YOUR WARRANTY ...what is the real chance of a warranty denial b/c of your oil? Examples?

There is a ton of thread in the UTV forums from polaris denying engine warranty from not running Polaris oil. and none of the polaris literiture does it state an acceptable oil spec, it just says they recommend Polaris oil.
i know thee is a warranty act, adn that a few have went to battle with Polaris abd out ti and the engines were covered. but the vast majority you read are denied. should be a class action suit against them.
 
Have money to buy a new VW/Audi but then complain about the extra $25 for an oil change even though they really only have to do it half as often as most other vehicles.

More at 11.

Maybe true in the past but now a days VW's are selling for less than Honda and Toyota (at least around here). The point is not what you paid for the car, it's that a 2.0T Honda Accord with more horsepower runs just fine on API 0W-20 Quaker State (for the sake of argument) and my Passat 2.0T requires an ultra specific motor oil that costs double if you get your QS by the jug. I love my Passat, but there's no getting around that for the time being.

Maybe i misunderstood your post and you mean "...have money to buy a new car...".
 
Maybe true in the past but now a days VW's are selling for less than Honda and Toyota (at least around here). The point is not what you paid for the car, it's that a 2.0T Honda Accord with more horsepower runs just fine on API 0W-20 Quaker State (for the sake of argument) and my Passat 2.0T requires an ultra specific motor oil that costs double if you get your QS by the jug. I love my Passat, but there's no getting around that for the time being.

Maybe i misunderstood your post and you mean "...have money to buy a new car...".

From what I see online the OCI for the Accord is 7500 miles. The VW is 10k (longer in other markets).
 
That settles it then, use a quality API
From what I see online the OCI for the Accord is 7500 miles. The VW is 10k (longer in other markets).
Which brings us back to the point ARCO makes. A quality API Synthetic 0W20 at 5-7500 miles should not cause engine issues that trigger warranty usage. Volkswagen's 2.0T is just as stout as Honda's. Everyone knows there's some risk, albeit minimal in not using Approved oils.
 
Maybe its just me but I don't like how euro auto manufacturers do business by specing oil for their vehicles. Some how Japanese auto manufacturers can produce reliable cars without coming out with a thousand different obscure oil specs that the car must use. In contrast you must use a relatively new obscure oil with a freaking warranty check dye made by a couple euro oil companies. They make fun cars but that crap is ridiculous.

0w16 is made by a plethora of manufactuers. And guess what if my gf camry feels like it i can use 0w20, no dye required.
Plus, ARCO is leasing the Jetta (based on his tire post) so why is any of this relevant/matter? Just have the dealer change the oil the 3-4 times needed to maintain the lease agreement, who cares what they use. It's not your car.
 

Potential warranty problems:
The language in some owner's manuals suggests that using an oil other than the one specified by the manufacturer will void the car's warranty. This is not the case, says Thom Smith, Valvoline's vice president of branded lubricant technology.

According to the Magnusson-Moss Warranty Act, the onus would be on GM or another automaker to prove that a non-manufacturer oil damaged the engine. If dealers deny the warranty claim without first investigating it, they are in violation of the act, Smith says.

Consumers just need to make sure that any alternate oil they use is comparable in quality to the automaker's specified oil. Many oil manufacturers, including Valvoline, are so confident of their product that they offer their own warranty against engine damage that their products might be alleged to have caused.
 
That settles it then, use a quality API

Which brings us back to the point ARCO makes. A quality API Synthetic 0W20 at 5-7500 miles should not cause engine issues that trigger warranty usage. Volkswagen's 2.0T is just as stout as Honda's. Everyone knows there's some risk, albeit minimal in not using Approved oils.

Most people are not BITOGers. If you ask most everyday commuter VW owners if they would rather do oil changes every 5k or every 10k probably 80%+ of them are going to want to do 10k, especially more so if it is a lease. So VW doesn't want regular API oils that they have not tested to be in their engines for 10k... Seems fairly simple.
 
Most people are not BITOGers. If you ask most everyday commuter VW owners if they would rather do oil changes every 5k or every 10k probably 80%+ of them are going to want to do 10k, especially more so if it is a lease. So VW doesn't want regular API oils that they have not tested to be in their engines for 10k... Seems fairly simple.

Fair point.
 
Maybe true in the past but now a days VW's are selling for less than Honda and Toyota (at least around here). The point is not what you paid for the car, it's that a 2.0T Honda Accord with more horsepower runs just fine on API 0W-20 Quaker State (for the sake of argument) and my Passat 2.0T requires an ultra specific motor oil that costs double if you get your QS by the jug. I love my Passat, but there's no getting around that for the time being.

Maybe i misunderstood your post and you mean "...have money to buy a new car...".
German engineers develop engines per their culture.
VW did that in 1990's, specified VW502.00 for European bound vehicles, and API SJ for the US market. It was a sludge bomb emphasized by not that big of an oil sump.
Those problems were not present in Europe. So VW might be hesitant saying: get cheapest available oil, bcs. it just makes sense.
 
