v>EPA
        United States
        Environmental Protection
        Agency
            EPA 420-F-92-002
            August 1992
        Offce of Mobile Sources
What You
Should Know
About Your
Auto Emissions
Warranty

-------
E mission control warranties protect you. the vehicle owner.
from the cost of repairs for emission related failures that are
beyond your control Manufacturers are required by federal
law to provide broad emission warranty coverage for vehicles
that are less than five years old and have been operated for
less than 50,000 miles
There are two emission control warranties, the “Design
and Defect Warranty” and the “Performance Warranty “ The
Performance Warranty covers repairs which are required
because the vehicle failed an emission test If you are a
resident of an area with an Inspection/Maintenance program
that meets federal guidelines, you may be eligible for this
additional Performance Warranty protection Ask your local
lnspection/ Maintenance program or write to EPA for a
copy of the pamphlet “If Your Car Just Failed An Emission
Test You May Be Entitled To Free Repairs,” which describes
the Performance Warranty in detail The Design and Defect
Warranty, described in this pamphlet. covers repair of
emission control related parts which become defective during
the first five years or 50,000 miles of vehicle use
According to federal law, if
• Your car is less than 5 years old and has less than 50,000
miles, and
• An original equipment part or system fails because of a
defect in materials or workmanship, and
• The failure would cause your car to exceed federal
emissions standards, then
the car manufacturer must repair or replace the defective part
free of charge This is the protection given car owners under
the Emissions Design and Defect Warranty required by the
Clean Air Act
This pamphlet, published by the U S Environmental
Protection Agency. will answer some of your questions
about the warranty and give you a general understanding of
what it does, and does not, cover
The emissions warranty applies to all motor vehicles
manufactured since 1972, including cars, pick-ups.
recreational vehicles, heavy-duty trucks, and motorcycles
However, the length of your warranty coverage, as expressed
by a time or mileage limitation called “useful life,” may be
different for each type of vehicle For example, the warranty
or useful life for cars is five years or 50,000 miles.
whichever occurs first To determine the length of warranty
coverage that applies to your vehicle, look for the emissions
warranty description in your owner’s manual or warranty
booklet
Beginning with cars manufactured in the 1972 model year.
you will find an explanation of the emissions warranty in your
owner’s manual or warranty booklet
Under the law, each manufacturer must honor the warranty
if the three conditions listed above occur All manufacturers
have established procedures to provide owners with this
warranty coverage If you do not understand the meaning of
the warranty or the procedures you must follow to obtain
warranty coverage, contact your car dealer or the
manufacturer’s zone or regional representative

-------
Does The Emissions Warranty Apply To Used Cars?
Yes It does not matter if you bought your car new or used.
from a dealer or anyone else As long as your vehicle has not
exceeded the warranty time or mileage limitations, this
warranty applies
What Parts or Repairs Are Covered By The Emissions
Warranty?
Coverage includes (1) any part whose primary purpose is to
control emissions, and (2) any part that has an effect on
emissions
To aid in identifying specific parts in your car, the two
categories are listed (see below) They are further divided into
systems, with a list of the major parts in each system
Often, parts are given different names by different
manufacturers One manufacturer may use more parts than
another, so the following list may not be complete for all
vehicles
Emission Control Parts
Exhaust Gas Conversion Systems
• oxygen sensor • thermal reactor
• catalytic convener • dual-walled exhaust pipe
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) System, including
• EGR valve • thermal vacuum switch
• EGA solenoid • EGA spacer plate
• EGA backpressure • sensor and switches used
transducer to control EGA flow
Evaporative Emission Control System
• purge valve • fuel filler cap
• purge solenoid • vapor storage canister
and filter
Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) System
• PCV valve • PCV solenoid
Air Injection System
• diverter. bypass or gulp valve • air pump
• reed valve • anti-backfire or deceleration
valve
Early Fuel Evaporative (EFE) System
• EFE valve • thermal vacuum switch
• heat riser valve

