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GM Requires Dealers To Tell Customers If A Vehicle Has Non-GM Parts Or Accessories

General Motors dealers are now required to tell customers who purchase a GM vehicle whether their vehicle is equipped with non-GM goods or services.

Specifically, dealers are required to use a new disclosure form for the following items on new or used vehicles:

  • Non-GM service contracts (warranties)
  • Non-GM parts
  • Non-GM accessories

Failure to use the disclosure form could result in penalties and even termination of the dealer.

Dealers Already Required To Use The Form

GM’s franchise agreement has required dealers to disclose when a service contract, part or accessory is a non-GM product. That’s been that way for a few years.

What’s different now is that dealers are required to use a standardized form to make the disclosure.

Purpose

According to GM, the change is intended to make clear to consumers the extent of its responsibility and liability for non-GM products.

Specifically, GM “has no obligations to the customer under a non-GM service contract” and that “GM is not responsible for the consequences of installing non-GM parts, equipment, or accessories on the vehicle,” according to a letter signed by GM North America President Alan Batey dated August 10th.

So, if a dealer installs non-GM parts while reconditioning a used vehicle or accessories on a new or used vehicle, the dealer must disclose this to the customer with the new standardized form. Customers can also request to see a list of non-GM parts installed by the dealers on request.

GM does not require dealers to disclose non-GM parts or accessories installed by previous owners or a used vehicle. Over-the-counter part sales are also exempt from the disclosure obligation.

Repercussions

Dealers who do not utilize the new disclosure form could be penalized in various ways, including:

  • A fine of $500 per incident
  • Becoming ineligible to buy other GM dealerships
  • Becoming ineligible for GM’s incentive programs, including EBE (Essential Brand Elements)

Eventually, the dealer could face franchise termination.

On August 24th, GM Vice President of U.S. sales, service and marketing, Steve Hill, issued a follow-up letter to Batey’s. In it, he explained that most deals sell GM parts, accessories and service contracts or properly disclose when they sell non-GM products. The purpose of the new, standardized disclosure is to ensure that consumers understand the source of the product, said Hill, as reported by Automotive News via F&I and Showroom.

“For the disclosure requirements to have any meaning, however, there must be a consequence for a dealer who ignores or refuses to make these very important disclosures,” he added.

Deadline

Dealers have 90 days from September 1st to add the form to their sales and service process. After that, GM zone (field) and central office teams will consider the dealership’s disclosure practices and the severity of the violations before imposing penalties.

GM Authority Executive Editor with a passion for business strategy and fast cars.

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Comments

  1. My thanks to GM for Implementing this new policy ? It protects both the Buyer, and the Dealership, which is very important in today’s litigious society. My first thought, in reading this, is that it is a ‘good start’ , and hopefully it will lead to making it mandatory for Dealerships, to Install Only GM Authorized Parts, when reconditioning Pre-Owned cars, and trucks…and Offer the Buyer GM Service Contracts Only, on both Pre-Owned and when extending Protection on their GM Certified vehicles. We are a GM family, with the exception of our 2002 SL 500, which we purchased Certified.
    Yes, I am aware that their are Service Contract policies, that are not GM, that give great coverage, such as Western General in California…and we can attest to that, from personal experience. Sadly, their are Dealerships, that offer non GM Warranty coverage, that is hardly worth the paper their printed on…those are the situations that give both Dealers, and F&I personnel, a bad reputation.
    We are currently shopping for a GM Certified vehicle, for my Wife’s daily driver use, and we Will include additional GM Warranty coverage, for as long as possible in the Purchase. We are blessed to have an awesome Service Advisor, at our local Dealership, and the comfort of having continued GM coverage, is a great comfort to us.

    Reply
  2. Years ago, I knew a dealer who, on new Chevy Silverados, had the independant shop across the street install new stainless steel side steps instead of the cheap chrome GM ones that pitted right away. They were upfront and told you what they were going to do beforehand, same installed price as the GM ones, and they looked after installation, same as any other dealer installed options. They had gotten tired of warranty claims on the GM ones.

    Reply

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