[yojimbo]

Went in for warranty work and when I was picking up the car, he started asking about my dashcams with questions like how I ran the cables, did I have to drop the headliner to run the cables because there's also a rear cam, etc.

After chit chatting for awhile and I showed him I ran the cables down from the A-pillar to the floor instead of above the headliner as how he thought originally, he told me that BMWNA had been denying quite a few moonroof and/or headliner warranty claims when they see evidences of headliner had been messed with, which he agreed is stupid. He also advised me to remove my dashcams, remove the cables or at least hide them as best as I can the next time I come in for service.

He gave me that advice because there's still ongoing investigation about a random noise coming from moonroof on my car and he does not want to see my record got dinged or the dealership had to completely drop my case just because of some dashcam cables being tuck by edge of the headliner.

This dealership and SA had been treating me well. In a few occasions they even performed additional work when I only asked them to document things into the system for record only and not asking them to fix this and that because they weren't broken to begin with.

So I'd take his advice but am just wondering if any of you had been told similar story before?

[IAmSpeed]

In which dealership in NorCal is this? I have never had this kind of problem or experienced such communication from a service advisor at BMW Mountain View. I have both a dashcam and a radar detector installed.

[Sportstick]

"Trolling" suggests a malevolent intent. I don't see that here. I am intuiting a cautious SA, perhaps some may say overly so, but who generally understands how warranty claims can work or be denied. If you have had good support from them until now, what negative motivation could you attribute to this advice? The general principle under Magnuson Moss Warranty Act is consistent with your SA's advice. The question is how strictly is BMW enforcing this. His experience may be of value and protective for you, even if more conservative than turns out to be needed.

[alex2364]

How is what he told you not common sense? You have an issue with the headliner and/or moonroof and there is evidence you've messed with it.

[yojimbo]

Originally Posted by alex2364

How is what he told you not common sense? You have an issue with the headliner and/or moonroof and there is evidence you've messed with it.

I'm not sure where I said I messed with the headliner and/ or moonroof? That was his assumption when he see the cables but I showed him how I actually ran the cables and he agreed his assumption was wrong.

[yojimbo]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

"Trolling" suggests a malevolent intent. I don't see that here. I am intuiting a cautious SA, perhaps some may say overly so, but who generally understands how warranty claims can work or be denied. If you have had good support from them until now, what negative motivation could you attribute to this advice? The general principle under Magnuson Moss Warranty Act is consistent with your SA's advice. The question is how strictly is BMW enforcing this. His experience may be of value and protective for you, even if more conservative than turns out to be needed.

My bad for using the wrong word and as I mentioned in the post, I'd take his advice and remove them during the next service. I was just trying to understand if others had been told similar story.

[yojimbo]

Originally Posted by IAmSpeed

In which dealership in NorCal is this? I have never had this kind of problem or experienced such communication from a service advisor at BMW Mountain View. I have both a dashcam and a radar detector installed.

That's from BMW Elk Grove

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by yojimbo

My bad for using the wrong word and as I mentioned in the post, I'd take his advice and remove them during the next service. I was just trying to understand if others had been told similar story.

I was warned by my SA when I was researching possible new cars that if I applied tint to the sunroof in the iX model with the electrochromatic glass that any sunroof warranty (e.g., fracture) would be denied. The vehicle has no sunshade, which sparked the conversation. Seems to be a similar line of thought that good SAs will have foresight when speaking with their customers.

[yojimbo]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

I was warned by my SA when I was researching possible new cars that if I applied tint to the sunroof in the iX model with the electrochromatic glass that any sunroof warranty (e.g., fracture) would be denied. The vehicle has no sunshade, which sparked the conversation. Seems to be a similar line of thought that good SAs will have foresight when speaking with their customers.

Seems like I was just over concerning about the conversation and he was actually trying to steer me away from trouble down the road. Thank you sharing that.

[dinan5m3]

Everyone in this forum knows the MMWA, but just as a PSA...

