How 4x4 modifications can kill your factory warranty protection | Auto Expert John Cadogan
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- Опубліковано 19 жов 2024
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Hi John, I accompanied my son in law yesterday to pick up his new car, a Ford Ranger Wildtrak. Judgements aside, my kids have a caravan and have upgraded their vehicle from a D Max to the Ranger. The kids opted for a couple of upgrades, ARB bar, driving lights, dual battery, UHF etc. to my surprise, Ford advised that as the extras were fitted pre delivery, all accessories are covered by the Ford warranty for the period of the new car warranty, rather than being only covered by the accessory manufacturer’s warranty. Some peace of mind after watching your recent video on voiding warranties. Cheers Steve
I'm on a Facebook 4WD group and the first questions asked by seemingly everyone who gets a new fourby and joins are:
(1) What are the biggest tyres I can fit?
(2) What's the biggest lift I can do?
(3) What's the best catch can I can fit?
(4) What's the best throttle controller I can get?
You forgot "which trans cooler should I fit." Plus the latest must have, braided brake lines.
1. 33" 2. 2" 3. don't(tamper with emissions instead) 4. evc type(if you must)
Isn't' it a prerequisite for joining a Flogbook 4WD group to have as many illegal modifications fitted?
I see this on a daily basis in my line of work. I've stopped being amazed by the number of people who spend thousand modifying new 4WD's, only to get them stickered, then spend more money putting them back to standard to have the sticker removed, then repeating the cycle. I'm convinced you could get the best 4WD in the world, built by NASA, and some Muppet would want to modify it lol
That's stralia mate
As a mechanic of nearly 40 years I've seen this before. Working at many dealerships over the years. If manufacturers can get out of a claim due to modifications or poor maintenance they are within their rights to do so. To put it in perspective a friend of mine had me service his standard 100 series Landcruiser. Before drove from Victoria to cape York and back on the inland route. 9,800 kms in 3 weeks and no problems. As you said John appreciate the vehicle for what it is or put up with the potential consequences 🤔
You're quite right about modifications. I cruised around most of WA in a busted arse old F250 - no 4WD (although it did have dual rear axles) - right out into the nethermost regions of the GVD and places lesser travelled. As for throttle controllers, I have a right foot that seems to do quite well.
But you probably don't have a good friend who "knows all about F250's" and tells you that you can't drive it without a throttle controller.
The problem is often the beard strokers as John calls them, who have far better knowledge of vehicles than the vehicle's manufacturer, advising people who don't have much knowledge about vehicles to modify/upgrade their vehicle. Or they advise the potential buyer of a 4WD vehicle to buy the cheaper, less powerful model and have it modified, "because you can save $5000 that way and get the same performance."
@@tjroelsma Well put. There's also the curious people you come across out in the nether regions with a Patrol or Landcruiser loaded up to the absolute gills with everything you could imagine, and towing some massive trailer thing, similarly overloaded. Incredibly overweight vehicles. Then you bump into them later at Laverton, or the 'Datta, or wherever, waiting on parts with broken suspension hangers, rear chassis snapped from the overloaded canopy, everything else broken from trying to do highway speeds on corrugations. Always tip my hat, and keep on chugging along. They seem to be having a good time though.
@@curtisjones1904 Ah yes, 4WD owners and the concept of total vehicle weight...... John has spent many a video on it and still people don't seem to be able to grasp the concept.
It gets even worse with things like the must have adventure roof racks, that through their sturdy (because tough-looking!) construction leave almost no loading capacity because their own weight gobbles up more than half of the allowable roof loading capacity. Or the concept of tow ball download, that appears to be utter magic to some owners. Or the "adventure packs" with bull bars, front winch, light bar, snorkel and other, almost never used but still obligatory accessories.
And last but certainly not least: the almost obligatory lift-kit with giant wheels, because "everybody knows" that somehow your standard 4WD is really crap at driving off-road if it isn't lifted and fitted with giant wheels. It kind of makes you wonder how stupid those 4WD engineers really are....... oh wait.
But like you said: all's permittable if it enhances your fun (and gives you the all-important bragging rights), right?
GVD?
@@suttoncoldfield9318 Great Victoria Desert mate
I bought a new Prado, added a lift plus a few other upgrades within a week of delivery at ARB. Didn’t consider an engine tune… didn’t need it. I ran it for 8 years, serviced during the warranty period at Toyota, had 4 warranty claims during the first 3 years… no issues with claiming at all.
Having worked in a dealer I can honestly say that we often go out of our way to help where we can, but... but... the engine was designed to operate under a certain set of parameters that a manufacturer has decided to guarantee that engine against. The contract you have is null and void if you change those parameters without the manufacturers consent. Yes, it sucks to be in this position, but a standard, unmodified vehicle would have received a new engine, no questions asked. If you want to modify 4x4 and you can't afford the repair bill of any failure, I would buy a used 4x4 and have the cash I saved in a bank account ready and waiting for the eventual early failure. Good work as always, John.
