Letter from Purolator about a failed filter

[WobblyElvis]

Purolator Filters Limited Warranty


Purolator warrants its automotive filters to be free from defects in material and workmanship. Purolator automotive filters are manufactured to high quality standards and guaranteed to meet fit, form and function in accordance with Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) test procedures.


This limited warranty is effective for the number of miles and driving severity published in the ownerʼs vehicle manual as the recommended service interval for filter replacements (“Warranty Period”). Purolator will replace, free of charge, any Filter which, under normal conditions of use, is proven to be defective in material or workmanship and is within the Warranty Period. If Purolator further determines, in its sole discretion, that the alleged defective Filter caused engine damage during the Warranty Period, Purolator will also repair or replace any damaged engine parts.


THIS LIMITED WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER misapplication, misinstallation and damages or failure caused by rust or corrosion. THIS LIMITED WARRANTY IS VOID under the following circumstances:
•
Use of motor oil other than the viscosity and type as recommended in the ownerʼs vehicle manual;

•
Damage or failure caused by misuse, negligence, modification, accidents or abuse;

•
Damage or failure caused by unauthorized service or use of unauthorized parts; and

•
Filters which are submitted in a condition that prohibits testing to validate any alleged defect or malfunction.


Purolator reserves the right to make changes in design or improvements to its Filters without creating or assuming any obligation to install or implement the same on its Filters previously sold. In addition, Purolator may change this limited warranty policy at any time. Please refer to www.purolatorautofilters.net for the most current version of this limited warranty policy.


TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THIS LIMITED WARRANTY IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. PUROLATOR AND ITS AFFILIATES AND SUBSIDIARIES WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES OF ANY KIND. ALSO TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THIS LIMITED WARRANTY SETS OUT YOUR EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES WITH RESPECT TO THE FILTERS. NO ATTEMPT TO ALTER, MODIFY OR AMEND THIS WARRANTY SHALL BE EFFECTIVE UNLESS AUTHORIZED IN WRITING BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF PUROLATOR.


To obtain performance of this limited warranty, the purchaser must submit a warranty claim to the Purolatorʼs Technical Services Department within thirty (30) days after discovery of the damage or failure and make the defective Filter and/or failed engine available for examination and testing.


Technical Services Department

1-800-848-3783

Some states do not allow limitations on how long warranties last, or the exclusion or limitation of consequential or incidental damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you. This limited warranty gives you specific legal rights. You may also have other rights which vary from state to state.


Edit: I don't know what that #700 typo is about, it came from the cut n paste.

 

[Dallas69]

Does the car mfg say it is ok to go 10k before changing?
That is the key

 

[brslds]

Can't blame OP. Purolator needs to revise their product description on the classic boxes since cars now are specifying 10k OCI in the manual and/or OLMs which this filter can't meet.

 

[antiqueshell]

Originally Posted By: Dallas69
Does the car mfg say it is ok to go 10k before changing?
That is the key


The OP stated that the Chrysler says you can go 10k on a filter.

Also the Purolator states that their Classic can go up to 15,000 miles if allowed by the car maker.

I do agree though that it is more of a marketing issue as opposed to a product issue. A classic probably should be used in any application for more than 7500 miles tops, but 5,000 or less is probably reasonable expectation.

 

[Bamaro]

Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
Originally Posted By: Bamaro

So bottom line, in other words, they are saying that their filter can not be trusted to last long enough for a manufacturer specified oil change interval. There is no telling how long it took for the pinhole to appear.

nope, the bottom line is you used that filter under conditions that exceeded its specifications. frankly i get [censored] off spending more money at a restaurant when they get my order wrong versus spending $4 and getting 12 months of use out of said product.

Not sure how you can say that when the post above showing their website chart would lead one to believe that my filter should have been good for 5K more.

 

[jk_636]

Here we go again. Purolators website is very clear. X number of months or X number or miles (whichever comes first...)

this is my general rule of thumb:

Classics:3k (up to 5k in clean motor in good shape with majority highway miles)
Pureone 3k-5k (up to 7k if in motor is in good shape with majority highway miles)
Synthetic: up to 15k (depending upon same conditions above)

 

[Stewie]

Originally Posted By: jk_636
Here we go again. Purolators website is very clear. X number of months or X number or miles (whichever comes first...)

this is my general rule of thumb:

Classics:3k (up to 5k in clean motor in good shape with majority highway miles)
Pureone 3k-5k (up to 7k if in motor is in good shape with majority highway miles)
Synthetic: up to 15k (depending upon same conditions above)


People can't be doing their OCI monthly cuz "NO 1'S GOT TIME FOR THAT"!

