Does a car accident void car warranty?

By Stuart Johnston 

Having a motor accident is a very traumatic experience. A car accident normally occurs when you least expect it, and if damage to your vehicle is severe it can have a big impact on the smooth-running of your life.

Unfortunately straight after an accident occurs, there are normally some big decisions that need to be made. It helps if you have an idea of what those procedures are, so you can ensure that your car is repaired properly and as soon as possible, so that you can get on with your normal life.

Most manufacturer warranties stipulate that repairs should be carried out by OEM-approved body repair shops

If your car is fairly new and  is anywhere between one year and three years old, it is likely to be covered by a manufacturer’s warranty. Some manufacturers in South Africa offer warranties that extend to four, five, six and in one case, even seven years.

 In most cases, manufacturer warranties stipulate that any accident repairs should be carried out by OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)-approved repair shops that will restore your vehicle to a state that will make it “as good as new”.

Don’t confuse a warranty with a service or maintenance plan

A warranty is not to be confused with a service or maintenance plan. A warranty covers a vehicle from the time of its first registration to a point stipulated in the original sales document. This warranty will typically be for a period of, say, three years or 100 000 km, whichever occurs first after the vehicle is first registered.

AutoTrader recently published a list of warranty durations for most popular cars on sale in South Africa. These range from one year/ unlimited km in the case of Audi products to six years /150 000 for Nissan vehicles, while Hyundai vehicles are warrantied for five years/ 150 000 km for the whole vehicle and seven years/ 200 000 for drivetrain components.

A maintenance or service plan often expends well beyond the original manufacturer warranty period.

What does the warranty normally cover?

This warranty covers any  mechanical defects that can become apparent in the warranty period, as well as electronic defects, and bodywork defects, such as corrosion. If a car has a corrosion warranty, it often extends to a period well after the warranty period for mechanical/electronic  components.

If your vehicle is fairly new, it is likely to be insured

By law, if a vehicle has been bought  in South Africa using a finance scheme, that vehicle has to be comprehensively insured, so that if it is involved in an accident or stolen, the finance house can recover its investment.

According to Edwin Martin, the National Director of the South African Motor Body Repairs Association (SAMBRA), the first step to take after an accident is to make sure it is reported to the traffic authorities, and then to fill out an insurance claim report.

“The insurance company will have a list of repair shops that they deal with. And if the VIN number on the car indicates it is still under warranty, then the insurer will direct you to a repair shop that has OEM approval.

Approved repair shops can be found on the SAMBRA website

“The repair shops that have OEM, or Original Manufacturer approval  are listed on our website, which can be found simply by entering a Google search for SAMBRA,” explains Martin.

Once a repair shop has been assigned the work by the insurance company, It is a good idea to check with your dealer that this repair shop is in fact on the list of OEM-approved repairers for your make of car. In the case of severe damage, the repairs need to be carried out to ensure that your car is restored to a safe condition, especially in the case of structural damage to chassis, brake system, steering and suspension components.

A history of accident damage will be logged on your car’s VIN data

Accident damage to your vehicle will be recorded on its VIN number data base, administered by TransUnion. It is worth noting that this history of accident repair should be acknowledged when the time comes to sell your car, as this is a legal requirement under the Consumer Protection Act.