Last year I was interviewed for a sales position with ARB.
During the interview I was told, "Let's face it, we sell stuff that people don't need."
Still working there are we?
Always get the dealership to fit the modifications pre delivery and make sure dealership sign off to say its covered on delivery of vehicle before signing on the dotted line...never ever had a problem at all with aftermarket upgrades being covered under factory warranty through dealership.
The problem with unmodified 4x4s in this day and age is in a lot of places, the proliferation of modified vehucles mean tracks are gouged and rutted to the point that the vehicle with stock suspension and tyres simply can't make it through. 30 inch tyres and stock suspension will not get through ruts gouged out by 35 inch muddies and 6 inch lifts. That's not a vehicle capability problem, that's a everyone else has destroyed the tracks problem. And it's a massive problem for institutional organisations eg Ambulance and RFS who need to access these tracks on occasion with heavily laden, lightly modified vehicles that have been destroyed by highly modified wannabe comp trucks.
100 percent
Hmm... I can't vouch for all of Australia, but I've driven my stock suspension LandCruiser over many tracks and never was stopped for that reason. Having said that, idiots ruining tracks is a problem.
Preaching the truth
Go ahead and modify but don't expect factory warranty protection..
I watch all those 4x4 adventures and SCREAM at the screen when I see them churning up tracks. I come from a different world when it comes to conserving roads and stopping erosion.
I know several people with throttle controllers and they swear by them, when I ask “are you sure it’s not just buyers positive bias”? I get the same old answers, “you can feel the difference” yet no one can produce a dyno report to back it up. I have friends with 200 series Land Cruisers running controllers and I really can’t see why, I mean how much power do you need? Back in the eighties I was into hotting up V8’s and I still have a 2005 VZ Monaro in the garage so I know what good acceleration feels like and I know my 200 is no slouch. Car companies spend billions of dollars on R&D and want their engines to be as clean, powerful and as fuel efficient as possible so if these $600 gadgets are so good why wouldn’t they fit their own.
On driving, I was a member of a large 4x4 club and clearly remember doing a tough trip up in the Brindeballa mountains with a very good driver/ instructor running it. One driver (most of us actually) was having a tough time getting through a steep, rocky and rutted patch and finally just ran at it flat out. While he finally made it through on about his 6th try I’m sure at one stage he had all four wheels off the ground. Just to prove a point the instructor drove the same car back down the hill, turned around, and drove it back through the same track in a calm, precise manner and at no point looked like it may launch clear off the track. Yes he had wheel spin ect but he picked the line perfectly and not only kept the wheels on the ground but made it through on the first attempt. To me it emphasised the point that skill gets a lot more out of your 4x4 than modifications.
You touched on the reason why I gave up my 4x4 pastime and took up Ocean cruising. But now, I’m banned from any Ocean Liner following that unfortunate poop deck misunderstanding.
Love it! I guess we all make mistakes ...(🙂)
Ahh, the poop deck. I too suffered a misunderstanding on the poop deck, when I was broached hard abeam. I still walk funny.
John makes so much sense, & has an excellent way of getting the message across
Blows my mind how many people buy brand new 4x4s and Isuzu trucks and then tune the dickens out of em
Big risk to take
So many of these companies that tune brand new engines saying warranty won’t be a issue I often wonder if they would stand by it if and when something happened
And the 4WD channels just talk about an engine "chewn" like they're asking what's for dinner.
I've read about this controller issue before. The controller allows instant power, before the crankshaft and other parts get enough oil pressure. The factory throttle lag is intentional.
Modern 4x4's are pretty amazing as manufactured these days.. enjoying 8 years of trouble free ownership so far in my scarcely modified pickup (murrica) and it's brought me anywhere I have desire and business being.
I bought a 2000 ML320 Mercedes for $1500 with 285,000 on the clock. Now at 295,000 but totally stock minus an updated stereo head unit. All maintenance done and still goes almost like new. It tows my powerboat well and has cost me nothing but tyres and consumables. So I have to agree with you.
This stuck in my brain when I saw it back in 2006: Xtreme 4x4, a reality cable TV show built-up a Ranger pickup for their project - Ranger Resurrection (pre-runner, desert race truck). The all custom long-travel front and rear suspension completely failed upon trail testing. Ranger Resurrection Part VIII (Season 2, Episode 17). RIP Jessi Combs.
Great video. I’ve got a 2001 Discovery td5 with original suspension and KO2s. It goes everywhere I want it to. Plus towing. Still keeps up or does better than most Adelaide drivers and feels at home on the dirt roads and 4x4 tracks.