Tearolator says follow manufacturer and now manufacturer say 8K now they are boned

 

[jk_636]

Whichever comes first is the understood variable in that statement. Or don't. Jusr don't complain when a perfectly fine filter fails because you didn't use it in the correct application.

 

[Stewie]

Originally Posted By: jk_636
Whichever comes first is the understood variable in that statement. Or don't. Jusr don't complain when a perfectly fine filter fails because you didn't use it in the correct application.


This has been talked about before, a million times

 

[jk_636]

And yet some people still don't get it....

 

[bullwinkle]

Take the Purolators & give them away, or throw them away, or scrap them-when a company REFUSES to honor the terms of their limited warranty, even when a customer goes through the aggravation of shipping it back (& it's a cartridge filter, meaning they can't use their standard weaseling out[because you "cut it open"])-what is going to happen when one takes out an engine?? They can't even REPLACE ONE FREAKING DEFECTIVE FILTER? I'm not a "Framite" by any measure, but at least Jay's people stand behind their products-there is NO REASON any Classic shouldn't be able to last an OEM OCI-NONE!

 

[MrQuackers]

I also agree, buy according to usage. Don't expect a budget filter to last 10k miles, you might get away with it but maybe not. I just used a Fram entry level PH3614 for over 5k miles. I got nervous at that point and changed the oil/filter. However, the filter innards looked very good. Jay's company makes a good product!

 

[jk_636]

Listen to the ludicrous accusations being made about Purolator. Goodness gracious. The man used a classic for 10k miles. That isn't puros fault, that is his fault. I'm surprised that Purolator wrote anything back. It must have been difficult to type while they were laughing that hard....

 

[WobblyElvis]

Filters have been going 15,000 miles plus for the past 45 years. This is what the owner's manuals call for on many vehicles. My 79 Malibu, My 92 Intrepid, 99 Caravan, they all call for a filter change every second oil change unless used in sever conditions. What is sever about driving 15 miles to work one way?
Purolator warranties their filters to meet original manufacturers requirements. A properly engineered product is typically designed to double the proposed service life. Failure at 8 or 12k is in a modern engine is unacceptable.

 

[Stewie]

Originally Posted By: jk_636
And yet some people still don't get it....

There is no modern car out there that specifies 3000 miles oil change!

 

[KCJeep]

I have a Classic cartridge filter in my KIA right now. It retails for a whopping $12.99. It's not good for more than 3k ?

Guess I will return to the Wix made Napa Golds that I paid far less for and ran several times to 7k with great success.

 

[Nate1979]

They clearly do not honor their warranty. They look like a company that has no clue, make junk and is not trustworthy.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: Bamaro
I would think that a filter should last long enough to cover a manufacturers recommend oil change interval. I was always under the impression that you changed oil because the oil would "wear out", not because a filter would fail. I guess I'm done using Purolator. Classics


Yep ... Purolator say it themselves, that their oil filters should be changed per the vehicle manufacturer's recommended interval.

So if an OLM says to change the oil and filter, then that filter should be able to handle that OCI.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: Nate1979
I agree with the OP's opinion. Puro filter quality on their cheap filters can't be trusted for full OCI with modern cars. This is just another example of quality shortcoming they have. There are better brands out there.


It's boiling down to not trusting what Purolator says their filters can do. Maybe at one time their filters could do the OCIs they recommend, but seems they are not able to meet their own spec anymore. Could be another result of decreasing quality.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: Dallas69
Does the car mfg say it is ok to go 10k before changing?
That is the key


Cars with an OLM (Oil Life Monitor) are supposed to have the oil & filter changed when the OLM = 0%~5% oil life left. On some cars, it might take 10K or more miles to get to that point.

So, based on Purolator's use statement, that would qualify for a "vehicle manufacturer's service interval recommendation."