Does fitting an aftermarket part void your new car warranty?

Fitting an aftermarket part does not, by itself, void a new car warranty. Under the ACCC’s position and the Australian Consumer Law, a manufacturer cannot cancel the whole warranty just because you used an independent repairer or non-genuine parts. The manufacturer can only refuse a claim if it can show the part or repair work caused the fault.

Short answer

Fitting an aftermarket part does not automatically void a new car warranty. The ACCC position, supported by Australian Consumer Law, is that a manufacturer cannot cancel warranty rights just because a car has been serviced or repaired by someone other than the dealer, or because non-genuine parts were fitted.

What matters is whether the aftermarket part or the repair work caused the fault. If the manufacturer can show that link, it may refuse that specific warranty claim. The ACCC does not say that the whole warranty disappears because an aftermarket part was used.

Manufacturer warranty and consumer guarantees are different

A manufacturer warranty is a contractual promise from the manufacturer. Consumer guarantees are separate rights under Australian Consumer Law. The guarantees apply automatically and cannot be excluded, limited or removed by a warranty or contract.

The ACCC guide says consumer guarantees include that goods must be of acceptable quality, fit for any disclosed purpose, match their description, and have access to repairs and spare parts for a reasonable period. These rights apply whether or not a manufacturer warranty exists.

Manufacturer warranty: a promise from the manufacturer
Consumer guarantees: automatic rights under Australian Consumer Law
One does not replace the other

What a manufacturer can and cannot do

The ACCC position is that there is no requirement to service a car at a manufacturer’s dealership to preserve a manufacturer’s warranty or consumer guarantees. The use of aftermarket parts or an independent repairer does not, by itself, void the warranty.

A manufacturer can refuse a specific claim if it can show that the aftermarket part or the repair work caused the problem. For example, if a fitted part fails and damages another component, the manufacturer is not liable for damage caused by that failure.

What the manufacturer cannot do is treat the whole new car warranty as lost simply because the car has been repaired elsewhere or fitted with non-genuine parts. Any refusal must relate to the actual cause of the fault.

Can refuse a claim if it can show the aftermarket part caused the fault
Cannot void the whole warranty just because of non-genuine parts or independent servicing
Cannot remove consumer guarantees by warranty wording

When a part is alleged to have caused a fault

If a fault is alleged to have come from an aftermarket part, the question is causation. The manufacturer may say the part or the fitting work caused the damage. If so, the claim can be denied for that fault. The ACL position still leaves the consumer with rights against the supplier of the part or the repairer who did the work.

The ACCC material does not set out a single test for every case. It depends on the facts, including the part used, how it was fitted, and what failed. If there is disagreement about cause, the manufacturer, the part supplier, or the repairer are the parties to ask.

Fault must be linked to the part or the work
Consumer guarantees still apply to the part and the service supplied
Responsibility depends on who supplied the faulty part or service

Aftermarket parts, independent repairs, and Australian Consumer Law

The Australian Consumer Law applies to goods and services supplied to consumers in Australia. The ACCC guidance says consumer guarantees apply to the car itself, as well as goods and services supplied by independent repairers, including aftermarket parts.

The ACCC-related material also says aftermarket parts carry their own consumer guarantees under the ACL, like OEM parts. That means the part must be of acceptable quality and fit for its purpose, and the service must meet the guarantees that apply to services.

This is why an independent repairer can use aftermarket parts without that alone removing warranty rights. The warranty question and the consumer guarantee question are related, but they are not the same thing.

Aftermarket parts have consumer guarantees under the ACL
Independent repairs do not automatically remove warranty rights
ACL rights remain even if a manufacturer warranty claim is refused

What the right to repair scheme changes

The Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Information Sharing Scheme is a mandatory scheme under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. It requires manufacturers to make service and repair information available to Australian repairers and registered training organisations at a fair market price.

The scheme is aimed at enabling consumers to have their vehicles repaired by a repairer of their choice, and at supporting safe and efficient repairs. It covers passenger vehicles and light goods vehicles manufactured on or after 1 January 2002.

The scheme does not set a single rule for which parts must be used. It is an information-sharing and competition measure, not a parts-approval regime. Questions about whether a specific aftermarket body part or light meets vehicle standards or roadworthiness rules depend on the relevant state or territory requirements and the ADRs.

Manufacturers must share service and repair information with Australian repairers
The scheme supports choice of repairer and safe repairs
Vehicle standards and roadworthiness rules are separate

What to check if there is a dispute

If a warranty claim is refused because a part is said to have caused the fault, the key issue is whether the manufacturer can show that connection. If the fault is about the aftermarket part itself or the repair service, the ACL rights may sit with the supplier or repairer.

For the warranty position, the ACL position, and complaint handling, the authority to check with is the ACCC. For whether a specific body part or light meets vehicle standards or roadworthiness rules, check the relevant state or territory authority.