Add a cruise control and Smart car warranty

[spud]

This subject may be posted in the past, if it does please for give me.
I am installing a 451 cruise control. Is this proceedure will void my new car warranty?

[John_H]

It has been stated directly by the higher-ups in SmartUSA that adding a cruise control WILL NOT void your warranty. There is, however, the possibility that a malfunction of equipment hooked up to the cruise control could be blamed on a perfectly functional cruise control resulting in additional costs to the owner.

[Dunerunner]

Do your homework and know the CC system. Talk with Area 451, read every thread on this forum about the A451 CC. Dealerships are skilled at pointing to aftermarket add-ons as the problem and getting additional money from the uninformed or technically challenged as a result.

[forestacademy]

Check here for details when someone had a problem
Cruise Control and Maintenance Warning

[Woody14619]

If you read the manual (and the warranty) it explicitly states that adding 3rd party modifications like cruise will not void the warranty, except where the installation or usage of it causes damage that would not have otherwise occurred. But as pointed out, techs do sometimes like to take the easy way out and blame the 3rd party item if it's even vaguely near or connected to a broken component.

Also of note: There are two cruise options to choose from for the smart, offered by at least three vendors. Be sure to patronize vendors here, vs just goggling if you can, since their support (via ad revenue) helps to keep this forum going!

[mvaldes]

From page 7 of the warranty booklet:
A. Some Modifications Do Not Void the Warranties But Are Not Covered
Certain changes that you might make to your vehicle do not, by themselves, void
the warranties described in this booklet. Examples of some of these changes are:
• installing non-smart USA parts, components, or equipment (such as a non-smart
USA radio or speed control); and
• using special non-smart USA materials or additives.

[meaux61]

Does the area451 cruise work with the 09 tranny? I have an 08 that will be upgraded on Monday and I have the 451 cruise installed. They do the upgrade through the obd port.

[Gilbert's]

Originally Posted by meaux61

Does the area451 cruise work with the 09 tranny? I have an 08 that will be upgraded on Monday and I have the 451 cruise installed. They do the upgrade through the obd port.

Technically they upgrade the system tru obd2 along the canbus.... all aftermarket cruise control for 451 uses the bus and it program to the ecu maybe this issue would be loose connection thru the bus that make wierd codes.... Just remember the cruise control either MDC or area 451 they uses the bus...

sorry to hear this...

[Suze]

Originally Posted by meaux61

Does the area451 cruise work with the 09 tranny? I have an 08 that will be upgraded on Monday and I have the 451 cruise installed. They do the upgrade through the obd port.

YES!


I had my 08 with Area 451 Cruise Control flashed to the 09 version on Tuesday. It all works fine.

No jumper, no disconnect.


We seem to have a lot of threads about this... sorry for double posting...

[Woody14619]

Originally Posted by Gilbert's

Just remember the cruise control either MDC or area 451 they uses the bus...

sorry to hear this...

That's the real concern most of us with cruise have: Do the software updates change (or expand) the codes sent on the bus. I'm betting they're not updating the codes too extensively, since to do so would mean they'd need to reprogram not just the ECU but several other components, including the speedometer. There may be additional codes that modules may want to look for (a new code for engine slip, for example). But I doubt they'll change the base codes used for important existing details, like "door ajar", "Drive mode" or "ESP/TCS engaged".

From the sounds of it the Area451 module is unaffected, as a few people have upgraded now and their Area451 is still working fine. Since both are probably looking at the same codes for the most part, I'm hopeful that both units will be fine. I have an MDC and have maintenance scheduled for early May, so unless someone beats me to it we'll know by then for sure if the MDC is affected. Maybe I can talk Boris into installing in an upgraded car to validate it works before my appointment?

Worst case though would probably mean cruise not engaging. The only way it could be a huge issue is if they change the code for the breaking system, which means the cruise would not disable on breaking. If that were an issue I suspect we'd have already heard about it by now though.