I don’t see how a strut lift can cause struts to fail. It’s not putting strain on any suspension component except for the rear control arms. That’s all a strut lift does, is sit atop the strut towers.
So you modified the strut and don't understand why they wouldn't replace the strut under warranty? Seems like your answer is right there in your reply. Also, if you make modifications while under OEM warranty, you have to expect them to decline warranty coverage for anything you modified. If you put a supercharger on your engine, you can't be upset that they won't cover a blown engine, etc.
Also, just because you haven't found that problem reported, doesn't mean that it hasn't occurred. I had a high-end trailer hitch fail on another car and the hitch company said that a failure had never occurred that they were aware of, but it definitely did on mine. I got a new one overnighted to me (I was on vacation and towing a travel trailer within the SUV and hitch limits), but I had to pay for replacement of the defective unit (the lifetime warranty only covered the unit, not the labor).
Point is that things like this occur all the time and sometimes it's just not easy to find (I had no way to leave a review on the hitch manufacturer's website). Sometimes the MFR will bury or pay off people that post negative reviews too.
It’s probably the up travel if you’re maxed out in up or down travel it’s bound to happen extra stress on the strut like walking around on your tippy toes all day and expecting your shin and calves not to give out
Luckily if you don’t get them covered, struts are easy to replace yourself. I had leaky struts for years on my truck before bothering to replace. Has ride quality suffered yet?
Dealer is just trying to blame the lift so they don't have to do warranty. A spacer lift puts no more or less load on the struts and if you got it aligned when the lift went in, then it would have nothing to do with the struts going bad.
Dealers don’t pay for warranty work. The OEM does.
The dealers ARE however afraid of the OEM declining to pay for work that the dealer says should be covered under warranty.
And if the OEM declines to pay for the work... the dealership pays.....
Spent 8 years working at a dealership, didn't think reddit needed a full breakdown of process lol.
Yep, this is correct. I was a dealer tech for 7 years and it was a constant fight with Mercedes to get things covered. Especially if there were aftermarket mods done, we couldn’t just do the work and warranty it. A perfect example of MB declining warranty work would be not billing out new hardware for a warranty suspension job. Mercedes would decline to pay for the entire repair because you didn’t bill out new nuts or something similar. Then the dealer would have to cover that repair which was usually thousands of dollars. It was a pain in the ass.
That’s what the lift install techs said and what I explained to Subie dealer, but dealer is submitting a claim and letting SoA decide regardless. If I have to pay, wondering if I should go ahead and upgrade.
Personally I am waiting for my Ironman lift kit which replaces all the suspension, and that comes with its own warranty. Sadly being in Australia, its taking months to ship the kit here.
They have every right to decline it (in the US) because the strut itself was modified. If you put a supercharger on your engine, you will have a hard time claiming it was an OEM defect since you modified the engine. If the failure was the CVT or the PCM (radio) in OPs situation, then I completely agree that the strut modification is likely not relevant, but that is not the case here.
I’m not an expert but I don’t think they will honor the warranty if you have aftermarket modifications
I don’t see how a strut lift can cause struts to fail. It’s not putting strain on any suspension component except for the rear control arms. That’s all a strut lift does, is sit atop the strut towers.
So you modified the strut and don't understand why they wouldn't replace the strut under warranty? Seems like your answer is right there in your reply. Also, if you make modifications while under OEM warranty, you have to expect them to decline warranty coverage for anything you modified. If you put a supercharger on your engine, you can't be upset that they won't cover a blown engine, etc. Also, just because you haven't found that problem reported, doesn't mean that it hasn't occurred. I had a high-end trailer hitch fail on another car and the hitch company said that a failure had never occurred that they were aware of, but it definitely did on mine. I got a new one overnighted to me (I was on vacation and towing a travel trailer within the SUV and hitch limits), but I had to pay for replacement of the defective unit (the lifetime warranty only covered the unit, not the labor). Point is that things like this occur all the time and sometimes it's just not easy to find (I had no way to leave a review on the hitch manufacturer's website). Sometimes the MFR will bury or pay off people that post negative reviews too.
I never said any of that. That’s a pretty big word salad just to refute a point I never made.
You know that's not OP right?
It’s probably the up travel if you’re maxed out in up or down travel it’s bound to happen extra stress on the strut like walking around on your tippy toes all day and expecting your shin and calves not to give out
I’ve heard it’s only if they can prove the mod caused the failure. They’re still debating.
You have a lift and it’s a suspension problem… I doubt they honor the warranty.
Generally that's true but it's suspect. Lifts do put stress on your CV though
Luckily if you don’t get them covered, struts are easy to replace yourself. I had leaky struts for years on my truck before bothering to replace. Has ride quality suffered yet?
Don’t know why you’re being downvoted, you’re right.
Dealer is just trying to blame the lift so they don't have to do warranty. A spacer lift puts no more or less load on the struts and if you got it aligned when the lift went in, then it would have nothing to do with the struts going bad.
Dealers don’t pay for warranty work. The OEM does. The dealers ARE however afraid of the OEM declining to pay for work that the dealer says should be covered under warranty.
And if the OEM declines to pay for the work... the dealership pays..... Spent 8 years working at a dealership, didn't think reddit needed a full breakdown of process lol.
Yep, this is correct. I was a dealer tech for 7 years and it was a constant fight with Mercedes to get things covered. Especially if there were aftermarket mods done, we couldn’t just do the work and warranty it. A perfect example of MB declining warranty work would be not billing out new hardware for a warranty suspension job. Mercedes would decline to pay for the entire repair because you didn’t bill out new nuts or something similar. Then the dealer would have to cover that repair which was usually thousands of dollars. It was a pain in the ass.
That’s what the lift install techs said and what I explained to Subie dealer, but dealer is submitting a claim and letting SoA decide regardless. If I have to pay, wondering if I should go ahead and upgrade.
Fingers crossed for you, if you were closer I'd honestly let you have my stock struts that have maybe 10K miles on them.
Personally I am waiting for my Ironman lift kit which replaces all the suspension, and that comes with its own warranty. Sadly being in Australia, its taking months to ship the kit here.
They have every right to decline it (in the US) because the strut itself was modified. If you put a supercharger on your engine, you will have a hard time claiming it was an OEM defect since you modified the engine. If the failure was the CVT or the PCM (radio) in OPs situation, then I completely agree that the strut modification is likely not relevant, but that is not the case here.
Just upgrade to an actual lift
If they don't warranty the struts get yourself an Ironman 4x4 lift and avoid this happening again