Synthetic Oil Warrenties Guarantee Protection For Your Engine

When AMSOIL INC. introduced the first 100 percent synthetic motor oil to pass American Petroleum Institute (API) service requirements in 1972, it set all new standards for quality and performance in the world of automotive lubrication.

However, AMSOIL synthetic motor oils were ahead of their time. At first, vehicle manufacturers and customers didn’t know what to think. Could this new synthetic motor oil really outperform the petroleum products they had been using all their lives? What followed was a lot of confusion over warranty coverage. Some unsure manufacturers and dealers told customers that use of synthetic lubricants could void their vehicle warranties.

The federal Magnuson-Moss Act of 1975, enacted to regulate written consumer product warranties, helped ease consumer concerns over voided warranties. The Magnuson-Moss Act does not require manufacturers to provide a warranty, but sets specific rules for when one is provided.

According to Federal Trade Commission regulations, “(c) No warrantor of a consumer product may condition his written or implied warranty of such product on the consumer’s using, in connection with such product, any article or service (other than article or service provided without charge under the terms of the warranty) which is identified by brand, trade, or corporate name; except that the prohibition of this subsection may be waived by the Commission if – (1) the warrantor satisfies the Commission that the warranted product will function properly only if the article or service so identified is used in connection with the warranted product, and (2) the Commission finds that such a waiver is in the public interest.” (42 U.S.C. 2302 (C))

Vehicle manufacturers specify lubricants according to viscosity grade and service classification. As long as a consumer uses a motor oil of the correct viscosity grade that meets the current service classification for the equipment (API SL, for example), warranty coverage cannot be voided. In addition, in order for a manufacturer to deny warranty coverage, the lubricant in question must be found to be directly responsible for the failure.

In other words, if the oil did not cause the failure, the warranty stands, regardless of oil brand or drain interval.

To protect consumers even further, AMSOIL has its own limited warranty that covers repair or replacement of a proven mechanically sound engine that is damaged because of the use of AMSOIL synthetic lubricants. However, that has never happened. After 30 years and millions of road miles, AMSOIL motor oils have never been the cause of an engine failure.

Since AMSOIL motor oil was introduced in 1972, many people have discovered the significant benefits offered by synthetic lubricants. Competing oil companies, most skeptical at first, have developed their own lines of synthetic motor oils. Today, synthetics are universally regarded as superior performing products. In fact, many high performance vehicle manufacturers require the use of synthetic motor oil to ensure their equipment receives the best protection possible. The vehicles of the future will continue to have smaller engines, lower emission requirements, higher performance characteristics and improved fuel economy, and they will require the lubrication quality only a synthetic can deliver.

Although many original equipment manufacturers market their own motor oil brands and strongly recommend their use, all were in agreement that the use of another motor oil would not void the warranty as long as it meets service classification and viscosity requirements and was not the cause of the failure.

The following is a sampling of manufacturer comments on the use of synthetic motor oil in their vehicles:



We have developed a specially formulated synthetic fluid called SYN3. This fluid can be used in Harley- Davidson engines, transmissions and primary chaincases. This product had been exclusively designed for Harley-Davidson and is the only synthetic product tested and certified by Harley-Davidson engineering for use on HD/Buell motorcycles. The use of a different brand of fluid does not void the one-year, unlimited mileage warranty useless (sic) it can be confirmed that the use of such products was the cause of the failure.

Lisa Sagen
Powertrain Customer Service
Harley-Davidson Motor Company


While the installation or application of aftermarket products or oils will not void the Suzuki Manufactures (sic) Limited Warranty, any failures that result from the installation or use of those aftermarket products or oils will not be covered by the Manufactures (sic) Limited Warranty.

Damon Riddle
Customer Service Representative
American Suzuki Motor Corporation


American Honda accepts the use of synthetic oils in our motorcycle engines as long as they meet our requirements.

Mike W.
Motorcycle Customer Support Department
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.


All testing done on Yamaha products by Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA is done using Yamalube motor oils. While the use of any other equivalent type of motor oil is an option that the customer can use, Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA only recommends the use of Yamalube. The use of an oil other than Yamalube will not necessarily void the customer’s warranty. The Yamaha Limited Warranty covers manufacture defects only. If it is determined that the use of an oil other than Yamalube casued (sic) the failure, it may be possible that the failure would not be covered under the Yamaha Limited Warranty.

Jim Owen
Customer Relations Representative
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA


In regards to warranty, unless the cause of failure was determined to be a direct result of the synthetic fluid, it would remain intact. Warranty would not be voided simply from the use of synthetic fluid.

Laura Torres
Case Manager, Customer Connections
Mitsubishi Motors North America


Please be aware that Kawasaki does not prohibit nor promote the use of synthetic oil in its products. Kawasaki uses only conventional motor oil for testing purposes. The Kawasaki warranty would not be voided by the use of synthetic oil in our products as long as they meet the requirements as stated in the owner’s manual.

Nathan DePauw
Consumer Services
Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA


NOTE: The “Big 3” U.S. auto manufacturers (General Motors, Ford and Chrysler) have taken the position that the use of synthetic motor oil does not void warranties. Warranties are only affected if it is proven that the use of synthetic oil was the direct cause of mechanical failure.



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