Same here although mine's the V8. It doesn't even have the centre diff lock option but does have ACE so axle articulation can get to manic angles and still have all 4 wheels on the ground. I did a 4x4 course once at it just walked up a section in which the instructors kitted out Patrol took several attempts. Quite eye-opening that.
Land rovers way - as slow as possible as fast as necessary. It’s why their vehicles have evolved and terrain response was such a great addition if you learnt how to harness it’s power.
Its really important to drive a modified 4x4 around town and whatever you do do not take it off road, the tyres might get dirty
Does that list of mods include the obligatory maxtrax hanging off the roll bar? Hahaha.
@@Paul-45-70
Absolutely, gotta have the trax on show somewhere for sure
I get what you're saying, it really depends on what you want the car to do. But as im waiting at the beach exit and watching bog standard 4x4s get bogged one after the other, then i drive up it like the m1 freeway I don't regret modifying mine one bit.
Tyre pressures prevent this issue but everyone can’t be bothered and there is always a clown willing to brag they got people out of the bog so they help with their 40psi tyres and dig the tracks up some more.
Yep the old 40psi club is always a good laugh. Extra ground clearance and big tyres help after all those clowns have dug massive ruts 😂
I know someone that bought a m340 up here in Canada. He paid extra for an extended warranty at the dealer, brand new car. When the car was 2 months old he replaced the turbo, the car now makes 550 HP. We just smile at him. He doesn't understand.
I took a road service organisation to court over an engine’s pistons blown out the bottom when fuel was poured into the intake after I said I thought I had a dead fuel pump. It was a dual fuelled vehicle and the mechanic wanted to get me home. I had to pay for a very clever engineer’s report on what caused the damage and on the day in court the organisation said they forgot to come.
I had to pay the engineer to come to court again and we both had to travel far from home at great cost and loss of pay. I won the case but the amount of money I won was probably about 1/3 of my losses.
Don’t go to court if you don’t have to, it’s years of stress that you don’t need.
That sounds like a similar difference experience with a dodgy Ford Galaxy sold to me by a large dealership franchise here in the UK. Went to adjudication, got out of the car but like yourself had to pay for a specialist engineer and all at cost to ourselves. So stressful.
Your the reason everything goes on a tow truck now
@@markorlando4817 because I don’t want my pistons blown out the bottom of the motor? I would’ve thought there was a third outcome other than blown motor or tow truck.
You were looking at a vw Amarok thingy that the injection pump shit itself at 73 k full service history surely it not the only one
I think we should arrange a good argument on this. Not a 5 minute one. A full-feature argument. I do agree on almost all of what you've said here. Still worth some more context.
Love yer shirt! I was in 100th SRW 1971- 74. U2s, drones and CH3's, did work on Habus a few times. Whatch you often. Keep it up!
Driver Training, in WHATEVER form of motoring you engage in, is by far the best money you'll ever spend!! It impacts you abilities and enjoyment WAY beyond whatever accessories or enhancements you can buy/fit/adapt to your trusty steed!!!
Join a 4wd club, do their driver training. Go on trips with company. And work out what mods you really need.
I drive a heavily modified modern ute. What people need to understand that when you modify your car, the part that is modified is no longer warrantied by the factory, but is instead warrantied by the company that manufactered the part you installed.
If you modify your suspension, and the suspension fails, of course it isnt warrantied by the car manufacterer, but it is instead warrantied by the manufacterer of the aftermarket component.
Throttle controllers and DP power chips are stupid. However, the one that often catches people out is aftermarket snorkel kits where the entire airbox gets replaced. Aftermarket airboxes tend to void engine warranty.
Nice shirt, SR71 is my all time human engineering top achievement. Habu was an operational group. Skunk Works was the design and manufacturing factory.
Here in the US we have the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975, so the dealer has to prove that the modification caused the issue, not just claim that it did.
Magnuson-Moss = Good
Right to bear arms = Shit
If only there was a land of common sense
Decent set of AT's so you have some cred down the shops and still drive reasonably. That is all you need and still be able to go out back as they say.
I love the vids here and what people do to their cars. What do you need a throttle controller for? If there is lag in the electronic throttle, just give yourself a little longer run up and still floor it! Result will be the same....broken CV! Lag is there for a reason!
My TJ has a L33/SM465/241c/Dana 60's/35"KM3's. I'm not too worried about the warranty that expired long ago.
Hi John the only thing a throttle controller does is change the accelerator pedal position input to the ECU. I don't see a plausible mechanism for how a throttle controller could damage an engine. I think this bloke has a good case against Mazda. Would it help him to present a nicely worded letter explaining this, and without Mazda offering a plausible mechanism, that he will escalate to consumer protection?
Cant believe no one else has mentioned this yet either.. its totally different to a chip or tune. It's still running the same parameters as a stock engine/tune.