[TJay74]

The MMWA has no bearing and is vastly incorrectly suggested in most automobile forums. I say this as someone who worked for one of the Big 3 domestic automakers and my Dad spent 30 years with one of them.

The MMWA only comes into play when working on your vehicle and replacing parts with aftermarket parts that are not from the OEM manufacture. It offers zero protection in the scenario the OP is talking about as the manufacture can easily point a finger at foreign part and say it caused the issue.

Same goes for when people mess with bolt on performance parts and or tuning. The moment you modify the vehicle to increase the performance above and beyond what the manufacture certified the vehicle to be equipped for is when you give the manufacture the way out for denying warranty claims.

This process has been challenged in court several times and each time the manufacture has won the suit. The only suit the manufactures have not won yet is locking people out of the computer modules as they tried to say those modules are proprietary technology and that is owned by the manufacture. The courts sided with the vehicles owners on that topic for now.

[dinan5m3]

As mentioned above, isn't the responsibility falls on the dealer service department to prove that X caused Y? I other words, if i added aftermarket tint and i bring the car for warranty repair on suspension related, it's up to service to prove my tint caused suspension issue. Of course if you messed with suspension and bring in for suspension related warranty repair or "there about" then yeah, you are probably going to get dinged. If you mess with trims/clips and you bring in for warranty in area that you messed with that probably you are going to get dinged. Bottom line, use common sense. But you do have (certain) rights over scare tactics that dealer can tell you, eg. again, you added aftermarket suspension so we are going to deny door squeaking repair. Okay, that may also fall in grey area, haha...

[fdpxfunix]

Very similar to what dinan5m3 says above in the UK.

I quizzed my SA at the last service about getting a Sub installed in the trunk/boot and how that would affect my BMW Insured Warranty. He said... even if you have it installed by a car audio professional, BMW can refuse any warranty claims that revolve around the electrical systems in the car, and would point blank refuse anything to do with the cars media systems… so iDrive, screens, speakers, cabling, audio control modules, GPS, TCU etc. He did say a mechanical failure of the gearbox (for example) would be fine, but you would be skating on thin “ICE” if it was an electrical problem.

J.

[avi66]

Originally Posted by fdpxfunix

Very similar to what dinan5m3 says above in the UK.

I quizzed my SA at the last service about getting a Sub installed in the trunk/boot and how that would affect my BMW Insured Warranty. He said... even if you have it installed by a car audio professional, BMW can refuse any warranty claims that revolve around the electrical systems in the car, and would point blank refuse anything to do with the cars media systems… so iDrive, screens, speakers, cabling, audio control modules, GPS, TCU etc. He did say a mechanical failure of the gearbox (for example) would be fine, but you would be skating on thin “ICE” if it was an electrical problem.

J.

The consumer law is also different in the UK relating to warranty. The consumer must prove it’s a defect caused by the manufacturer or not caused by the consumer if a warranty claim is denied.

There is also additional support if a warranty is sold as a financial service product requiring FCA approval, as this provides a route to the financial services ombudsman to intervene. Not sure how, or if, this would apply to a new car warranty as it isn’t a discrete financial services product.

Not an easy or cheap process if legal action is required.

[fdpxfunix]

Originally Posted by avi66

The consumer law is also different in the UK relating to warranty. The consumer must prove it’s a defect caused by the manufacturer or not caused by the consumer if a warranty claim is denied.

There is also additional support if a warranty is sold as a financial service product requiring FCA approval, as this provides a route to the financial services ombudsman to intervene. Not sure how, or if, this would apply to a new car warranty as it isn’t a discrete financial services product.

Not an easy or cheap process if legal action is required.

That's good info but... what about my "ICE" pun?

J.

[avi66]

Originally Posted by fdpxfunix

That's good info but... what about my "ICE" pun?

J.

I need more caffeine lol ; very good 👍

[MADBMWX5MC]

^That's funny right there.