy itself to determine coverage, and yes, there are often grey areas.

i would be very surprised if your warranty does not have a statement similar to:

"damage occurring from non OEM, aftermarket installed devices or accessories are not covered under this warranty"

obviously that would be hard to prove for a variety of situations, but in general, i wouldnt sweat it.

you're not going to install the wiring right? you can always say that you havent towed anything, because i dont even have trailer lights...

[cp43]

How long is the warranty? How close are you to it expiring?

Maybe just wait until the warranty is gone anyway, then install the hitch. Nothing to lose at that point.

[ergott]

How are you going to prove you never towed anything, when you have a hitch mounted to the car?



Towing requires a light harness. If you never had one, but use the hitch for bikes, I'd hope that's a valid argument.

[Jgrooms]

How are you going to prove you never towed anything, when you have a hitch mounted to the car?





Frankly I wouldn't risk it, but that's just me. I have a roof rack on my car, I've never had an issue.



The Impreza has a towing capacity for a class 1 hitch per quick google. Any bike rack hitch I've seen is a class 1 hitch.

So the warranty of the vehicle is not void for towing 1000-2000 lbs w class 1 setup. Now if they want to tell you you have some frame rust because holes were drilled in the frame to install the hitch, then thats another thing.

But if your tranny goes, its not because you have a class 1 hitch.

1. Check the warranty manual & the op manual that came w vehicle. It'll tell you what the towing capacity is. That's your in writing. Or:
2. Call Subaru NA & ask them. Avoid the dealer. Who knows who you get on the phone.

Now if you are talking about an extenended warranty, thats another issue.

Do we think all these people using hitch racks on new cars are voiding the warranties? They'd be darn hard to sell if thats the case.


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[Cicli]

They cant void your warranty for installing a hitch. I deal with vehicle warrantys every day. Both OEM and aftermarket. You cant just void a warranty. Its a contract.
Now, if you are towed in, fried transmission and a big ass trailer on the hitch, you might have a problem. Until then, dont sweat it.

[ftf]

Now if you are talking about an extenended warranty, thats another issue.






Well that's exactly what we are talking about.....

[Jgrooms]

Well that's exactly what we are talking about.....



Well not per the OP. But if it is, then as stated, its a contract, check the writing in that contract. Per my ext exp with them, the extended drivetrain will mirror the oem ratings. So ifs its like most small cars, they are class 1 approved.

For ref: I've towed w everything from I to fifth wheel. Flatbeds, Rv's, livestock, to lawnmowers with the car, if you are within the specs of the owner's manual you have no issues voiding your warranty.




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[Ralph]

or you developed a major rust issue if you drilled holes to mount a hitch.

Usually tow specs are determined by a number of things....how strong the rear of the vehicle is....unit body or frame construction. Do brakes have the capacity for extra weight of trailer. And then there is the transmission. Trans life is directly related to trans fluid temps under use.

If there is a well thought out after market hitch for your vehicle.....for hauling a bike.....I would install it.

[ultraman6970]

So, they sell you a car with a hitch and if you use it, it will void the warranty if the tranny or the engine fails? that's just genius.

Solution? get like a 2003 ish Chrysler minivan and put your bikes in side... probably you will fall in love with the minivan and toss the subaru :D It will cost a lot less than fix the subaru if you have a problem :P

[benb]

It's not even legal for them to void the warranty on unrelated items in a lot of places.

E.x. another one would be doing something like swapping on a non OEM muffler. A lot of those the fine print would say something like your warranty was voided. But they'd never get away with not covering something like a brake failure by trying to blame it on the muffler.

It is interesting though as some of these new Imprezas literally have "0" for their tow rating.

[Ralph]

I can understand why a vehicle might have a zero tow rating. The rear unit structure not strong enough for any tongue weight. Marginal brakes. Marginal cooling capacity for engine and transmission.

Most vehicles with factory tow packages have some cooling provisions for the transmission....or extra fluid capacity. Strong brakes. Strong bodies. Adequate engine cooling or larger radiator, or a fan with more blades on it than a non tow package vehicle. Some (an Explorer I had once) even have a cooler for the power steering unit with the tow package. A tow package is way more than a hitch. Maybe even a different trans axle or rear gear ratio.

