Ask Sam: Tips on car warranties

Dear YallaMotor Readers,

This week I will shed some light on new and extended vehicle warranties.

As most of us drivers in the Middle East know, automotive manufacturers offer 36 months or 60.000 kilometers (the majority of them), whichever comes as first type of coverage when buying a new vehicle. The UAE recently announced mandatory 5 year warranty for all manufacturers including spare parts which is great for consumers. 

While under warranty, it is very important that you follow the next steps to avoid breech of contract provided by the manufacturer / dealer:

1- Always perform engine oil & filter change routinely per manufacturers recommendation.

2- Do not install a cold air intake (very common reason why automotive dealers void manufacturer warranty) image shown below.

3- Do not change tire & wheel size without an approval from your local dealer.

4- Do not tow a trailer or a boat if your vehicle is not designed to tow.

5- Do not perform any electrical modifications such as replacing car stereo or any type of wiring such as adding a high performance chip to increase fuel and air mix ratio to gain few horsepowers.

6- Last but not least, if you are traveling out of your region and you service your vehicle at another authorized dealer make sure that you save all receipts.

Sincerely,

Sam J Freij
Automotive Service & Technology Management Expert