Just having this exact experience with a mod that the previous owner put on the vehicle and where I bought through a different dealer who was not a dealer of the same brand. Even though the manufacturer had seen the car 3 times before and didnt say anything, they just claim its in the warranty that any mod may void the warranty. And it was a fairly innocuous mod.
I've personally witnessed an old 4x4 Hilux with worn on-road tyres (broke a CV/drive shaft a week later) complete the same track that my friend's second 80 series with a 2" lift and offroad tyres did fine on - mud, deep puddles, deep ruts and all.
His first 80 series (tired 1HZ) with sagging rear suspension and tyres that were near borderline also did well before it was sold. The sluggish diesel was realistically the main limiting factor (it and the gearbox needed a rebuild).
I purchased a second hand D23 Navara that had a throttle controller already installed. I’ve had the ute 3 years and used the throttle controller zero times. That’s what my right foot is for.
"Including two sisters... number three and number five..."
That's gold! I bet it DID make for an interesting Christmas!
What a legend.
From a throttle controller manufacturer websites FAQs:
Q - Will if void my vehicle warranty?
A - The XYZ Throttle Controller will only ever impact your warranty if it is deemed to have caused the issue that you are seeking warranty on.
FFS 😂😂😂😂
Nice of many of the throttle controllers say does not void warranty, trust me, I'm an aftermarket modification and I can't say no. I have seen time and time again that nearly ALL of the mods, especially suspension, place the vehicle in a somewhat compromised position as far as proper operation and/or safety. You change something you assume all of the effects and consequences and costs.
You are an aftermarket modification.
Correct. My car was not factory equipped with me.
Hi John, I've got a 2018 BT. It rolled over 28,000km a couple of weeks ago. Get out more? It's too peopley out there. 😀
- get out further, less people in the real Dingo-P-Ck.
@@kadmow Hahahaha. Good point.
I have driven my VR 1 Holden Commodore all over outback SA with no problems at all. Only mod was air shocks at the back.
There weren't many 2WD out there but did come across a guy driving an HG V8 Holden Statesman through the back tracks of the Flinders Ranges, and a mature lady at Maree who had just driven her Datsun 1600C down the Birdsville track.
Haha, yep! Was heading south from Birdsville on the dirt in my mates Patrol once and saw some old biddy, complete with the blue rinse hairdo, pass us in the other direction in her 2005 Camry. 😂
I've run all over outback Sa in a stock falcon ute, only addition was a light bar to help compliment the high beams on remote roads. No dramas at all. Four wheel drives are for those that need to overcompensate miniature penis syndrome.
I’ve been in this situation with Toyota and ARB, I have no shame of naming these companies, the amount of stress they put me though. However I have to say I am one of the lucky ones were the problem was resolved at the end. Turns out ARB installed long range tank incorrectly and pinched the loom, Toyota didn’t want nothing do with it as it was caused by an aftermarket product, however ARB kept saying it’s a manufacturer warranty deal with them.
Well said. I have a brother in law who modified his 2018 ranger through the roof, including re-chipping his engine, which died at 140 000 km. The repair bill was $32 K. He must have been blessed somehow because Ford came to the party for him. I couldn't believe how lucky he was.
Mate of mine just blew up his low km BT50 5 cylinder diesel. He had some sort of EGR mod. He's stuck with the bill, you're correct John, it is $20K for a new engine (fitted).
What was his mod ?
@@marcusbarnes5929 I've no idea exactly what the modification was, but it was to do with the EGR.
@@robertgreen9614removing the DPF is fairly common I think, I think the EGR is changed also?
I bet he is confused, egrs are common failure points on these engines. There is no mod per se but to remove this failure point by bypassing.
@@AussieMatias No confusion, I spoke with him since my initial post. He said he had an EGR bypass harness that he bought online.
EGR still in situ but non-functioning. Due to the stressful circumstances at the time of failure he didn't remember to remove the bypass harness, apparently the harness maker states to remove it "prior to getting the vehicle serviced", or if you "have a problem".
Mazda stated the mod caused the engine failure as "the EGR cools the combustion temperatures at a lean cruise".
He had been sitting on a constant 110kph for about 250 kms with a small caravan on the back when it shit itself in the middle of b#m-f#ck nowhere.
12:27 😂🤣😂Can I have some sour cream with my spit roast? Please sir can I have some more 🤣
Exactly. My 2020 F150 is under warranty. I have not and will not mod it. Does it have any needing for mods. Yes. The factory tires it came with don't work for snow and ice. My tires on my 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee work perfectly for snow and ice. Some day, I will get the same tires for my truck. On modding. My Jeep has around 185,000 miles on it. Zero mods. Yet. It gets me anywhere I want to go. When other people can't get their vehicles out on the snow roads. I am driving by them like the snow is not even there. Their looks are priceless.
Just fitted throttle controller to my Dmax.. dialed it right down to minimum, because it just took off like hell with slightest pedal application. All that extra power response, working on the pistons.. I get it.