-------
Fuel Metering Systems
• electronic control module or • EFI air flow meter. module
computer command module or mixture control unit
• deceleration controls • electronic choke
• fuel injectors, fuel injection • altitude compensator
units and fuel injection bars sensor
EFI I mixture settings on sealed
“ I carburetors
• mixture control solenoid.
diaphragm or other fuel • other feedback control
metering components that sensors, switches and valves
achieve closed-loop operation
Air Induction System
• thermostatically controlled • air box
air cleaner
Ignition Systems
• electronic spark advance • timing advance/retard
systems
• high energy electronic
ignition
Miscellaneous Parts
• Roses, gaskets, brackets, clamps and other accessories
used in the above systems
Emissions Related Parts
Emissions Related Parts There are other parts of your car
which have a primary purpose other than emissions control,
but which nevertheless have significant effects on your car’s
emissions If any of these parts fail to function or function
improperly, your car’s emissions may exceed federal
standards Therefore, when any of the parts of the following
systems are defective in materials or workmanship and have
failed in a way that would be likely to cause your car’s
emissions to exceed federal standards, they should be
repaired or replaced under the emissions warranty
Carburetor System
• carburetor • choke
Fuel Injection System
• fuel distributor
Air Induction System
• turbo charger • intake manifold
Exhaust System
• exhaust manifold
Ignition System
• distributor • spark plugs
• ignition wires and coil

-------
Miscellaneous Parts
• Hoses, gaskets, brackets, clamps, and other accessories
used in the above systems
Can Any Portion of An Emissions Warranty Repair Be
Charged To Me?
When a manufacturer repairs or replaces any part under the
emissions warranty, you may not be charged for any labor.
pans or miscellaneous items that are necessary to complete
the repair For example, if a manufacturer agrees to replace a
catalytic converter under the emissions warranty, you should
not be charged for the catalyst nor for any pipes, brackets,
adjustments or labor needed to complete the replacement
How Long Does The Emissions Warranty Apply To
Individual Parts Of My Car?
• Parts that do not have a stated replacement interval in the
maintenance instructions are warranted for the “useful life”
of the vehicle For cars this would be five years or 50,000
miles, whichever occurs first For vehicles other than cars,
read your warranty description in the owner’s manual or
warranty booklet to determine the length of warranty
coverage (useful life)
• Parts with a stated replacement interval, such as, “replace
at 15,000 miles or 12 months,’ 4 are warranted up to the first
replacement point only
• Finally, parts that are the subject of a maintenance
instruction that requires them to be. “checked and replaced if
necessary,” or the subject of any similar requirement, are
warranted for the entire period of warranty coverage
How Do I Know Whether I Am Entitled to Coverage
Under The Emissions Warranty 7
If you or a reliable mechanic can show that a part in one of
the listed systems is defective, it is probably covered under
the emissions warranty When you believe you have
identified a defective part that may be covered you should
make a warranty claim to the person identified by the
manufacturer in your owner’s manual or warranty booklet
What Should I Do If My First Attempt To Obtain Warranty
Coverage Is Denied?
If your first attempt to receive emissions warranty coverage
is denied, you should then
• Ask for a complete reason, in writing, for the denial of
emissions warranty coverage, and
• Ask for the name(s) of the person(s) involved in the denial.
including anyone from the manufacturer’s regional or zone
office, and
• Ask for the name(s) of the person(s) you should contact to
appeal the denial of coverage under the emissions warranty

