Do I have to use
the dealer to keep
my warranty?

No. This is probably the most common thing people get told that is not true.

Under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 2301–2312), it is illegal for a manufacturer or dealer to deny your warranty coverage simply because someone else performed routine maintenance or repairs. The Federal Trade Commission, which enforces the Act, says so directly in its own consumer guidance.

What the law actually prohibits

The relevant part is the ban on what the Act calls tie-in sales. A manufacturer generally cannot make your warranty conditional on using a particular brand of part or a particular service provider — unless they are giving you that part or that service free of charge.

That is why the distinction matters in practice:

• Work that is covered by the warranty and done at no cost to you — the manufacturer can require that to be done at their facilities. That is fair enough; they are paying for it.
• Routine maintenance and repairs you pay for — oil changes, filters, fluids, brakes, belts, rotations, inspections — you can have done wherever you like, including by an independent shop or by yourself.

Using an aftermarket or recycled part does not void your warranty either. The mere presence of a non-original part is not grounds to deny a claim.

The one real exception

A dealer can deny a specific claim if they can show that outside work or an outside part actually caused the failure being claimed. If a belt were installed incorrectly and that caused engine damage, that particular repair could be refused.

The important detail: the burden of proof is on them, not on you. They have to demonstrate the connection. “You went somewhere else, so we are denying it” is not a lawful reason on its own.

What you should actually do

The one genuine obligation is record keeping. A manufacturer can require proof that scheduled maintenance was performed on time, with reasonable-quality parts and fluids — regardless of who did it.

So protect yourself the easy way:

• Keep every receipt and work order.
• Make sure each one shows the date, the mileage, and what was done — not just a total.
• Stay on the maintenance intervals in your owner’s manual.

Do that and a warranty claim is straightforward, whoever turned the wrench. We provide a written estimate before any work and itemised documentation after it, which is exactly the paperwork this depends on.

When the dealer is still the right call

Being straight about this: there are times you should go to the dealer. If the repair itself is covered under warranty, if there is an open recall, or if there is a manufacturer service campaign on your vehicle, take it to them — that work should not cost you anything, and we will tell you if we think that is your situation.

For everything you are paying for out of pocket, the choice is yours, and the law protects it.