Hi John, recently bought a Cannon through your online buying business, happy with the service and the price I received, thanks for that. For the money I believe the GWM is a great buy and very happy with it. My question is, the rear suspension was very soft towing my 2t caravan, so I had the springs scragged and another leaf put in. Overall the height raised by about 40/50 mm, is that a get out of jail card for GWM if I had a warranty issue with driveline etc?
Thanks
Chris
I had the windows tinted and put a black pinstripe on my 100 series Landcruiser. Got me 25 more horsepower and better fuel economy.
My old land Rover, only ever change the tyre's for different reasons, the old cross ply extra traction tyre's were the best, for only highway I used steel belted radials, 😊😊.tyre pressure was the most important factor's. 😊.
My 4x4 has been modified marginally only if and when its stock abilities were lacking. So far a light bar (mounted on factory nudge bar) as its headlights are not great and a second set of wheels and offroad tyres for the times I intend to take it off road as the road tyres met their limits pretty quickly (not grip, sidewall toughness) I have taken it way further offroad than I expected it to go on some hairy fire trails with no further mods with no issues other than a bit of a tow bar and nudge bar scrape and a bent side step. I keep the highway tyres for road use which is where it spends most of its life as a company car. No point running noisy rough off road tyres with less grip and more rolling resistance on the road. If I want to do more off road than it can do, I wont be using a new daily driver to do it.
I have a perfect aftermarket throttle controller for all my cars.
It's called "my right foot".
This is just so good.
Mining ute Nissan TD42 tyres same size swapped with more aggressive tread and heavy duty standard height springs and shocks when the originals wore out . No TJM or ARB anywhere . Most of these vehicles were overloaded once a day . They lasted 3 years till they were rusted out ready for the scrap .
Remember john to advise the punters its 3 bows when you receive the NOBEL......
Very good video. I bought a brand new LC diesel prado last year and have just done a very few usability and cosmetic mods, or rather add on. Fitted 3D bucket mats all round, changed the original wheels for after market wheels, because I dont like the ones that came with the car, but same size rims. Added a full cover mat in the back. Also added a nice looking exhaust can to thebendnof the tail pipe, again just for athetics, it does nothing to effect performance. Just small things that changes the look of the car and makes it easier to maintain, ie keeps the inside cleaner. I have a few small cosmetic mods that I intend doing to it, but nothing that can effect the warranty. Once the factory all seasons are warn out I will fit some mild all terrains on it. Other than that not planning to do any mechanical mods what so ever, as I know how even the smallest unapproved mod can nunlify your warranty. And I am more than happy with the cars capability and how it looks. Just want to change a few things to make it a more individual car, kind of so it is a one of a kind, no one else will have exactly the same car as mine, even though fundamentally its the same. I think small cosmetic mods, like I listed above is fine, as it doesnt effect any warranty. So many mod out their car, just because others on the Internet say they must do that.
I have a friend say throttle controllers are one of the most important modifications on a 4WD. His thoughts are when you need a very laggy throttle for difficult terrain and you don't want to power into a situation. Thoughts?
the only mods that my stepfather would permit on his holden jackaroo were 1) an upgrade to the standard radio, 2) UHF CB radio, 3) a Dash camera and lastly 4) car seat covers. the vehicle already came with a tow bar and bull bar. he even refused the proverbial winch and driving lights. and personally, i have to agree. these simply mods don't do any harm to your warranty (radio is questionable at times). what these do is make the drive more comfortable and gives sense of safety.
I'm sorry we can't honor our warranty because the seat covers caused the electronics to overheat.
And let's not forget the insurance ramifications. Got to love seeing the big mud tyres out there on wet tarmac, and high centre of gravity cars with heavy stuff up on thee roof racks.
And legal. I sat and watched a police/Vicroads blitz take place for an hour or so, a couple of years ago. Those yellow stickers haven't changed much since the "olden days".
@@davidbrayshaw3529 They're just more expensive to get removed these days.
Yep, I am an expat in Thailand. Bought a new 4x4 and wanted to take the plastic rollbar and install a steel roll bar, so I could haul steel without damaging the truck. The dealer told me, " it will void the warranty and he even said can not change the wheels and tires!
I made the mistake of going to 32s on my petrol V6 04 Hilux. One inch up from standard. Made the car sluggish, they rubbed front and back, speedo was way out and the extra inch simply wasn't worth it I went back to 31s and haven't looked back.
I made an enquire about suspension they suggested a particular product, when I rang the manufacturer they told me there product would not do what the suspension people claimed, Im glad I double checked, I decided to leave everything as is.