-------
Once you have attempted to obtain this information and you
are not satisfied with the warranty claim determination, you
should contact the person designated in your owner’s manual
or warranty booklet by the manufacturer for warranty
assistance
How Can Maintenance Affect My Emissions Warranty
Coverage?
Performance of scheduled maintenance is your responsibility
You are expected to either perform scheduled maintenance
yourself or have a qualified repair facility perform it for you If
a part failure is a direct result of your car not being
maintained or used according to the manufacturer’s
recommendations as found in your owner’s manual or
maintenance booklet, the manufacturer may not be required
to repair or replace the failed part under the emissions
warranty Remember, to assure the maximum benefits of
your emissions control system in reducing air pollution. as
well as to assure continued warranty coverage, you should
have all scheduled maintenance performed
Do I Have to Show Any Maintenance Receipts Before I
Can Make An Emissions Warranty Claim?
No Proof of maintenance is not required in order to obtain
coverage under the emissions warranty If a qualifying part is
defective in materials or workmanship, the manufacturer
must provide warranty coverage However, not all part
failures are caused by a defect in materials or workmanship
An obvious example is a part failure caused by the car being
involved in an accident
You are not automatically required to show maintenance
receipts when you make a warranty claim However, when it
is likely that the lack of scheduled maintenance has caused
the particular part failure, you may be asked to show that
scheduled maintenance was performed When you make a
warranty claim, keep in mind that you may be asked for proof
that maintenance was performed only when lack of
maintenance could have caused a part to fail
How Will My Warranty Be Affected If I Use Leaded
Gasoline In My Car?
When leaded gas is used in cars requiring unleaded, the
emissions controls (particularly the catalyst) may be
deactivated In addition, lead deposits will form inside the
engine and, under certain circumstances. may contribute to
the failure of an engine part The emissions warranty does
not cover any part failures that result from the use of leaded
fuel in a car that requires unleaded fuel
Are Dealers The Only Persons Allowed To Perform
Scheduled Maintenance Recommended By The
Manufacturer?
No Scheduled maintenance servicing may be performed by
anyone who is qualified You may even maintain the car
yourself, as long as the maintenance is performed according
to the manufacturer’s instructions provided with the car
For your protection, before taking your car to a repair
facility to have any maintenance performed, check your
maintenance booklet and make a list of all of the scheduled

-------
maintenance We then suggest that you do not merely ask
for a “tune-up”, or a “12.000 mile servicing” Instead, specify
all required servicing to the person who will perform the
maintenance The specific list of maintenance work to be
performed should be entered on the work order or receipt
that you receive This provides a clear record that all
scheduled maintenance has been performed
If I Need Replacement Pans 1 Must I Use The Car
Manufacturer’s Parts Only?
No A manufacturer cannot require the use of any specific
brand of parts in the maintenance of your car However, the
manufacturer can require you to use parts that are of equal
quality to the original ones
If I Buy A Used Car. How Do I Know Whether It Has Been
Maintained According To The Maintenance Schedule?
The best way to learn whether the car has been maintained
according to its schedule is to ask the seller to give you the
receipts proving that all of the scheduled maintenance was
performed Having the receipts on hand will provide
necessary evidence if the question of maintenance arises To
prevent any loss of your car’s emissions performance, you
should continue to conform to the maintenance schedule in
the owner’s manual or warranty booklet
You should also ask the seller for the owner’s manual,
warranty or maintenance booklet, and any other information
that came with the vehicle when it was new If the seller
does not have these documents, you can obtain them From
the manufacturer
What Do I Do If The Manufacturer Will Not Honor What I
Believe To Be A Valid Emissions Warranty Claim?
If your car has a defect in any of the components listed
previously, you should contact an authorized warranty
representative and follow the procedures outlined earlier If
that person denies your warranty claim, contact the person
designated by the manufacturer for further warranty
assistance
You are entitled to pursue any independent legal actions
you consider appropriate to obtain coverage under the
emissions warranty as discussed in this pamphlet In addition.
the Environmental Protection Agency is authorized to
investigate the failure of manufacturers to comply with the
terms of this warranty If you have followed your
manufacturer’s procedures for making a warranty claim as set
out in your owner’s manual or warranty booklet and you are
not sattsfied with the manufacturer’s determination, you are
encouraged to contact EPA by writing
Warranty Complaint
Field Operations and Support Division (EN-397F)
U S Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20460

-------
In Summary:
If a part in a listed system is defective
• Present a warranty claim to an authorized warranty
representative
If your warranty claim is denied
•Ask for the reason for the denial, in writing
• Follow the appeal procedures in your owner’s manual
If you are not satisfied with the manufacturer’s decision
• You are encouraged to contact EPA. which investigates the
failure of car manufacturers to comply with the terms of the
emissions warranty
Keep This Pamphlet With Your Car For Future Reference.
EPA is charged by Congress to protect the Nation’s land,
air and water systems Under a mandate of national
environmental laws focused on air and water quality, solid
waste management and the control of toxic substances.
pesticides, noise and radiation, the Agency strives to
formulate and implement actions which lead to a
compatible balance between human activities and the
ability of natural systems to support and nurture life

-------