A Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Jailbreak client claimed that the automaker denied a $36,000 warranty claim for a blown motor more than a muffler modification. Dodge just gave us its side of the story and it turns out that it has ramifications for all Hellcat owners. Tuning the PCM leaves a permanent mark. 

Last week, the aforementioned Dodge owner, Brennon Vinet, went to Facebook to claim that he was denied warranty coverage more than a “mid muffler” delete. His statement was truly far a lot more damning. “If you get a mid muffler [sic] delete on a Dodge vehicle it voids the warranty end of story,” he stated. 

Vinet claimed he was denied a complete printed report on the predicament surrounding his auto so we reached out to Dodge straight to get a much better understanding of what had occurred. At 1st, they told us that tampering with any emission manage device could finish up causing a denial of coverage based on what the concern is. 

More: Dodge Denies Warranty Coverage For New Hellcat Jailbreak Over PCM Tampering, Leaves Owner With $36K Repair Bill

We dug a tiny deeper asking Dodge to confirm what emission manage device was tampered with in this instance. After all, there could be a case for denial if the muffler alterations impacted emissions. It flatly pointed to the reality that it believes Vinet tuned his Hellcat. 

“The warranty claim was rejected after a Stellantis Calibration Engineer ran Powertrain Control Module (PCM) diagnostics and confirmed that the vehicle’s PCM was tampered with and contained non-factory software,” a Dodge spokesperson told us. “I haven’t seen anything on our end regarding mufflers (ie not the issue),” he added.

How Can Dodge Tell If You Tuned Your Car?

That had us asking yourself how precisely it confirmed that an individual tuned the automobile. The very same spokesperson told us the following:

“[The] Dealer ran a number of diagnostic tests, including a scan report on the vehicle’s Powertrain Control Module (PCM). Scan report found PCM to have non-factory settings (unauthorized software installed). Stellantis Powertrain Service Center manager was asked by the dealer to review the case. Scan report was sent to Stellantis Powertrain Service Center for analysis. Data was checked and confirmed by Stellantis powertrain engineering to be non-factory software. Claim was rejected for PCM and emissions tampering.” 

So that puts to bed any query about regardless of whether or not Vinet’s automobile was tuned but what if he’d reflashed factory application back onto the PCM just before bringing it to the dealer? Evidently, Dodge’s PCM will set an internal flag or code if it is ever tampered with. 

“If the PCM is tampered with, but returned to original, the PCM will retain a code indicating it was tampered with.” So the lesson is clear. If you have a Dodge solution, tune at your personal threat. As quickly as one particular trips that flag it most likely requires them out of the operating for warranty repairs on harm that happens as the outcome of tuning.