When the national company I used to work for renewed their vehicles (for all states), the Ford Rangers were all sent to an aftermarket company in Brisbane to fit rear canopy, roo bar, spot lights, reversing camera, dual battery, etc. The first time I drove it at night, I found the LH headlight didn’t work, so I went to the dealer the next day. They diagnosed a faulty body control module due to incorrect wiring of the spot lights, $1200 to replace. Ford wasn’t going to pay for it, the dealer wasn’t going to pay for it, my company wasn’t going to pay for it, the lease company wasn’t going to pay for it, so eventually the aftermarket company had to pay, even though they couldn’t check the vehicle themselves as they were in Brisbane and the vehicle was in Perth! Who knows whether it really was caused by the aftermarket installation, all the other vehicle were ok with the same spotlights.
Reminds me of when I was an apprentice, we had a customer order a brand new 4WD and requested a chassis extension, of around 6 inches (Unsure why). The dealership said no worries, we'll get that done, so they sent it up to a fabrication shop, to have the chassis cut and lengthened (This was the mid 1980's btw). The fabrication shop removed the tailshaft and sent that down to the driveline specialist, to have it lengthened by 6 inches. Unfortunately they must have failed trigonometry, because that meant the tailshaft was too short. First hump in the road, and the tailshaft came out the back of the gearbox, hit the road, caused the vehicle to run off the road and destroyed the rear axle. Suddenly there were fingers pointing everywhere, at who was ultimately to blame for the whole debacle lol
My old Hilux 725k all original except for a CD player 25 year ago.
My newer Hilux the only thing that I changed was the double Din Bluetooth touchscreen 453k
I’m pretty sure you don’t need a throttle controller.
The tides are strong over on 4WD 24/7. Thousands are pulled under every year.
Cadogan No6. Available in the merch shop.
Moral of the story before you try and get warranty if you have done a mod, remove it before taking it to the dealer. Hence the benefit of plug and play mods, never give them the option of pointing to a mod and saying that is the cause.
The thing the public doesn't understand is almost all OEM'S car ECU's have stored data stream in long term memory, and everything you remove like a Throttle controller leave a very obvious trail... removing things isn't the Gold ticket to warranty you think... lol
Good luck with that. Modifications to modern vehicles leave digital fingerprints everywhere. Car makers were well aware of this trick before the first person had even tried it on.
Would it be too late to remove a throttle controller now, if I've had no issues at all. Is it just too late?
After market mods you're right those days are gone. You mod your car after warranty expires and you are building your own car now you decide how it all works together or not as the case usually is.
I have a throttle controller its called my right foot 😂
Same here, only other throttle control I knew of was the cruise control
Great advice, John. You'd be amazed at how many budding rally or touring car champs are out there, modifying their GR Yaris or Civic Type R, as - y'know - they're already at the standard car's limits, eh! I'd doubt that 50% of the GR Yaris's sold were still under Toyota warranty.....
Throttle controller?? Isnt that one of the pedals?
Yep. Several hundred dollars for a gadget that tells the computer the pedal's been pushed further than it actually has doesn't seem like very good value, even if a new engine purchase isn't required.
So John, The only accessory you should have fitted should from the manufacturer catalogue & fitted by the dealer workshop?
Be careful with even that approach and read the fine print. Many times manufacturer accessories are no better than aftermarket from a warranty standpoint.
sounds more like one of those rail chips than a simple throttle controller($200 input multiplier) in the defence of throttle controllers the eco settings off road are handy same as the higher settings for long highway trips I'm lazy my big toe gets sore
( did you not tick the cruise control box??)
I am non-too keen on the word "hero" as it is generally over-used and badly used, but english colloquialisms are wonderful things and when combined with the word "our" in the right context , "hero" is just peachy!
What mods can I do for my 4x4? I got a S.U.V 2WD. An been thinking of extra lights on the front for going on camps
Can't possibly work out why "our hero" wouldn't have removed the bloody thing before fronting up to the dealers to be honest
"To be honest" you say?..... :)
No point. These sorts of "mods" leave a digital fingerprint in modern vehicles. Car makers have known about this for a long time and they took measures a long time ago to mitigate their liability for other's errors.
@@davidbrayshaw3529 That's probably true, too, but he may have at least stood a better chance
Can't wait for all the forum/reddit/facebook certified mechanics to start yelling that throttle controller's cant cause damage
wait no longer ua-cam.com/video/RtJImWh0wnM/v-deo.html&lc=UgzJRRuKvivT1o_u9CR4AaABAg
But they actually can’t? It’s literally just changing a computer input it’s not remapping the ECU 🤷🏼♂️
@@M8YM8But it does change the engine operating parameters so it's not getting the unadulterated original inputs from the manufacturers ECU.
Define "Throttle Controller". Surely we're not talking about a $150 plug-in EVC/iDrive type.