[daker13]

You are saying you want the hitch for a bike rack, right? I can see why Subaru would be concerned about a hitch, if the car were being used for heavy towing--that's reasonable. But, since you're just using the hitch for bike racks, I wouldn't be too concerned about it. I don't mean to sound too cavalier, I drive a forester and had Uhaul mount a 2" hitch, which I use for a 1UP rack, so I'm interested in the answer here. Lots of miles left before my warranty runs out, I believe. But the forester has little towing capacity and only an idiot would use it for that purpose.

My take is, if you're having to use your warranty, it's not a very good car. I understand ship happens (just ran into a guy hiking last week who told me his 2016 Tacoma died on the highway), but I wouldn't let this unlikely event stop you from getting a hitch, fwiw.

[ultraman6970]

I think this warranty thing is more of a "you have to pick the right car for what you need" more than... "I like that, and will deal with the problems later" and many people buys more for the looks than for the functionality, Im not saying what you have do with your money but it is interesting that pretty much a SW that can't be used as such at all.

And this happens with a lot of stuff, not only cars. That's why I suggested... OP is worried about the warranty? get a used car big enough to toss the bikes inside eventhought it wont look cool or if you dont like it, it is about functionality at this point IMO.

[mktng]

Dealerships could deny warranty for anything really. Depends how hard you're willing to fight, and how far you're willing to take it up the chain. I say. Get the hitch. Blast it with rust proofing. You'll be fine.

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[toytech]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjQwtHS5onVAhWHy4MKHcKOBUwQFggwMAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMagnus on%25E2%2580%2593Moss_Warranty_Act&usg=AFQjCNGNUXsLXVmx1-TW8XNuj-vFBYXqgw

[Jgrooms]

Dealerships could deny warranty for anything really.

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Huh no.



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[Jgrooms]

Lets see, I wanna haul some bikes. I could go get a different vehicle as some suggest...lol.

Or install this in 30 minutes max.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170714/156db7218272e2cf27ac361d1f4125d9.png


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[mktng]

Huh no.



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Huh yes.

[Cicli]

Huh yes.

No they cant. I manage a dealership. The burden of proof is on us to deny waranty. We rarely do. Its difficult to berak a warranty contract and causes a huge rucus between us, the customer and the factory.

I just denied warranty on a $58,000 repair just yesterday. It was all based on a previous repair done incorrectly by an unauthorized shop. The burden of proof was on me and it was not easy.

[Mr. Pink]

Handling has to be hideous on an Impreza with a hitch rack back there and two bikes attached. Get a roof rack. Cheaper, easier, and you can open the back.

[Mr. Pink]

No they cant. I manage a dealership. The burden of proof is on us to deny waranty. We rarely do. Its difficult to berak a warranty contract and causes a huge rucus between us, the customer and the factory.

I just denied warranty on a $58,000 repair just yesterday. It was all based on a previous repair done incorrectly by an unauthorized shop. The burden of proof was on me and it was not easy.

Wow. Do you deal with Ferrari owners?

[Cicli]

Wow. Do you deal with Ferrari owners?

Peterbilt trucks.

[oldpotatoe]

No they cant. I manage a dealership. The burden of proof is on us to deny waranty. We rarely do. Its difficult to berak a warranty contract and causes a huge rucus between us, the customer and the factory.

I just denied warranty on a $58,000 repair just yesterday. It was all based on a previous repair done incorrectly by an unauthorized shop. The burden of proof was on me and it was not easy.

Yeegads..what kinda car? Maserati? Ferrari?

ahhh, answer right above:rolleyes:

[Cicli]

Yeegads..what kinda car? Maserati? Ferrari?

ahhh, answer right above:rolleyes:

Spun a main bearing. Metal throught the engine.
Engine 39k
Core unacceptable. 11k
Install 6.5k

Hated to do it because it will likely bankrupt the owner. We try for warranty but it dosent always work out.

[classtimesailer]

Have your dealer install the hitch and you are good to go.

