Should i extend OCI on a vehicle under warranty?

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Live_Wire

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As of right now I haven't gone beyond GM's OCI on the 2011 Terrain. If I do and I have an oil related failure or major engine failure they would probably ask for proof of maintenance which I do myself and didnt keep receipts up to this point anyway. After making sure i am not going to a level where it will shorten the life of the engine, should i start extending out the intervals? BTW OnStar knows my OLM!

Comments and personal experiences welcome.
 
99% on this forum are going to agree, while your under warranty always follow manufacturers recomendations. when the warrantys up, do whatever makes you feel warm and fuzzy.
 
If you extend beyond the OLM, then GM doesn't have to honor your warranty on the engine because you have not followed the maintenance GM requires...you've broken the contract between you and GM....is the loss of the warranty worth the few $$ you save by extending?
 
The OLM on my Cruze at least is indicating between 9-10k miles per oil change in mostly highway driving. If your Terrain is anything like my Cruze, following the OLM is unlikely to result in excessive oil changes. Besides, knowing the 2.4 in the Terrain is DI, I'd be erring on the side of shorter changes anyhow.
 
I am wondering if GM would warrant a failure without me having receipts in the first place. Do you think they just go off of an individuals honest word?
 
Originally Posted By: sciphi
The OLM on my Cruze at least is indicating between 9-10k miles per oil change in mostly highway driving. If your Terrain is anything like my Cruze, following the OLM is unlikely to result in excessive oil changes. Besides, knowing the 2.4 in the Terrain is DI, I'd be erring on the side of shorter changes anyhow.


Mine (my wifes) is the V-6 and I get 5,000 miles and the OLM is down to 0%
 
I will say don't do it. If it sludges up or get ganky, GM won't provide clean up coverage or any warranty coverage for RELATED damage.

Then I will say 99% of the people on this forum just regurgitate what they think a warranty covers or doesn't cover.

Here is a fact: GM cannot deny warranty coverage, or somehow "void" your entire warranty for simply running an OCI beyond the OLM.
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo
I will say don't do it. If it sludges up or get ganky, GM won't provide clean up coverage or any warranty coverage for RELATED damage.

Then I will say 99% of the people on this forum just regurgitate what they think a warranty covers or doesn't cover.

Here is a fact: GM cannot deny warranty coverage, or somehow "void" your entire warranty for simply running an OCI beyond the OLM.


If you use a UOA to help you safely extend the OCI (if you can even safely extend it beyond the factory interval) then you shouldn't have an engine problem, therefor, i don't see how extending the OCI will cause you any problems with either the warranty or the engine itself...
confused.gif


Someone explain how it's such a big deal?

I modified my 07 Honda Civic Si within 500 miles of driving it off the dealership lot, Brand New, voiding the engine warranty, transmission warranty, suspension, etc etc.

There was a recall for a bad wheel bearing, they fixed it.
There was a recall for a bad crank pulley bolt, they fixed it.
There was a recall for something related to the power steering, they fixed it.

I never had a problem getting warranty to cover anything and i had a modified car, which voided several warranties.
21.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Live_Wire
I am wondering if GM would warrant a failure without me having receipts in the first place. Do you think they just go off of an individuals honest word?


If you are going to do your own oil changes, then you need to keep both the receipts and a maintenance log.

And no, they don't just go off of an individuals honest word. Because, honestly, very few individuals are honest when several thousand dollars are at stake.
 
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Originally Posted By: Artem
If you use a UOA to help you safely extend the OCI (if you can even safely extend it beyond the factory interval) then you shouldn't have an engine problem, therefor, i don't see how extending the OCI will cause you any problems with either the warranty or the engine itself...
confused.gif


Someone explain how it's such a big deal?


Here is my first UOA on the GMC Terrain in question, i am not making final decisions until more discussion and more UOA. Possible change in oil to deal with fuel as well.

PU 5w-30 GMC Terrain 3.0L V6 DI, 5,291mi, 0% OLM
 
Originally Posted By: Live_Wire
As of right now I haven't gone beyond GM's OCI on the 2011 Terrain. If I do and I have an oil related failure or major engine failure they would probably ask for proof of maintenance which I do myself and didnt keep receipts up to this point anyway. After making sure i am not going to a level where it will shorten the life of the engine, should i start extending out the intervals? BTW OnStar knows my OLM!

Comments and personal experiences welcome.

I am wondering if GM would warrant a failure without me having receipts in the first place. Do you think they just go off of an individuals honest word?


If this is one of the DI engines in your Terrain don't extend the interval for mechanical reasons. GM is actually shortening the intervals on some of these engines( flashing the computer to alter the OLM )as it was too long.

I can tell you from personal experience as someone who has dealt with GM on engine warranty that they WILL ask for proof of maintenance if you have any kind of internal engine issues. If it is done at the dealer, so the dealer has the proof on their computer, you will probably never know it was asked for but it will be asked for. If you do it yourself( that is fine not saying otherwise )you will be asked to provide receipts that show you complied with the requirements they set forth for your vehicle. You will need enough receipts, showing the correct parts were used, to correspond to the # of miles on your vehicle. Come up short and it can be an out for them.