@@M8YM8the ECU is the computer 🤦♂️ and the throttle controller overrides the fuel input and reduces turbo lag , more fuel equals more heat in the cylinders and pistons , but hey ya get a great whistle n soot out the exhaust bro 👍
In the 1970’s I used to watch a show called, Thrillseekers! Being married six times and with two sisters, you’d win hands down!
Best modification you can do if you are not happy with your car.....jack up the numberplates and change everything in between them...
The Auto Expert is only in it for the wedding parties 🥳🥳🥳
Oh dear, if I treated car ownership like marriage, I'd have bought a new HZ Holden or XB Falcon and still be driving it today. Mind you, that may not be so bad.
I managed a government fleet for a period in NZ. Even for major buyers, I found manufacturers still try their best to get out of warranty claims. We always got satisfaction in the end after respectfully asking them not to submit tenders in future, since we often went out to tender for 200 vehicles at a time. And this was without any performance mods, but I'd have to concede, some fairly rough construction site use. Great videos, I find myself looking forward to them now.
Factory tow bar roof racks and yes a steel bar up front to my detriment. No spotlights due to my lifestyle of drinking at night driving by day. Changed the tyres bias but standard size and side protection bar/steps. Goes where I want to and if it looks like I will need to dig I’ll go around another way
years ago when these throttle controllers first appeared on the market I owned a vehicle with electronic throttle control and was not happy with the throttle lag it displayed ( car was brand new and naturally aspirated ). I researched fixes for this problem, obviously an aftermarket ECU would solve it but that's not advisable on a street driven vehicle. I discovered the electronic throttle controller mob online and quizzed their rep on how this could fix my problem, he told me in short that it could improve throttle response, I was doubtful and ordered it anyway. the item arrived, I read the instructions and knew from the description of it's operation that this item can not improve throttle response, all it can do is tell the factory ECU different throttle angles compared to what the pedal sensor would normally tell the factory ECU. after a 30 minute test drive I removed it and sent it back... then I hardened up and learned to drive around the issue.
I would say, don't modify anything vaguely related to the engine, because that's the expensive end when things go wrong
Probably a real random question for you John but where did you get that Skunk Works shirt? I'm an aero engineer and love the SR-71 which is probably one of their finer pieces of work.
Love your vids and find many of them hilarious given the level of stupid that most people bring to the table and also that you dumb it down enough for most to understand.
Not on my 28-year-old shitbox, ha!
It does baffle me why people go out and spend vast amounts of money on a four-wheel drive to immediately have to modify the hell out of it. Barely any of them try it out first and see what it can do before they add the performance modifications.
That's the thing that gets me, if its brand new you're probably wise to baby it until its after warranty. Then just do what you feel needs doing on them.
Or buy an old shitbox to begin with and go out there with whatever madness you've strapped to it and have a great time chucking it around.
JOHN got a catch can, idrive,lift kit and long range tank on the Mitsi and ofcourse the Bullbar 😁
If you want or need modifications get an Isuzu they sell trucks modified by Artic trucks with full manufacturers warranty. Artic trucks hail from Iceland but also have plants in the UK and US, I think the nearest partner site is in South Africa but Isuzu sell the Artic truck conversions from their own dealers.
I've actually turned the throttle controller off in my vehicle. Yes, it works. It allows you to spin the tyres off from the lights, whereas this doesn't occur with out it. It's also much more reactive to throttle inputs. It feels like an old cable on a carby as opposed to the OEM Toyota vague throttle response. However, it makes the auto shift much harsher, especially at light loads and light throttle, so around town the ride is a lot less enjoyable. One day I'll uninstall it and sell it to someone who thinks their Hilux is a race car.
One thing is certain, there is always another hero
Renault almost denied my warranty claim for my gearbox because I had transmission oil changed at a certified mechanic. They claimed that I may not have used their approved oil. Luckily for me I had the invoice for the oil which i actually purchased from the Renault dealer. If i didnt keep that invoice i would have been in deep shit.
I am adding touring mods, rack, bull bar, spot lights, and drawers to my Y62. Unfortunately it had a diff fail at 2400km, 2 weeks old. None of the above mods were on it yet. So it shit itself with no help. So it’s still 6 weeks with no car. Lucky the GVM upgrade wasn’t installed
Would like to hear your thoughts on modifications/accessories that are on overseas models but not the Aussie model. E.g. BYD Atto 3 comes with a frunk overseas but not here. Would adding one void a warranty or insurance?
I drive two very different, but very capable 4WD vehicles . 1 is 1yo, the other is 34yo. My 1yo 4WD is modified quite a bit, although nowhere near as extreme as some other owners have done to theirs. It's got slightly bigger tyres, suspension, exhaust, driving lights and body protection. It's done 23,000 (I bought it second hand, stock standard with 3,000 on it). I'm well aware that if I have any engine related faults or steering and suspension issues, I have basically voided my warranty with the modifications that I have done- eg like the Mazda BT50 guy, if I had melted a piston and needed a new engine, the manufacturer is going to 100% refuse to honor the warranty and claim that the modifications caused the issue. My question to you is with the mods that I have another issue, eg wiper motor failure, is the manufacturer going to blame the modifications on that too?