[FlashUNC]

Seersucker rack. Just clamp that thing wherever you want, then store it when it isn't in use. Win/win all around.

[Jgrooms]

Huh yes.



Many yrs in the car universe & this myth that the dealer is all powerful is well a myth.


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[Jgrooms]

No they cant. I manage a dealership. The burden of proof is on us to deny waranty. We rarely do. Its difficult to berak a warranty contract and causes a huge rucus between us, the customer and the factory.



I just denied warranty on a $58,000 repair just yesterday. It was all based on a previous repair done incorrectly by an unauthorized shop. The burden of proof was on me and it was not easy.



The voice of reality & exp.

[kitsnob]

Just get a seasucker rack (https://www.seasucker.com/) and avoid the whole possibility of a headache

[Veloo]

The reason why I'm so on the defensive with this car is cuz it's a lemon. I'm one of the statistics that has the burning oil problem (among other issues). The dealer changed the engine but it was still burning oil. I complained to the dealership owner and Subaru Canada gave me an extended bumper to bumper warranty good til 2020 or another 60000 km.
I lost confidence in my original dealership and went to another. They changed the engine yet again after finding a list of mistakes the other guys made. I think they finally fixed it - I hope.

So since they car may be around for a long period of time, I'm open to investing some money into a rack. I noticed all of my friends were going hitch and a number of folks here had good things to say about the 1 Up rack.
If I do install a hitch, I don't any more meetings, photo taking or logging data into spreadsheets to prove I didn't do anything wrong.

[daker13]

The reason why I'm so on the defensive with this car is cuz it's a lemon. I'm one of the statistics that has the burning oil problem (among other issues). The dealer changed the engine but it was still burning oil. I complained to the dealership owner and Subaru Canada gave me an extended bumper to bumper warranty good til 2020 or another 60000 km.
I lost confidence in my original dealership and went to another. They changed the engine yet again after finding a list of mistakes the other guys made. I think they finally fixed it - I hope.

So since they car may be around for a long period of time, I'm open to investing some money into a rack. I noticed all of my friends were going hitch and a number of folks here had good things to say about the 1 Up rack.
If I do install a hitch, I don't any more meetings, photo taking or logging data into spreadsheets to prove I didn't do anything wrong.

Given this situation, I wouldn't get a hitch if I were you. Just get something through the dealer.

How much oil are you going through? And the engine light is still warning you when it gets low?

[ikecycke]

If you get something like a Curt or Draw-Tite that is designed for your car, it will install into pre-drilled holes in the bottom of the car. So rust, etc. should not be an issue, as there won't be any cutting.

All that needs to be done is pull off a couple rubber sleeves that hold the exhaust on (so you can drop it a couple inches), slide the rack up and in, bolt it on, and then reattach the rubber sleeves.

[batman1425]

In the case of my VW, it says pretty clearly in the manual that installing/using a hitch will void the factory warranty for any potentially related issues (transmission, drivetrain, etc). The drivetrain and clutch in my car wasn't designed to put up with towing - despite having plenty of power and torque for light duty work.

There is a really slick hidden hitch aftermarket option that is virtually completely hidden when not in use and mounts to all factory holes/locations but a handful of other owners have run into problems with warranty claims being denied. These were folks that weren't towing, just using hitch accessories - mostly bike racks. That said - if you have a good relationship with your dealer (or whomever will be administering your warranty claim work) they may look the other way if you let them know ahead of time what your plans are.

Alternatively - for some of the curt products, they are easy enough to bolt on/off - that you could just pull it off if you ever have to bring it in for service.

[11.4]

Part of the reason OP is getting so many different answers is that he's got so many variables operating here. In particular, if you want to talk about warranty denial you have to be specific about topic.

For a few years I ran the largest auto leasing company in the US and my nightmare was a 20-person team who did nothing but process warranty claims against the manufacturer on off-lease vehicles. We did more of these in a year than any dealer would normally see in a few lifetimes.

A few basic principles can help you understand your exposure.

First, as mentioned above, read the fine print. If there's an exclusion for a hitch, you have your answer. If there's an exclusion for towing, you may be in very risky territory. And that can cover drive train, brakes, suspension, lots of things that can all be affected by towing.

