I wanted to find out from you guys what mods are available that will not void my warranty. I just got a 13 SG GT WITH 3.73 and brembo package. I want to start modding, but I'd like to avoid losing my warranty with a tune or any other voiding mod.

 

If you don't want to take the chance of loosing any part of the warranty, don't mod at all. Wait until your warranty is up. I began my mods less than one year of ownership.

 

Axelbacks , Non tune CAI, K&n Drop-in thats all I can think of

 

It really depends on what your plans for the car are. For a DD(like mine) Borla s-typen axlebacks, 1piece DS, wider lighter wheels and stickier tires, and struts/springs/sways/uca have completely transformed my car. The dealer said my mods would void warranty on those parts(which are not on the car anyway). I woulnt waste my time/money on the cai or filter w/o a tune, unless you want more engine sound in the cabin.

 

Suspension, exhaust, wheels/tires, cosmetics should keep you busy for awhile

 

Hood struts and sound tube delete. Also upgrade the 6x8 speakers in your door panels.

 

any modification you do beyond an airfilter is technically past warranty. Suspension? well yeah, cuz if you have issues with those parts, you're on your own.

That's why it bothers me that some people are afraid to tune. So voiding all your suspension is okay with you, just not your engine? Just go for it or leave it alone.

 

If I break an aftermarket suspension part, Ill just put the OEM piece back on while I wait for my replacement. Not so easy or cheap with an engine. And Im not really worried about breaking a Whiteline, Steeda or BMR part on a road course, as I dont really drag.

 

CAI is a stretch. I've read numerous posts around here about dealers being picky about CAI.

 

Probably because most CAI's require a tune.

 

Wouldn't mess with the engine components or tune/ tranny.
I was told by my dealer that exhaust/ minor suspension parts, cosmetic add ons will not raise any eyebrows, but get a tune and they will not even attempt to diagnose engine problems unless you pay them for the work.
He did say they can tell if a tune has been done as soon as they hook it up to thier diagnostics.
Engines are a LOT pricier than suspension parts and harder to sort out.
Frankly, I am amazed at the number of owners who get tunes on brand new cars, I can live with 420 HP for a couple of years myself.

 

What about the ford power pack?

 

If you are referring to the Ford Racing Pro cal, if you have the dealer install the Pro cal tune then the FRPP warranty applies, but if you do it yourself, no warranty.
Do a search on Pro cal and you find more info.

 

Getting warranty work/support from your dealer depends upon your dealer. One of more well known 'Performance' dealers, such as Tasca in RI, sponsor Cobra Jet drag cars and sell their own Hi-Po Mustangs. They would service Mustangs that have the Ford Racing tune without any problem. Go aftermarket and you are on your own.

I am sure there are other 'performance' or SVT dealers that may not be super critical of an enthusiast adding a new exhaust or even a CAI. But once you cross that voodoo line of messing with the factory calibration of the car's ECU, you risk being denied legitimate warranty service.

If you really stop and take a moment to think of the 'tune' issue from the dealer perspective, it gets a whole lot easier to deal with the possible consequences of a 'bad tune' or 'bad gas' in your 30k+ Mustang. Unsure and want a warranty? Then wait until your warranty has expired and then go as crazy as you want.

The other thing I find amusing, is all the time, effort and energy spent on wringing out those last few HP on a car that already puts out over 300hp for the V6 and over 400hp for the V8. But that's why there is a multi-million or even billion dollar industry for automotive performance parts.

It's like a buddy of mine told me many years ago regarding building a home PC with overclocking the CPU in mind. Rather than go crazy trying to find the best 'batch' of chips or unlocked versions with esoteric water cooling and performance RAM, he said 'Don't bother'. If you want a faster CPU, then BUY a faster CPU and don't bother with any of that other crap. Gone are the days when you could overclock an Intel Pentium 2 or AMD K-6 for super-iffic cheap performance.

The modern Mustang 5.0 is a marvel of engineering and design. A great deal of the readers of this forum would be better off putting their money towards a better stereo or appearance mods instead of a CAI and magic tune. But if it makes you happy and have the money, by all means, go for it.

I took my friend's advice, and snagged a Boss. A whole lot easier than adding all those parts to a regular GT. Not on a high horse either, I realize not everyone wants or has the means to buy a higher performance version of their current ride. So to upgrade whatever you have is a fun and worthwhile hobby. Just don't go too crazy over 'the next mod' to get those 'extra hp'.

 

My thoughts exactly. I've only done cosmetic mods and suspension. No way in hell I'm tearing into the motor as 412HP is more than plenty for me.

 

As stated, most dealers would warranty Ford Racing parts.

 

It really depends on the servicing dealer and what went wrong. I have several mods and they have not rejected me.

 

Consumer legislation (Magnuson-Moss Act) protects consumer warranties. Google it and read up. Basically, car manufacturers cannot void your whole warranty because of mods. They can, however, simply choose to not honor a claim on a part if the failure was caused by a mod or abuse. So, it's all cause and effect. If you modded something and that mod caused a failure, then no warranty coverage. However, if you modded something then had an unrelated failure, then your warranty would cover it.

 

Good info thanks for sharing

 

Not exactly... FRPP is a separate subsidiary of Ford Motor Company that warrants (some of) its own parts and accessories. FMC would no more cover FRPP parts than they would cover Roush parts.

From the Ford Racing Performance Parts website:
All Ford Racing Parts are aftermarket parts. Ford Racing Parts are not Genuine Ford Parts or Accessories. Therefore, they may not be used in any application that requires the use of Genuine Ford Parts or Accessories.
Ford Racing Performance Parts are sold "as is" with no warranty. A Limited Warranty is available for some select parts.