Ontario woman’s car warranty voided due to oil change issues

Maintaining a vehicle can be costly, however it may prevent future damages. CTV's Pat Foran reports.

Regular oil changes are important for your vehicle, as they prevent engine failure.

If oil changes are skipped, the engine could be damaged, and even if the vehicle is under warranty, there’s a chance the repairs won’t be covered.

A Mississauga family bought a used SUV in 2024, and two months ago, its engine seized. As the vehicle was only two years old and still under warranty, the family thought repairs would be covered.

“We’ve been told they’re super reliable and that the warranty is great,” said Jacquelyne Ferreira.

However, there was a dispute over whether they had done the proper oil changes when they were supposed to.

Ferreira and her husband had a baby last year, and with a dog in the family, they decided to get an SUV and purchased a used 2022 Mazda CX-9 with about 50,000 kilometres on it.

Ferreira told CTV News that over the past year, they took it in for oil changes when they felt they should.

“We’ve had no issues. We have taken it for its oil change every 5,000 kilometres and it’s been good to us - until it wasn’t,” Ferreira said.

Ferreira did not purchase the SUV from a Mazda dealer, so she used her own mechanic for maintenance.

In August, there was a problem with the vehicle’s camera, and then it wouldn’t start. They took it to a Mazda dealership and were told there was a problem with the oil level, and the engine had seized.

“They were asking for proof of our oil changes, we sent them photographs of our oil changes, the text messages with our mechanic,” said Ferreira.

Following an investigation, they were told the engine failure was not a defect and would not be covered under warranty.

Ferreira said her mechanic had to install a used engine at a cost of almost $10,000 so they could keep using the SUV.

“Financially, it’s going to be debilitating if it’s not covered,” Ferreira said.

When CTV News reached out to Mazda, a spokesperson said in a statement that it declined the warranty claim after it determined, based on evidence, that the engine failure was not caused by a manufacturer’s defect.

“Mazda’s review of the case revealed irregularities in the maintenance documentation provided. Additionally, the fact that the vehicle was a used vehicle purchased from a non-Mazda dealership and serviced using non-Mazda parts at an independent garage further complicated our investigation,” the statement read.

“It is our understanding that the Mazda dealership offered to install a new Mazda engine; however, Ms. Ferreira declined and chose instead to have the engine replaced with a used engine by an independent garage.”

After CTV News reached out to Mazda Canada, the company agreed to reimburse her for the costs.

“Recognizing that the situation has been difficult for Ms. Ferreira, Mazda Canada offered, as a gesture of goodwill, to reimburse the cost of the used engine installed by the independent garage and the initial camera diagnosis assessment, and the dealership has offered to have the vehicle’s camera diagnosed at no cost. Ms. Ferreira accepted the offer,” Mazda said.

When your vehicle is under warranty, you don’t have to go to the dealership for oil changes, but many people do. If you go to your own mechanic or a lube shop, you must follow the recommended oil change schedule, use the proper oil and filter, and keep detailed records.

The cost to replace some engines is now as much as $15,000, and for luxury vehicles and pick-up trucks, it can be $25,000 or more.