Does Body Work Void A Car’s Warranty?
A minor accident might not write off your car (aka make it worthless) or cause major damage. But you can still be left with some cosmetic dents and scratches. Thankfully, this will be easy enough to get fixed. However, before you choose a body shop, there’s a big question to be answered. Will body work impact your warranty?
Often, the answer will be no. But it often depends on the type of damage you sustained. Let’s delve deeper into this topic to help you make this decision.
Consider The Complexity Of The Body Work
The most important thing to consider is how bad the damage from the accident was. This will determine the amount of work the mechanic will need to do. For example, a few cosmetic changes, like repairing a scratch or removing a minor dent, won’t have any impact on your warranty.
But you might need more substantial repair work. For example, you might need to straighten a bent frame. If the damage was that extensive, the warranty might be voided. It should go without saying, but if your car is written off by your insurance company, the warranty is void.
Restore To The Original Condition
You should also consider the type of body work you are conducting. The key is to restore your car to its original condition. Any additional modifications will need to be carefully considered. You have to make sure that they are suitable for your vehicle model. Furthermore, if they are defective, and cause damage, you might not be covered by the warranty.
The Repair Doesn’t Impact Your Warranty
Some insurance companies might warn you to use an auto shop that they recommend, saying that by ignoring this recommendation you risk voiding the warranty. This is untrue. The body shop or mechanic you select has no impact on your warranty. Insurance companies only say this because they have arrangements with selected vendors.
Read the warranty! If you are still unsure, you can read your car’s warranty. This lays out the agreement between you and your car manufacturer. There are several reasons why your warranty could be voided, these include:
- Failure to maintain your car correctly
- Driving the car recklessly
- Damage from a natural disaster, like a fire
- Altering the car, like adding modifications
- Changing the way the car operates, like messing with the odometer
Usually, as long as you aren’t driving like you’re in a Fast and Furious movie and perform regular maintenance, then you won’t have any issues with your warranty. But it helps to keep your logbook up-to-date, reflecting all the service records.
If you feel like your warranty has been unfairly voided, get in contact with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). They can investigate the case and make sure that your rights are protected. At the end of the day, you shouldn’t have any issues with getting minor body work done by a suitable auto shop after a fender bender. Your car will be looking like new and your warranty will still be intact.
If you have questions, we are here to help. We are one of Yelp’s highest rated mechanical repair shops in the Long Beach area. To-date we have over 200 honest reviews from real customers. Many of our reviews offer real pictures from real customers. These people were not just satisfied, they were so happy they wanted others to see for themselves. You can check out our reviews for yourself.