German engineers develop engines per their culture.
VW did that in 1990's, specified VW502.00 for European bound vehicles, and API SJ for the US market. It was a sludge bomb emphasized by not that big of an oil sump.
Those problems were not present in Europe. So VW might be hesitant saying: get cheapest available oil, bcs. it just makes sense.
For sure … First world problem solved with $23/5 quarts
 

Yes, indicating that one needs to use an approved lubricant (that's the point of approvals) for the application so that one doesn't have to do the dance with the OEM in the off chance that there does end up being a warranty discussion.
 
I have seen plenty of “wrong” oil whether it’s weight or spec be put in engines over the years intentionally or by mistake. Like “oh the 10w30 pump is right next to my area and this is a 5w20 car well I’m just putting that in everything cause it’s next to me and easy”

Saw someone taking some 15w40 and asked what they were doing cause I was doing all the diesel oil changes and he Said it was 10w30 they were the same back there where he was I pointed to the Tank arrangement and pointed out 2 separate nozzles with 2 separate tanks with different stickers on them but the kid really thought they were the same “shrugs shoulders”

I remember Probably 2003 or so being pushed 5w20 was due to valve timing components and oil passages for the such needing to be a thin weight or they wouldn’t operate correctly We all know that’s not true now as some engines will us 5w20 on one application and 0w40 with the other but same oiling system

Maybe that’s what the higher ups told them as the reason for thin weights not CAFE standards that are constantly being harder to meet

Now from my experience (dealer technician) pretty much at times ask for oil change receipts if it’s sludged (yes you can Usually tell when it hasn’t been maintained compared to other like engines) if the oil looks good it’s typically just get an engine coming after jumping through whatever hoops they need and that policy can change ongoing too

Some sludge engines they still warranty if they have a couple oil change receipts

It’s cheaper for them to do the repair than fight in court in most cases
 

Having done this in lubrication litigation a few times on really big stuff, it boils down to 3 questions as to which way the verdict will go.

There must be a forensic examination that concludes BY A PREPONDERANCE of the evidence ( not beyond any doubt) that the oil first and foremost is the only or either most significant contributing factor to the failure.

That's a very high bar and difficult to meet.

Then if the oil is the most likely cause, was the oil in use "adequate" ( very broad definition) for the purpose?

Then was the oil "maintained" properly ( changed, filtered, sweetened, etc.)

Based on my experience, most cases never go past 1 because that's a hard hill to take because its a burden to show that a given property (s) of an oil (in and of itself otherwise the "oil" isn't the failure mechanism) is the sole thing responsible for a lock up or excessive wear.

Most times that one winds up "inconclusive" and if so, the case dies there.
 
Having done this in lubrication litigation a few times on really big stuff, it boils down to 3 questions as to which way the verdict will go.

There must be a forensic examination that concludes BY A PREPONDERANCE of the evidence ( not beyond any doubt) that the oil first and foremost is the only or either most significant contributing factor to the failure.

That's a very high bar and difficult to meet.

Then if the oil is the most likely cause, was the oil in use "adequate" ( very broad definition) for the purpose?

Then was the oil "maintained" properly ( changed, filtered, sweetened, etc.)

Based on my experience, most cases never go past 1 because that's a hard hill to take because its a burden to show that a given property (s) of an oil (in and of itself otherwise the "oil" isn't the failure mechanism) is the sole thing responsible for a lock up or excessive wear.

Most times that one winds up "inconclusive" and if so, the case dies there.

Thanks for the detailed explanation of the process.
 
Thanks for the detailed explanation of the process.

Sure, never done it for a vehicle but when a downtime event costs MILLIONS- accusations fly and lawyers parachute in.

Then we get called in to test and it becomes a battle of the experts then.

Great theater as long as you think watching cardboard absorb moisture from the air is entertainment.
 
Lubrication litigation on a personal vehicle? If you stay between the lanes on your maintenance and have an engine failure that the manufacturer refuses to repair you are going to small claims court in most states. The judge, probably not a bitoger, will hear the evidence and render a judgement.
 
About 1975 I had a part time job doing brakes, mufflers, oil changes and tires. Local businessman brought in his 2 year old mercury cougar for an oil change, as it was time to turn it in on the lease. Car sill looked new

Up on the lift, plug out, no oil. Put plug back in, lower, check dipsick, blackest oil ever. Back up, pull out drain, sick in screwdriver, and great globs of sludge came out, along with the oil. The gasket on the filter was stuck, had to use the chain type filter tool. It was a motocraft filter.

New filter, new oil, turn in on lease. I saw that car driving around town for years after. AFAIK never had engine replaced.



Rod

If Ford has ever used a Motorcraft as OE I'm not aware of it. Every original filter I've ever seen was a FOMOCO. They use that as one of the "tattle-tales" to tell if the car has ever been serviced.

I realize this was a long time ago and Ford may have used MC at the time, memory may play tricks or he may have been back for the one complementary initial service they give.
 
Lubrication litigation on a personal vehicle? If you stay between the lanes on your maintenance and have an engine failure that the manufacturer refuses to repair you are going to small claims court in most states. The judge, probably not a bitoger, will hear the evidence and render a judgement.

New Ford 5.0 or 3.5EB cost more through FRPP than the limit in small claims court in my state. Those engines cost more through the regular parts channel. In my state the limit is $6,000 for small claims court. That's before we even discuss the labor bill.
 
Anywhere from $1500 to $25000 according to state. The issue is always money and the calculation is the consumer will knuckle under or go away most times.
 
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