Hi everyone,

Kind of new to this board but I've looked at the FAQ's and 100's of postings but I have not found a satisfying answer to this question.

How can I run a chip in my 2001 without voiding the warranty. It seems like just removing the chip before you take it in for service is not going to do the trick. I hear there is a code set in the computer when you install a chip, can this code be erased by removing battery power for a while? Can the connection traces be recoated so that the dealer cannot tell a chip has been installed? Is there any other flags the dealers look for? Do the dealerships generally look at these things when a Lightning engine or tranny fails?

I really want to go for the chip and filter mods but thats probably all I'll do for a while, but now after reading all these postings on tranny failures and engine problems I am getting a little gun shy.

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90 LX Mustang 5.0 w/ATI Dominator D1-B 14 psi
505 rwhp , 495 ft-lbs

2001 White Lightning (bone stock)

 

It seems it really depends on the dealer. My brother has no problem when he takes his in, but the dealer I bought mine from says -- a chip voids the warranty. He does not know about the Magnuson Moss Act, nor can he explain why Coletti runs a chip, etc.

The long and the short of it seems to be to ask the Service Manager, and find one that is at least reasonable!!! I understand some Ford dealers install chips and warrant them -- go figure!!

I just notices you are in Lewisville --- can you say BANKSTON I knew you could!!!

[This message has been edited by Ivanhoe_Farms (edited 04-22-2001).]

 

I'm trying to set a world record in the Ford warranty dept for how many time that I’ve turned my truck in..

I can install/uninstall any chip in less than 15 seconds. Pop the hood, ratchet the neg battery terminal, turn the lights on, turn the lights off, remove key, install neg. battery terminal and your done. Total time 2-3 minutes, I guess it would crimp my style to place that black plastic plug back in.

After 15 trips to Ford I have only gotten asked once if I ran a chip, I looked dumbfounded?!?! What do you mean, chip? I was told that I have to install a chip it will waken your truck up!

In a nut shell what's the big deal?


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I think Eric Red has the best idea. Run with a chip,but make it look like you're not! Then lay a load of "what's a chip" dumbness on 'em!!!!! Even with clean terminals on the computer, it would be pretty hard to prove you were runnin' a chip if you cleared the computer!!!!

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01L,Lowered, Black,Downey SST,Straight Pipes,Chipped........ Toy: 91 Heritage Softtail Classic/Lowered

 

Eric, get a new gif, that pony looks pretty lame(IMHO)

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01L,Lowered, Black,Downey SST,Straight Pipes,Chipped........ Toy: 91 Heritage Softtail Classic/Lowered

 

cabraco,

Lame, lame, LAME?

That's a 600 MPH horse!

I guess that you can't tell but it's a really, really, BIG horse. Look closer it's doing almost 621 MPH right now, can’t you see all the stuff whizzing by?

OK it's a GIF that I add to all of my custom software that I create. Someone once said that I had a dark horse mentality, he was Finnish so to this day I don't know what that meant?

 

I purchased mine at Westway in Irving and they said if they sold and installed the Superchip they would warranty it. Doug Stanley sells them off the showroom with chips and suspension mods. But I would pull the chip and clear the computer and turn it in.

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01' Silver Bullet
Tire shredding truck

 

Implied in this question are some interesting ethical issues. If you install a chip and something subsequently goes wrong with your truck does the dealer automatically have the right to deny to fix it under warrantee? I'd say it depends. If its the notorious upholstery tear, or door crack, it would be pretty hard to show that it was chip related. And under the Moss-Magnusen Act the dealer would have to prove that the mods that you did lead to the failure. On the other hand, if your tranny blows up because you overrode the power shutdown during the 1-2 shift with a chip I think the dealer has a good case for denial of service. I don't know why anyone would even try to get warrantee service under this circumstance because even if you hide the fact you had a chip you will get the oem parts which will fail again. Between these extremes are ambiguous situations, such as the i/c leak. Some dealers might try to deny service on the basis that you have increased boost pressure with a chip, leading to the failure. But you could point to all the i/c failures on unchipped trucks and invoke the M-M act. I agree with Ivanhoe, find a service manager you can work with, but if you can't, and the failure is not chip related, pull the damn thing and clear the codes like Eric.

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I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.

'84 Alan Record Carbonio, Aerospoke wheels, Campy brakes.

