My dealer explained to me that unless all repair work and maintenance is done by a Honda technician or a certified mechanic, the powertrain warranty is void. Anyone have experience with this?

 

The burden of proof is on Honda. They have to prove that your maintenance somehow caused whatever failure you have to deny your warranty claim. Your service writer is an idiot.

 

If you are interested in reading more, check out the ftc's guide to warranties.

https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/businesspersons-guide-federal-warranty-law

 

> Your service writer is an idiot...

This bit of information came from the salesman promoting the extended warranty. That's why I was questioning it.

 

Well, salesmen are always idiots. That's why they aren't allowed to sell you a car. (That's what sales managers and finance managers actually do. Salesmen just line you up to talk to the people who can sell the car.)
That said, an extended warranty isn't actually a warranty. It's more like insurance, so the rules are different.

 

Technically true, but that doesn't mean they'll follow this and you might end up in a protracted hassle over something.

With my last Toyota I followed the maintenance schedule religiously and took it in to the dealership on the required intervals, saving all receipts. In between those intervals though I did my own maintenance like more frequent oil changes, coolant changes and the like. If there had ever been a major problem I had the proof to satisfy them that I had followed their requirements. That I had done work beyond that on my own would have been none of their business.

 

usually you can do your own maintenance as long as you keep a log and receipts.

 

The dealership may hassle you, but a call to Honda Motor Company should fix that. I'll admit, this is my first Honda, but my history with Ford and BMW indicates that they typically do the right thing.

 

I kept a log of all the work I did on my car. Then again, I do that for all of my vehicles.

In the case of my only other Honda (a '09 GE Fit), I never had a claim during the warranty period. After all Honda's warranty of 3 yr./36,000 miles is one of the shortest in the industry, and I burned through the 36,000 miles in just over two years, so I didn't worry too much. I used Mobil 1 oil and genuine Honda oil filters, so there was little they could complain about.

As to the terms of the extended warranty, I can't say, because I've never bought one.

 

im going to be doing the oil changes on the GK as i've done on my GD and GE.

just keep a record of all the parts you used and when. dealer can say a lot of things, but it is american honda that will make the ultimate decision on what claims are covered.

GD = no issues (6yrs ownership)
GE = 2009 had the blower motor fail, fixed. no other issues (near 7yrs ownership)
GE = 2012 no issue

but these 3 were made in japan. considering the silly problems the GK has already, not sure wat other issues will crop up.

 

I'm pretty sure they cannot deny a warranty for the owner that does the maintenance unless the owner was at fault. For example not tightening the drain plug properly and it runs out of oil. So I wouldn't worry about doing your own maintenance.

On a side note, I love doing my own maintenance but man this car is low and it seems like doing an oil change would be a PIA. (I'm at 50% on the MM so it will be soon) First off I don't have ramps so i would have to jack the car up on one side just to access the aero cover. It just seems like it would be a hassle changing the oil. But a friend of mine had her Civics oil changed at the dealer recently and something happened with the drain plug and it was leaking all over her driveway and garage. The dealer had to come get the car and rechange the oil and take care of it. Again I would rather do it my self because the guy doing the oil changes is probably not always a Honda certified mechanic, but....PIA.

 

The rule about salesmen is that it is easy to tell if they are lying: Their lips move. I've found that this same rule applies to just about everyone at a car dealership. They are so used to feeding customers lies that they don't even perceive it as wrong.

The fact is that anyone can do the maintenance on your car, including you, as long as you keep records. I just keep a little notebook in the glove box on which I record all fuel and maintainance items. It comes in handy when you try to remember the last time you replaced brake pads, etc.

I remember a service writer who seriously tried to convince me that my car was not included in a range of VINs from a TSB. It listed a starting number and an ending number. The writer said "Your VIN isn't in the range." When I pointed out that my number was squarely in the middle of the range he switched to "your car was made in a different factory so it doesn't apply." I asked him which digit of the VIN identified the factory and he didn't know. I did, and I also knew that my particular model was produced only in one factory. At that point I escalated the issue to the service manager who apologized and said that the writer "made a little mistake."

The fact is, when there is no penalty for dishonesty and considerable benefits to getting away with dishonest behavior that behavior proliferates.

 

I always change my own oil... for the Fit.. I want to make sure the flimsy engine cover gets put back on correctly.

Pretty sure the oil jockies at dealers are minimum wage guys. My wife's Toyota has free oil changes the first 2 years... but at 10,000 mile intervals.. I do the changes at 5,000 miles.. the dip at the dealer overtightened everything to the point I was fearful of stripping threads when I removed. Complained to the dealer.. they're like "yeah, he overtightens everything"...

So, no more dealer oil changes for me.

 

I go (well went as my '07 is well out of warranty) an extra step and save bar codes from oil, filters, and etc. I've read about dealers denying warranty work due to faded receipts. I staple(d) then to the maintenance log as maintenance was done.

 

And/or a total greedy bs dispenser. There is a Federal law that protects folks from random denial of warranty. Neglect or totally outrageous modifications aren't allowed, but things like wheels/tires, lights, reasonable electrical mods (man, those total LED tail lights look so cool).


Have a meeting with the dealer owner, service manager, and the service writer and TELL them sticking by that stance will result in a complaint to both your state consumer protection agency, the Feds, and Honda.

 

And they may get a visit from the Colonel!

 

Faded receipts are a real problem with today's heat transfer printers. I scan all of my auto maintenance and purchase receipts. The scans don't fade over time and are always quickly retrievable in case of fire or loss.

 

Yep, I take a picture of the receipt with my phone, email to myself,and put into a folder so I can either print out records, our just email the entire folder to whoever questions anything.

 

Page 117 of the 2016 Fit Owner's Guide, in the Maintenance section says: "If you change or replace the vehicle's engine oil yourself, you must reset the engine oil life." And then the manual describes the procedure how to reset it. This seems like a manufacturer's invitation to change your own oil, if you want.

 

You don't need receipts, simply a written record that the work was performed. I keep a little notebook in the car where I record all expenses for fuel and maintenance.

Now the one place where you need receipts is for specific items, like batteries. I always copy these and put the copy with the original receipt in the car records.