Over and over again I read people claim that fitting a throttle controller vastly improves the vehicles performance and reduces turbo lag. Does it occur to these people that if these "improvements" could be made as easily as changing the mapping of the throttle then all the manufactures would do it at the factory. There are good reasons why these vehicles are setup the way they are by the manufactures and changing those settings is a recipe for disaster.
They are the equivelant of fitting a lighter return spring on a carburettor.
Just like reading ads in hot rod magazines, years ago. "This cam 'll give you 10% more power, these headers will give you 15% better economy, this carburettor will give you better power and economy...". And you bought the cam, and you bent the lifters. You bought the headers, and the car ran worse, and used more fuel. You bought the carburettor...
The days of horse drawn transport are long behind us. The days of crooked horse traders are still with us, alive and well. And the tricks that they use to liberate a man's money from the constraints of his pockets have not changed one little bit.
@@davidbrayshaw3529 - more power always has more costs - same with horses - feed oats, they run quicker for less time, too many days on oats - maybe a HorseDr is needed. lol...
Haha! Horses! They've got to be the most unreliable and expensive modes of transportation known to man, and not one engineered component! I say that as non rider that has spent half a lifetime around the things. Ducks have big bills. Horses have bigger ones! @@kadmow
It doesn't matter what type of vehicle you modify. If you modify you trash the warranty. If you want to modify give up the new warranty and/or buy used.
I'm not saying "don't modify". I modded my Subie wagon but I bought it at 8 years old, with the expectation that it may become lawn art for a time. I was lucky & my car has had no down time (other than stock old car problems) in 10 years of ownership.
There was a time that you could take an engine and put it in a vehicle. Something rebuilt in a garage within reason, parts repaired and then put back together, the sheer pride of cranking that engine and it starting right up. Now there are so many b.s. rules, it kills learning, initiative, innovation, leaves our younger generations unable to change a flat tire. It's a shame.
There was a time that you had to do that every "X" number of miles, or so. Do you remember HM 5 Star and Repco motors? There were a bundle of independent shops, as well.
There were also carburettor specialists. Hey, and I'm not that old.
You're 100% correct, John.
With new cars, It's the risk vs the reward decision.
I would class the throttle controllers as a very low risk of causing any engine damage, therefore it might be worth the risk taking legal action against Mazda. Under consumer law, doesn't the manufacturer have to prove what caused the failure?
Though, even if you win, It would still be a shit fight and you'd be out of pocket without a vehicle for months... Back to risk vs reward. 😂
As always John great content. 👍 I wanna know how you got Albo to stand at the back in your fatcave and not move
New camera set up? looks good.
Mate, it comes with the Territory. Understand any 4WD used for real 4WDing is going to need more service.
And the Mods done right will improve capability. So if your not valve bouncing your going to be ok.
The design parameters of a cv joint mean the specs for correct operation are ride height plus or minus 30mm.
That is all.
A 2 inch lift will never improve the capabilities of that part.
@nunchuckfilms A diff drop and a 2in lift will put your CV joints back to stand operation.
I have been a mechanic of 30 years and have built thousands of off-road cars. And never had a problem. People who put to bigger tyres on their cars is the number 1 problem, without diff gears.
Hi John, Given that you've covered this subject in other reports, what are the risks with installing (hard-wired) devices such as dash-cams?
Worst thing that a dashcam can do is flatten your battery.
Provided it's done by an auto electrician there are zero risks. If you do it yourself and your car catches fire, someone might point the finger at faulty installation. Auxiliary systems that have little load (up to a few amps total) and don't modify the way the drive train works have very low risk and any manufacturer who tried to use them as a reason to not honour a vehicle warranty would be a laughing stock. There is probably much more risk from the Li-Ion batteries in many/most GPS and camera devices and I rate that as being fairly low.
For GPS and radios etc I would recommend getting an auto electrician to install a proper fused circuit specifically for the use of these devices and a conveniently located bus where you can patch in and add/delete devices as required. The auto electrician will want to know how many amps you require in total and will size the fuse and wire gauge accordingly. That would be the proper way to do it.
ETA: UHF and 27MHz radios (CB) off the shelf are 1 amp each or less. Camera systems and a GPS would not require any more than that. Say two radios, a GPS and a camera system, a circuit capable of handling 5 amps constant current would be more than sufficient. If you're installing more serious gear than that (eg HAM, HF or sat) you should know enough to work it out yourself or leave it up to the pros.
Bloody hell, I've had throttle controllers on my last 3 vehicles & currently have one on my Impreza. What a load of BS that it caused catastrophic engine failure