I also worked in the auto field for many years. That included a stint working dealer parts and service. Different mfg but they all pretty much behave the same and the law applies equally to them all. I have seen warranty coverage refused because proper maintenance was not done many times. Don't risk it. Just follow the requirements in your Owner's Manual. You can always do the things sooner but later is never a good idea.

You have some rights under the law. So does the car mfg providing you that warranty however. Depsite some who say they can't do this and they can't do that they CAN require certain things from you.

Under the law you are not required to use OEM parts nor must you have the work done at a dealer for that car mfg to preserve your warranty. If they require that then they must provide the parts and labor to you for free. The car mfg can also not deny say a warranty on your AC system because you have a cold air intake or changed gears in your diff. You are allowed to modify your vehicle and not lose all coverage. However, any area you modify loses coverage and if the mod in question directly lead to the failure then they can refuse coverage.

For OCI's the car mfg can tell you what weight to use, certifications/ratings, and time/mileage limits it must be changed by. If you deviate from that YOU are the one putting your warranty at risk and you WILL be doing so. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Even if the failure is not related to extending your interval from the allowed for 6 months to a year( examples )what that does is give the car mfg an out. They will deny coverage on engine repairs( internal )and claim it was either A) - you broke the warranty terms so they are not bound to honor the warranty or even B) - the extended OCI caused it. YOU would then have to go to court and fight them to get coverage. You may or may not win but in the end you will be without the car unless you pay for the repair. It can take a year or longer to settle those types of cases.

Just not worth it. Bottom line is stay within the mfg's requirements while under warranty. Do what yo want after. You don't have to use OE oil and filters, nor have the dealer do the OC's, but you do need to use the correct weight, rated/certified oil, and change it on time. Do that, keep your receipts, and you will be fine. It is a good idea to mark the mileage changed at on them or better yet keep a log you can match receipts with. Many DIY'ers also keep the box top off the filter boxes that shows the part # as well.
 
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Originally Posted By: Live_Wire
Originally Posted By: Artem
If you use a UOA to help you safely extend the OCI (if you can even safely extend it beyond the factory interval) then you shouldn't have an engine problem, therefor, i don't see how extending the OCI will cause you any problems with either the warranty or the engine itself...
confused.gif


Someone explain how it's such a big deal?


Here is my first UOA on the GMC Terrain in question, i am not making final decisions until more discussion and more UOA. Possible change in oil to deal with fuel as well.

PU 5w-30 GMC Terrain 3.0L V6 DI, 5,291mi, 0% OLM


UOA's are good tools for showing you, the owner, how your engine is doing. However, they are not something the dealer/car mfg is going to accept as a valid reason to exceed the limtis in the Owner's Manual( or any updated info )they give you. A UOA would only help you if you went to court to fight a warranty coverage denail. It would be one way for you to prove extending your OCI did not hurt anything and that the failure was not lubrication related( you can still lose because you broke the warranty terms by exceeding the max time/mileage limit ).

A UOA is not going to sway GM's decision to deny coverage for not following their requirements unless they ask for it and have it done. They will call your bluff so to speak and deny. You then have to go to court and hope the judge/arbitor understands what UOA's are and what they show and that they don't care you exceeded the terms of the warranty.

Use the UOA to keep tabs on your engine but don't do them thinking they will give you grounds to extend your OCI's in relation to your warranty. They will not.
 
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Excellent summary, NHHEMI. In my personal experience with a lemon law return, when push comes to shove, the corporation will shove very hard. They want EVERYTHING documented and will look for any excuse out of the deal....just my experience.

When my Celebrity head bolt broke just 2k out of warranty, I had to fight to get it covered....even with a TSB covering a batch of defective head bolts.

Regarding use on non OEM parts, it is my understanding that the Magneson Moss act protects us on this. However, if damage occurs due to that part, then they CAN deny warranty. Example: your Fram or WIX oil filter collapses due to defect and ruins the engine. The auto company can deny warranty. So, using non OEM can result in another hoop to jump thru if a warranty claim is made.

In Artem's example above, recall service is not the same as warranty service.
 
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I understand that my recall example are different but i was just saying that they will still cover things regardless.

I've worked in the auto repair business for a while now and have yet to hear of massive engine failure from an auto manufacturer where the oil was at fault. It's always something mechanical that breaks or will break and so it's covered regardless of your oil choice or OCI.

That said and having looked at the OPs UOA on the car / engine is question... it honestly doesn't look like a good candidate for extended OCIs to begin with. The whole fuel issue can lead to problems with longer oil runs with this particular engine and the whole DI design. I'd stick with the OLM.
 
These days corporations will do almost anything to get out of a warranty claim. Dont make it any easier for them to deny yours.
 
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