Official Gm Position On Pcm Burns/swaps/tuners

[sonjaab]

Heres a notice from GM on their position of PCM burns/mods and tuners
and related warranty repairs I found posted elsewhere:

#07-00-89-043: Warranty Admin. - Use of Parts and Components (Including Control Module Calibrations) Not Issued Through General Motors - (Aug 23, 2007)


Subject: Warranty Admin -- Use of Parts and Components (Including Control Module Calibrations) Not Issued Through General Motors


Models: 2008 and Prior GM Passenger Cars and Light/Medium Duty Trucks (including Saturn)

2008 and Prior HUMMER H2, H3

2008 and Prior Saab 9-7X




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

General Motors tests and validates the genuine GM parts originally installed on it's vehicles, including the control module calibrations GM issues for use in it's vehicles. Among the many factors GM considers when validating parts and calibrations for it's vehicles are reliability, durability, safety, emissions, fuel economy, and the effect on other components in the vehicle.

Warranty Coverage
General Motors does not warranty non-GM parts and/or calibrations. The use of Parts and/or Control Module Calibrations not issued through General Motors will void the warranty coverage for those components that are damaged or otherwise affected by the installation of the non-GM part and/or control module calibration. The only exception is that non-GM parts labeled "Certified to EPA Standards" are covered by the Federal Emissions Performance Warranty.

[DuraMax Hammer]

I'm not the biggest tech guy, so please explan if someone can. Does this mean things like the Preditor or PPE, or the Edge unit? If it something like the Preditor, before you take the truck in for service, you could just change back to the stock program.

[4wdaaron]

Originally Posted by DuraMax Hammer

I'm not the biggest tech guy, so please explan if someone can. Does this mean things like the Preditor or PPE, or the Edge unit? If it something like the Preditor, before you take the truck in for service, you could just change back to the stock program.

Someone correct me if i'm wrong but,

Supposedly they can tell if it's been flashed with a programmer, such as Preditor, PPE, etc.. Edge EZ/Juice doesn't write anything into the computer.. as long as you remove the hardware for edge they shouldn't be able to tell.

This doesn't mean some dealers won't look the other way (or find other creative ways around this), with competition being the way it is.

[4wdaaron]

I could be wrong, but this is somewhat old news... I remember reading this somewhere

[Rippem]

not only old news...

but they have to prove that any failure was a result of using aftermarket programming

not easy and quite un-enforcable

but if such releases scare even 30% away from using such mods...it's a potential savings to them.

[sonjaab]

Yea.............You go out and pound your vehicle to death doing 8000 rpm
holeshots with your new PCM burn and smoke a drivetrain piece and
send it off to the dealer for warranty repair!

BUT.........Mr dealers Tech 2 discovers you have a PCM swap/burn/handheld
program loaded in ! Mr dealer then decides NO warranty because it violates
GM rules..............

THEN you spout off about the Mag/Moss act and how your PCM mod doesn't
violate any emission regs. and is 50 state legal because the snake oil seller
sez it does !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MEANWHILE.......The Dealer guys are rolling around on the floor LAUGHING at
your "smart-azz attitude" and as you shuffle out the door and WALK home
and wondering how your gonna get your broken car home and how your
gonna get to work this week!

BUT.......YOU know about Mag/Moss and maybe somebody will listen as
you bum rides and take the bus to work for MONTHS and your car is still
broke!

SURE.......The dealer can't enforce it! Yea right!

[Rippem]

well, for one I don't have this Max tuned yet

two, I have a "friendly" dealer

3, if that clip breaks and the pump rubs a hole in my transfer case, and I incidentally have a tune loaded...you're taking the stand that denying me warranty on a well known transfer case design flaw is legitimate? (for example)

or bad injector function/balance rates?

there are many, many other examples of failures/issues that are a looooong, looooong reach to associate with a non-stock ecm/pcm program.

[sonjaab]

True BUT................IF that dealer denies you warranty repair because he THINKS
or assumes your PCM burn/swap/yada and puts the "WARRANTY BLOCKED" in
his GM linked computer.............Your outta luck!!!!!!!!!!

Then its again up to YOU to prove it didn't ! And thats a tough road to hoe!!!!!

Heres a example:

GM Vehicle Inquiry System
Summary

VIN : 1GCHK29G33E121959
VEHICLE INFORMATION
Merchandising Model : CK25753 -2003 SILVERADO LS 2500HD 4WD EXT CAB
Warranty Start Date : 11/12/2002
BARS Order Type : 70 - RETAIL - STOCK
Delivering Dealer :
PRINCETON CHEVROLET
PO BOX 4357
TROY , MI 48099-4357
(609) 219-9700
Selling Source : 13 - CHEVROLET
Site Code : 15090
Business Associate Code : 158914
Service Contract : No
Branded Title : Yes
Warranty Block : Yes
PDI Status : Paid
© 1998-2005 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

GM Vehicle Inquiry System
Warranty Block

VIN : 1GCHK29G33E121959
WARRANTY BLOCK
Block Code : SV
Description :
Effective Date : 01/01/2005
Blocked Labor Operations :
All
Blocked Claim Types :
#, A, D, E, F, I, K, L, M, P, Q, S, T, U, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

© 1998-2005 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

GM Vehicle Inquiry System