Second, understand that if the dealer or the manufacturer has a claim, they will consider whether to deny it. If they have a black and white case (clear language in the warranty), they may cover it as a gesture to a customer but they're not obliged to. If you have an expensive repair (like a drive train), and your claim isn't completely unambiguous per the language of the warranty, you may be exposed. The ultimate decision, if you litigated it (and we litigated a lot of them where we couldn't negotiate successfully with the manufacturer), would be based on the language of the warranty and how much it protected the manufacturer. You're pushing their back to a wall and unless they have a better reason to go along with you, they will have a claims department that works basically like an insurer: first thing is to evaluate whether they have the option to deny, and then consider whether to do so.

Then you want to consider the scope of the warranty exclusion. Part of the scope is implied and you can argue against it, including in court, but remember that you're beginning at the starting point of not having coverage under the warranty and you have to argue a case successfully. That isn't easy. The manufacturer does have to show that your installation either caused the damage or may reasonably have done so. Trying to argue that you never actually towed but only used a hitch-mount bike rack is hard to win. A 2013 Impreza will store data on many drive train issues such as overheating, excessive strain, etc., but it's not aways that helpful to you and can be more helpful to the manufacturer if it shows any excessive stress on the drive train. And any suspension or brake or other issues can be substantiated by that stored data, but you won't find as much benefit in using those data as a defense. Needless to say, this gets to be pretty involved and more costly to you than the fight is worth.

Some manufacturers are very different from others (Ford on diesel issues is legendary for toughness and so is Subaru on a couple of issues as well). I currently own a Subaru (an Outback) as a town car and I'm rather familiar with the Impreza. It's a small vehicle without the cooling, frame reinforcements, drive train, etc. to support towing. You aren't doing yourself any favors by ever towing with one, even a small Uhaul trailer. As for a bike rack, you have a separate problem: The receiver hangs low and you can hit it going through ramps into parking lots, garages, and the like. The frame of the Impreza is light enough that this can torque the alignment of the frame and suspension.

As far as receivers go, you really should try to avoid drilling holes in the frame to mount some generic Uhaul or Drawtite receiver. On Subarus in particular it involves quite a bit of dismantling to get the bolts in anyway, and on an Impreza it's not a strong enough frame that it isn't affected by those extra (and big) holes. The Impreza, I don't believe, comes with predrilled hitch holes with the requisite reinforcements. Do not use one of those hitches on an Impreza. It'll sit too low, it'll hit the ground, and it'll require drilling that you don't really want to do. If your dealer offers you a Subaru hitch for your vehicle, I'd avoid it as well -- it's way overpriced, I believe it's only offered in 1-1/4" and you really want 2" for a bike rack, and it hangs low.

Ecohitch does make a series of hitches for most Subarus that are potentially an option. These have a flat plate on the back that bolts to the face of the main rear bumper crossmember, under the plastic skin, and hooks down just a couple inches and directs a hitch receiver backwards. You can also get them in 2" receiver sizes. You may have to notch the bottom of the plastic bumper skin, but once you install the receiver the notch is invisible. On my Outback I didn't need to trim the bumper skin at all. You simply take off the skin, mount the hitch plate against the face of the bumper crossmember, then reinstall the bumper skin. It doesn't support a huge load weight (as in hauling a horse trailer or something like that) but for a bike rack it works superbly. Definitely check into it. You may still have your warranty concern, but if this receiver fits your car you can always remove it, reinstall the bumper skin, and claim ignorance to any towing. It takes about 45 minutes to install or remove.

[Veloo]

Well the oil level light was coming on about every 1200 km.
The reading on the dipstick was at the LOW dot which indicated to me that 1.1 liters was being consumed in that distance according to the manual.
The original dealer was telling me that only a few 100 ml was being consumed but this new dealer told me volumes higher than 1.1 liters when we did the 3 tests.

Given this situation, I wouldn't get a hitch if I were you. Just get something through the dealer.

How much oil are you going through? And the engine light is still warning you when it gets low?