While many car owners will tell you that the JB4 unit doesn't void the warranty, it will void the powertrain warranty. Also, if the dealership can prove that any other problem with your car happened because of the JB4 installation, they will not pay for your repairs at all, even if the breakdown isn't connected to the powertrain.
Addons in your car highlights
- Commonreasons:more power, cheap upgrades
- Average prices:$150 - $800
- Average waiting time:1 day
- Common problems:no efficiency, dangerous installation
- DIY mods:possible
- Level of satisfaction:low
Why would you want to install the JB4 computer?
This is a tempting thing that offers you easy access to the advanced settings of your vehicle. If you take the info from advert videos, you will be thrilled to install this thing into your vehicle.
It's claimed to have several important benefits:
- the possibility of switching between different mappings;
- the opportunity to save fuel using the settings aimed at the economy;
- access to the mappings with more power and torque;
- easy settings using the intuitive app on your smartphone;
- relatively easy installation.
But, in real life, things are not as easy and cool as they are described in the ad. First of all, the opportunities and possibilities of this unit depend much on the type of ECU and sensors installed in your vehicle. Secondly, the installation is pretty complicated. And if you don't like the unit, de-installation will be even more complicated.
You will have to let an independent shop dig into your car's wiring harness and this is always a risk. What's more, the dealer will not repair your car if something goes wrong just because they will never take responsibility for this JB4 unit.
So, the whole idea of using this additional car computer is pretty questionable. But will it void your warranty?
Warranty questions with the JB4 unit installed
You won't find any direct sentence in the warranty agreement of your car manufacturer that would point to the additional electronic control units installed in the car. However, the warranty agreement will most likely specify "any additional (aftermarket) equipment" that changes the specs or functionality of the vehicle and can affect the work of the important units and modules.
If such equipment is installed and in three days your engine has a hole in the cylinder block, the dealership will never pay for the new engine. You will have to pay for it from your own pocket even if the actual problem was the manufacturer's mistake.
There are some ways to make the car manufacturer pay for repairs:
- prove that the JB4 wasn't the actual reason for the problem;
- file a complaint wherever you may do that including courts;
- find a good lawyer to represent you in different institutions;
- prepare some money to protect yourself in court.
Unfortunately, this may eventually cost you much more than you can gain from a dealership. It's not uncommon for such cases to take years because the dealership and the manufacturer will be protected by their warranty policy and will not just pay for your new engine or any other repairs.
Is the JB4 unit actually worth the risk?
So, now you know that however the JB4 will not immediately void the entire warranty in your vehicle, it puts you at the risk of denial of any warranty repairs that are connected with the powertrain. But is this module actually worth it?
In my opinion, the JB4 and any similar technology has a lot of flaws:
- this is not actually a tune and you will not gain what you probably want to get from the modification;
- it will cost you quite a lot to install the JB4 and then you also get another electronic module that can fail;
- it's not undetectable as many people think if the dealer wants, it can easily prove the device was there.
Actually, there were no cases when dealerships would void the warranty exactly because of the JB4 device. But you should be careful. It can void your warranty if you come to the dealership with JB4 hanging from your ECU and ask for warranty repairs.
If you are buying and installing the JB4 unit, you are playing a game with the dealer and you may lose this game. For me, this is the biggest disadvantage in all those tuning things.
In my opinion, the device isn't worth the money. It doesn't give you much more power or torque but puts you at risk. Also, it works with the ECU and potentially may cause some harm to your vehicle.
About the authors
The CarAraC research team is composed of seasoned auto mechanics and automotive industry professionals, including individuals with advanced degrees and certifications in their field. Our team members boast prestigious credentials, reflecting their extensive knowledge and skills. These qualifications include: IMI: Institute of the Motor Industry, ASE-Certified Master Automobile Technicians; Coventry University, Graduate of MA in Automotive Journalism; Politecnico di Torino, Italy, MS Automotive Engineering; Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Mechanical University in Skopje; TOC Automotive College; DHA Suffa University, Department of Mechanical Engineering
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