'00 SVT Lightning, silver, built 2/9/00, #133 of 4966, G-tech Pro, JBA headers, 4.10 gears, Swanson chip, Pro-M, NGK plugs, carbon drive shaft, Roadmaster suspension kit, TransGo shift kit, cam bolts, Jackson washers,
13.39 @ 102.5

2001 Kevlacat 2400, twin 115 Evinrude FICHT, Raytheon VHF, radar, autopilot and GPS chartplotter/fishfinder.
http://www.zing.com/album/?id=429389...4647875&idx=15

gmvye@pacbell.net

 

Nicely said alphadoggy. Now I got to go to work!

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2001 Silver Bolt...
Adopted 3/24/01...
Red Line Water Wetter... Wet Okole's... Bedrug... JL Ram Air...
Chipless in NJ

 

Some dealers will gladly take your money and make mods for you. My dealer here in Buena Park modifies F150's, Navigators and Expeditions by installing the AED Blowers on them. They will tell you that it will not void warranty, even though it specifically says so in the warranty fine print.

It looks like some dealers want your business, and will look the other way when it comes to mods. Others appear that they would rather not be bothered, and will do anything to void it.

When I took the truck in for intercooler repair, nothing was said about the Pro-M and the Swanson chip. I left them in.

The only one who commented was the service tech who took it for a 20 mi. test drive. When he got back, he said "I got to get me one of these".

In respect to the mod issue, money talks. Find a dealer who will gladly accept it and look the other way.


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Red 00"
Pro-M mass air
Swanson Chip
Aluminum Driveshaft
Jay Lincoln Homemade Traction Bars
*******'s bed cover

 

ATIdominator...
Take it to Bankston..they'll take care of you from what I hear. However, if you ever wonder over here on this side of town...I would NEVER take it to Don Davis...I don't care if it's to get the friggin tires rotated. They have decieved me, offered un-satisfacorty service, and performed non-workmanship like repairs on my L that weren't even performace based repairs. Just me .02.

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99 Lightning (SuperChip and Airaid Induction)

93 Cobra (Vortec Powered)

 

Eric_red wrote:

>>I can install/uninstall any chip in less than 15 seconds. Pop the hood, ratchet the neg battery terminal, turn the lights on, turn the lights off, remove key, install neg. battery terminal and your done. Total time 2-3 minutes, I guess it would crimp my style to place that black plastic plug back in.<<

So you are saying that you must disconnect the battery then cycle the lights then turn or remove the key? Are you joking? Or are these switches somehow dumping the computer memory to ground?

 

The process of turning the lights on drains excess electrical current in the system...

 

HEY!!!
The dealers don't work for Ford!!!
They work for you!!!!!
They make lots of money off FORD.
If my dealer would not fix anything
& my truck was in warrenty. I will not
buy another thing from him, & no one
else I know will.


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1999 Black XL Flairside
5.4 auto.,reg cab
5/7 DJM drop 4in A-arms+1in springs. rear flip kit+2in shackles
16x8 polished Pythons + 275 by 65
Clear lights all a round
polished alum grill
black Checkmate hard tonn cover
Sir Michael's rollpan (6mo waiting list)
Bucket seats & fold down center console(super duty)
TruckMaster front air dam with fogs
Wheelskin steering leather wrap
Backdraft rear spoiler
Street Smart mirrors
SuperChip,WMS tube, K&N filter
ASP power pullys, 16in elect fan
Gts II slotted taillite covers
Heartthrob catback exaust
Removed XL & Trident badges & put SVT emblems (so I wouldn't have to race everybody who thought it is a V6)
Powered subwoffer (100 watts)
WISH LIST!!!!
Goodmark Mustang GT style (on order)
Some type of side ground effects
Headers,HOLLY THUNDER CHARGER
2IN Chop top, Shaved Door&Tailgate Handles
18IN wheels & tires

 

The turning on the lights thing is crazy. You might as well run around the truck naked 13 times while shaking frozen vegetables above your head. Neither of them will do anything.

By removing the negative battery cable all circuits in the truck are broken. To test this go switch the breaker off in the house and flip the light switch repeatedly. If the lights don't come on, try the naked veggy thing.



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Scott Weatherford
351W 1993 LX 11.9 @ 118MPH (Drag Radials)
Black 2001 Lightning 13.62 @ ??? MPH

WWW.Mustang351W.F150online.NET
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