Voided vehicle warranty because of previous owner

[ShaneDT]

I live in Texas, and purchased a used vehicle a few months back. Mileage was well below the limit to qualify for the bumper to bumper warranty. Electronic issues started, took it into the Buick dealership, and they've stated that there was an aftermarket windshield added, and water had leaked into areas that was causing the problems. Buick dealership is claiming this voids the warranty, however I had no idea about the windshield because that was done before I purchased the car. To add to this, I purchased the vehicle at a separate dealership, not from Buick. First of all, do I have any way to get them to honor the warranty, and if so, who should honor it? The Buick Dealership, or the one that sold me the used vehicle?

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

If it was a GM warranty any Buick dealership should honor the warranty.

 

[ShaneDT]

If it was a GM warranty any Buick dealership should honor the warranty.

It was a GM Warranty, and they are claiming they will not honor it because of the aftermarket windshield that leaked and caused the electronic problems. I wonder if a different Buick dealership on the other side of town would give me the same answer.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

That sounds reasonable on their part.

 

[ShaneDT]

That sounds reasonable on their part.

Is it reasonable though if it was work done by the previous owner? It's not like I can look at a windshield and tell that it's not a Buick certified windshield.

 

[xylene]

I hate the word 'told' - is this something the service manager said, or a literal denial letter from Buick and/or GM?

you need to escalate the dealer's denial to GM PriorityCare

https://www.gm.com/lemon-law.html

Be insistent, persistent and demand any denial you are "told" of to be in writing, with an attached explanation.

 

[Zigner]

Is it reasonable though if it was work done by the previous owner? It's not like I can look at a windshield and tell that it's not a Buick certified windshield.

Why should that be their problem?
If the car was advertised as having a factory warranty, then you may have recourse against the selling dealer.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

It isn't GM's fault either though. This is no different than if the previous owner had simply poured water onto the electrical part. It would have not been covered for him or you.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

And Texas' Lemon law only covers new cars.

 

[xylene]

The use of aftermarket glass to replace a windshield is NOT an improper modification.

The page I linked is the contact information for GM warranty escalation, I did not intended to imply the OP had a lemon law claim.

 

[Zigner]

The use of aftermarket glass to replace a windshield is NOT an improper modification.

No, but the improper installation of an aftermarket windshield sure could void a warranty with regard to the damage that a leak causes.

 

[ShaneDT]

No, but the improper installation of an aftermarket windshield sure could void a warranty with regard to the damage that a leak causes.

This is what I was thinking, which is why my first course is going to the dealership that sold it to me (Nissan dealership), and see if I can get them to cover it. They sold me a used Buick which had a modification that GM is claiming voided their factory warranty. When I purchased it, a huge selling point was it had such a long window of still being under the factory warranty.

 

[xylene]

No, but the improper installation of an aftermarket windshield sure could void a warranty with regard to the damage that a leak causes.

Crummy low grade American car metal and substandard seam finishing could cause leaking too. Seen that on plenty of GM cars.

But that's another conjecture not based on what the Buick dealer "told" the OP.

They claimed it is because of the aftermarket windshield.

That's not going to cut it. Now they need another reason...

This is why escalating the denial is the best, and short of litigation that would cost more than the car, only way for getting the repair covered.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

It should be simple to see if and where the leak is. You simply use a hose and spray the car.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

This is what I was thinking, which is why my first course is going to the dealership that sold it to me (Nissan dealership), and see if I can get them to cover it. They sold me a used Buick which had a modification that GM is claiming voided their factory warranty. When I purchased it, a huge selling point was it had such a long window of still being under the factory warranty.

If the Nissan dealer is who changed out the windshield they might fix it. But they may not have even known about it.