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upgrading speakers voiding warranty?

10942 Views 20 Replies 15 Participants Last post by  Anthonyc77
does upgrading the speaker system yourself void any warranties? just want to know before i start tearing the door panels apart.
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typically bolt-on's do not void warranties, but if you accidentally short your speakers, and it can be proven, you're warranty would be void on the deck if it blew.

D
wow really? didn't know I thought it did void it right away after you do it, personatly, I wouldn't upgrade that, the stock sound system sounds great in my car if you ask me
it doesnt break the warranty.
wow really? didn't know I thought it did void it right away after you do it, personatly, I wouldn't upgrade that, the stock sound system sounds great in my car if you ask me
I see we agree here..

on and think like kia if you change something in the car they don't have to back the warranty since you changed it..
I mean you put speakers in your car that need 90 watts
stock head unit 30 watts or so
equals a overload that at somepoint most likely will fry it..
kia won't give you another one... they don't have too you changed it which means you broke it
but if a cd stock in it.. they'd most likely have to fix that... but lol maybe they'd blame it on you..see where I'm going here
I see we agree here..


I mean you put speakers in your car that need 90 watts
stock head unit 30 watts or so
equals a overload that at somepoint most likely will fry it..


ummmmm....HUH????

U are mis-informed my friend.

So ur new speakers can take 90 watts...OK
The stock head unit can only push out 30 watts....great

Where's the overload?? There is none. Your speakers are just underpowered. The radio is not affected, the radio is strictly limited to the 30 watt output .

Now if the OEM speaker has a 4 ohm impedance and u replaced it with a 2 ohm impedance speakers, then u have a problem. Theres your overload.
I see we agree here..

on and think like kia if you change something in the car they don't have to back the warranty since you changed it..
I mean you put speakers in your car that need 90 watts
stock head unit 30 watts or so
equals a overload that at somepoint most likely will fry it..
kia won't give you another one... they don't have too you changed it which means you broke it
but if a cd stock in it.. they'd most likely have to fix that... but lol maybe they'd blame it on you..see where I'm going here
Ignore this person.

Worst case scenario when running 90wrms on a 30wrms channel is that you will distort your speakers at louder volumes.
Yes, upgrading speakers WILL void bumper to bumper warranty. No questions asked. Bolt ons depending on what they are, can potentially void warranties.
a790 I just have to say that I've done this a few times and I've killed a few stockers by adding big speakers with no amp... trust me it might take a month it might take 3 but in my past trials I've seen them smoke out .. i was younger at the time like 17 so maybe the speakers had nothing to do with it? still I'm just saying he was asking if that was going to void the warranty.. and yeah I was giving ImO from past problems I've had just trying to save him from a mistake..

atleast get a amp if your going to do that for saftey sake and better sounds which after all is what he is after right?
ok Im done here say what you will lol
funny.. my dealerships.. all 3 of them, say it doesn't void the warranty. That's only going to be the case if everything works.

You can destroy the head unit under the following conditions: some mentioned above

wrong impedance speakers
short on startup.
short duration operation
speaker failure during operation

the following will destroy (over time) high wattage handling speakers hooked up to the HU:

playing the radio loud and distorted! (the amp will clip sending square waves to the speakers which will burn the voice coils precisely at the amplitude the HU caps out at. (and leading up to there)

poor youtube quality audio files. (same as above) highly compressed music crams as many frequencies it can into a narrow band. This effectively has the same result as above when amplified... and worsens if both conditions (this one and the above) are met.
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Yes, upgrading speakers WILL void bumper to bumper warranty. No questions asked. Bolt ons depending on what they are, can potentially void warranties.
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funny.. my dealerships.. all 3 of them, say it doesn't void the warranty. That's only going to be the case if everything works.
I just talked to my dealership as I was calling to make an appointment to get an oil change, and they backed up what D113 has said. Plus, who argues with a guru :p

Edit: Could this be something that varies from Canada and the US?
Yes, upgrading speakers WILL void bumper to bumper warranty. No questions asked. Bolt ons depending on what they are, can potentially void warranties.
WILL NOT


google the magnuson-moss warranty act that was enacted back in 1975

^^ that is a federal law, so its applies in the US. Kia cannot make the waranty conditional because u replaced your speakers. The speakers would have to be proven with out the benefit of a doubt to have caused failure to the OEM headunit. If you undertand audio, how the basics of a loud speaker works, and how a basic audio amplifier works, then u can see why and how speakers can not void a manufactures warranty if your properly installing them or using them.
WILL NOT


google the magnuson-moss warranty act that was enacted back in 1975

^^ that is a federal law, so its applies in the US. Kia cannot make the waranty conditional because u replaced your speakers. The speakers would have to be proven with out the benefit of a doubt to have caused failure to the OEM headunit. If you undertand audio, how the basics of a loud speaker works, and how a basic audio amplifier works, then u can see why and how speakers can not void a manufactures warranty if your properly installing them or using them.
this is a part of the law I saw that draws a concern to me..
I mean if I read this right this could give them a way to right you out of there warranties am I wrong? :confused:

The Act does not require that manufacturers or sellers of consumer products provide written warranties. Instead, the act requires that manufacturers and sellers who do warrant their products to clearly disclose the terms of the warranty so that the consumer understands his or her rights under the warranty.

edit.. I'm just saying it seems like they could put something in fine print someplace about you adding/ changing parts..
I'm not trying to start a fight I'm just trying to say has anybody here read there warrantys front to back I'll be honest I have not.. I've read some of it but yeah. lol
thanks!

thanks guys! about upgrading the speakers, some of you mentioned that i should get an amp to power them so in time the HU wont blow. i dont mind getting a small amp to power them up. My question is, Im planning on having components in the front and coaxials in the rear so the coaxials will be the only ones powered by the amp or do component systems need amplification as well? Ive never dealt with component speakers, thats why i ask.
first post been reading the forums a lot lately...just got my koup...I called my dealer and they said any aftermarket parts installed will void the warranty...including speakers and a sub...are they bsing me?
Call another dealer pretending to be a buyer and ask them the same question. Maybe ask for the sales manager too!
I asked two dealerships (western Canada) and was told by both that adding an aftermarket sound system WOULD void the warranty. However, they also stated not to take their word for it 100% and recommended calling Kia Canada. I will be calling them soon...
I asked two dealerships (western Canada) and was told by both that adding an aftermarket sound system WOULD void the warranty. However, they also stated not to take their word for it 100% and recommended calling Kia Canada. I will be calling them soon...


You might wanna check the last couple of thread. there's even a stikied thread. Aftermarket parts don't void warranty. However if the after market part caused damage to a part, then YOU have to pay to fix that part.
Regarding power requirements for component/coax speakers, there are no special requirements. A crossover (either passive or active) allocates frequencies to each driver.
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