Paint and Paint Repairs - Warranty Coverage
Group 01Warranty
Bulletin Number
01 01 94 (3986)
Woodcliff Lake, NJ
December 1996
Warranty
This bulletin supersedes Service Information Bulletin 01/01/94 (3986) dated April 1994. This revised bulletin includes information on all approved paint products (also see 5.1. Bulletin 99 O2 96 dated July 1996), as well as the latest warranty coverage enhancements that are shared by all approved paint suppliers.
SUBJECT:
Warranty Coverage - Paint and Paint Repairs
MODELS:
All
SITUATION:
This bulletin restates, summarizes, and clarifies existing New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage of paint defects and explains the additional coverage afforded through our approved paint suppliers (when using approved paint products/systems) during and after the "New Vehicle Limited Warranty" period.
BMW "New Vehicle Limited Warranty" - Paint Finish Coverage
BMW warrants the original paint finish on all new vehicles for the duration of the "New Vehicle Limited Warranty" period against defects in material or workmanship. This warranty does not cover damage, paint deterioration due to external factors (such as acid rain, industrial fallout, etc.), or normal deterioration. For more detailed information on coverage and exclusions, please refer to the current Warranty Policy and Procedures Manual, Section 5.
Approved Paint Manufacturers' Warranty Coverage
BMW-approved paint materials used for paint refinishing performed under the "New Vehicle Limited Warranty" applied by qualified personnel certified (as defined in the next section) in the application process of these products will be warranted against defects in material or workmanship (of the paint material itself) for the duration of the "New Vehicle Limited Warranty" or for the paint manufacturers' limited warranty, whichever is longer. All approved paint manufacturers offer the following limited warranty coverage:
Product Type Paint Manufacturers'
Limited Warranty*
Basecoat/Clearcoat System Years 1-5 100%, Years 6+50%
Waterborne Basecoat/Clearcoat System Years 1-5 100%, Years 6+50%
H.S. Urethane Topcoat System Years 1-3 100%, Years 4-7 50%
Single Stage Urethane System Years 1-3 100%, Years 4-5 50%
* The manufacturers' limited warranty will cover eligible paint defects on the covered vehicle for the time period specified (from the date of the paint repair) for the vehicle owner at the time of the paint repair, as noted on the repair documentation. The paint manufacturers' warranty cannot be transferred to a second or subsequent owner unless the vehicle is under the BMW "New Vehicle Limited Warranty".
Neither our New Vehicle Limited Warranty or the paint manufacturers' warranty is applicable in situations where the failure at hand is attributed to a workmanship problem (on the part of the painter) from a previous repair. Warrantable repairs to previously refinished areas will be processed according to the warranty status of the vehicle being repaired (also see "Authorization Requirements").
Recommended Refinishing Materials/Procedures, Certification and Training Requirements
Should a situation arise whereby paint refinishing becomes necessary, BMW requires the use of BMW approved paint products and application procedures. The materials provided by the manufacturers previously specified are the only approved refinishing products for use on BMW cars. BMW NA does not recommend nor encourage the use of non-approved products or application processes for any refinishing situations.
Please note that certain paint products will continue to be supplied by BMW NA directly, such as paint sticks and spray touch-up applications (see applicable Parts and Service Information Bulletins for more detail).
Paint system training is available through the BMW NA National Training Department and through the manufacturers' training centers. Please note that certification is a prerequisite for paint warranty consideration (independent body shops doing sublet work for BMW dealers must also be certified in order to perform warranty repairs). To maintain certification recognition, painters must continue to update their level of training to be concurrent with new paint systems (materials and application procedures) as they evolve.
Authorization Requirements
For initial paint defects and repairs performed on vehicles still within the "New Vehicle Limited Warranty", authorization is required from your BMW NA Market Team only.
For any subsequent repair(s) of the same area on vehicles still within the "New Vehicle Limited Warranty," joint authorization is required from both your Market Team and a representative from the applicable paint manufacturer. Repairs to previously refinished areas on vehicles no longer covered under the "New Vehicle Limited Warranty" require the authorization of the applicable paint manufacturers representative only, following the guidelines of that manufacturer. In all cases, repairs must be approved prior to the actual performance of the repairs. Full documentation will be required for any consideration, including copies of the original (first) repair order, which should fully document the use of BMW approved materials (and which manufacturers' materials were used) in the course of repairs.
Claims Procedure: Vehicles Within "New Vehicle Limited Warranty"
For vehicles still covered by the "New Vehicle Limited Warranty," the claims will be entered and processed through the BMW NA warranty system, utilizing the BMW flat rate manuals and labor operations as a guide to determine reasonable labor charges. Labor performed by an independent sublet shop will be paid at the labor rate of that shop. Please note that every sublet claim is reviewed by an examiner on a case-by-case basis for reasonableness given the market conditions on the date of repair. The acceptance of the labor rate is dependent upon a comparison with the labor rate of the BMW NA dealership coordinating the repairs. Sublet reimbursement is based on actual dealer cost. The claim comments should fully explain the details of the actual paint failure, as well as reference the specifics of any prior related paint failures.
Claims Procedure: Vehicles out of "New Vehicle Limited Warranty"
Repairs to previously refinished areas on a vehicle that is no longer covered under the BMW "New Vehicle Limited Warranty" should be submitted as per the applicable manufacturers' guidelines. Please contact your paint jobber for further information and assistance.
For Further Information:
Should you have any additional questions, please direct them to either your Market Team (vehicles still within "New Vehicle Limited Warranty") or, upon expiration of that warranty, to the applicable paint manufacturer.