Warranty

01

Warranty Coverage

Merchant Automotive manufactured products are warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for one year from the original purchase date, unless a different warranty is specifically stated for the product.

MAximum Transmission units and complete transfer case units are warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for two years from the original purchase date.

Certain products sold by Merchant Automotive may carry different warranty periods or specific warranty requirements. When this applies, the warranty associated with that product will determine the available coverage.

If you purchased it from Merchant Automotive, start your warranty claim with us.

02

Why Did the Product Fail?

When a product fails, the first question should not simply be:

“Is it still under warranty?”

We also need to understand:

“Why did the product fail?”

A product may fail because of a defect in materials or workmanship. Failures can also result from installation problems, incorrect application, abuse, excessive operating conditions, improper tuning, modifications, inadequate maintenance, contamination, another failed component, accident, or operating the product outside its intended application.

Determining the cause of failure is an important part of determining warranty coverage.

Being within the warranty period does not automatically make a failure warrantable.

03

Starting a Warranty Claim

Customers who believe a product purchased from Merchant Automotive may have failed under warranty should contact MA before returning, replacing, disassembling, modifying, or disposing of the product.

An RMA (Return Material Authorization) is required before returning a product to Merchant Automotive.

MA may request information necessary to evaluate the concern, including:

• Original invoice or proof of purchase.
• Product or part number.
• Vehicle information.
• Mileage at installation and failure.
• Installation information.
• Description of the problem.
• Diagnostic information.
• Photographs or videos.
• Maintenance information.
• Vehicle modifications or tuning.
• Other information reasonably related to the failure.

Merchant Automotive will provide instructions regarding the next step.

Receiving an RMA does not mean the warranty claim has been approved.

04

Inspection & Failure Analysis

Most warranty claims require evaluation before MA can determine whether the failure is covered.

Depending on the product and circumstances, MA may inspect the product, request additional diagnostic information, or arrange for additional inspection or failure analysis.

The purpose is to determine:

What failed, why did it fail, and is the cause covered by warranty?

The existence of a failed product does not automatically establish a defect. Once the available information has been reviewed, Merchant Automotive will determine the appropriate warranty resolution.

05

Approved Warranty Claims

When Merchant Automotive determines that a product experienced a qualifying warranty failure, MA will work with the customer to resolve the claim.

Depending on the product and circumstances, the resolution may include:

• Repair.
• Replacement.
• Replacement of the defective component.
• Store credit.
• Refund when appropriate.
• Another reasonable resolution approved by Merchant Automotive.

Any reimbursement, replacement, or credit MA may pursue from a supplier or manufacturer is handled separately by Merchant Automotive.

06

Replacement Before Warranty Determination

We understand that sometimes a customer cannot wait for the inspection and warranty process to be completed.

When an immediate replacement is needed and the warranty claim has not yet been approved, the customer may purchase a replacement product from Merchant Automotive when available.

Unless another arrangement is approved:

• The replacement product must be paid for in full.
• Applicable core charges must be paid.
• Applicable shipping charges must be paid.
• Purchasing the replacement does not constitute approval of the original warranty claim.

Once the original product has been received and evaluated, MA will determine whether the failure qualifies for warranty coverage.

If the claim is approved, MA will provide the appropriate refund or credit based on the applicable warranty. If the failure is not covered, the customer remains responsible for the replacement product and applicable charges.

07

Labor, Shipping & Related Expenses

Product warranty does not include labor or shipping.

Unless specifically included in the applicable warranty or otherwise approved by Merchant Automotive, warranty coverage does not include:

• Diagnostic labor.
• Removal or installation labor.
• Towing.
• Vehicle rental.
• Vehicle downtime.
• Lost income or business.
• Shipping or expedited freight.
• Other incidental or consequential expenses.

Approval of a product warranty does not mean any additional expenses are covered.

08

Products Installed by Merchant Automotive

When Merchant Automotive both sells and installs a product, MA owns the customer experience from beginning to end.

If a problem occurs, we will work to determine whether the concern involves the product, our workmanship, another vehicle component, the vehicle's operating conditions, or another cause.

If Merchant Automotive determines that our workmanship caused the problem, MA will address the workmanship concern under the applicable service warranty. If the product experienced a qualifying warranty failure, MA will handle the product warranty.

The customer does not need to determine who is responsible before contacting us. Bring the problem to MA and we will work through it.

09

What Is Not Covered

Warranty coverage may be denied when a failure results from conditions outside the applicable warranty, including:

• Improper installation or incorrect application.
• Abuse, misuse, or negligence.
• Accident or collision damage.
• Unauthorized alteration or modification.
• Improper tuning or calibration.
• Failure of another vehicle component.
• Contamination.
• Improper fluids or lubricants.
• Lack of required maintenance.
• Continued operation after a known problem develops.
• Operating beyond stated product limitations.
• Excessive horsepower, torque, load, temperature, pressure, or other operating conditions.
• Racing, sled pulling, competition, or other use outside the product's intended application.
• Disassembly or modification before required warranty inspection.
• Failure to follow applicable installation, break-in, maintenance, or operating requirements.

MA will consider the facts and circumstances of the individual failure before making a warranty determination.

10

Shipping Damage & Returns

Shipping damage and standard product returns are different from warranty claims.

Customers should contact Merchant Automotive promptly regarding products that arrive damaged, incorrect, or incomplete.

Products that have been installed, used, or experienced a suspected failure should be handled through the warranty process rather than as a standard return.