After a man purchased a used Ram and discovered that he had not been given the proper information about the truck’s warranty. Now, he’s embarked on an ongoing investigation to determine exactly what had happened to the warranty.

On Dec. 15, TikTok user Zac (@zactheceo1) posted the first video involving a restricted warranty in what would become a multi-part TikTok series.

In this series, he explains what he was told about his recently purchased truck after bringing it into the dealership for repairs. 

‘It’s Got A Clean Carfax‘

“I made a purchase on a Ram 1500 EcoDiesel a little over a month ago. It had 23,000 miles on it, full warranties, CarFax is clean, and I purchased it. No problems at all,” Zac begins. 

However, he explains that he discovered undisclosed information about his vehicle when he brought it into the dealership after repairs. 

“I bring it there. Sits there for a few days, and I finally have to call them to see what’s going on,” he says. 

During the call, the dealership told him that his truck’s warranty is restricted. This surprised both the dealership and Zac.

“They’re trying to figure out why. They can’t find any information as much as I can’t find out any information,” Zac shares. 

Zac then went into investigative mode. 

“So I checked all the service records. I call the dealerships. No one’s able to tell me why. It wasn’t an accident, doesn’t have a branded or salvage title. It’s got a clean CarFax that shows that the warranty is active. And I can’t find out why the warranty was restricted,” he reveals. 

He explains that he learned that the warranty was restricted without documentation being submitted. 

“Apparently, the service advisor got away with fraud because there was no evidence submitted at all,” Zac shares.

Apparently the Ram dealerships where the vehicle was taken had no information, so he called Stellantis, the warranty provider. 

“I’ve called Stellantis […] and they can’t give me a reason for why it’s restricted either,” he mentions.

Unsure what to do next, Zac decides to go to TikTok to share his story. 

“I’m very frustrated. That’s why I’m coming on here, because I was falsely advertised on a warranty that was on it,” he concludes. 

Zac Continues To Follow Up With Stellantis With No Luck

In a follow-up video, he said he had no updates from Stellantis or Ram.

“They’ve made up a few accusations as far as frame damage, salvage title, branded title, and/or it’s been in an accident. None of those things can be true. […] It’s been inspected by two different dealerships now, and they both claimed that neither of those are accurate,” he says. 

The next day, he posted an additional video claiming that he spoke with a Stellantis employee who reopened his case. However, no additional information was available. 

He also specifies that he spoke with the Ram dealership that morning and learned additional information about his warranty. 

“They said that the warranty has been restricted since 2023 and not 2024,” he says. “I’m finding out all these different types of information, and nothing seems to be accurate,” Zac shares. 

On day 4 of trying to reach them, he calls Stellantis on video, but they do not answer the call. 

“My case manager, Nicole, did not answer. She hasn’t answered for days now and it’s very frustrating for me,” Zac vents. 

In his part 5 update, Zac reveals that he spoke with a supervisor at Ram customer care. They  asked Zac for documentation that his vehicle was damaged. However, Zac never received that documentation.

“Either fix the truck, lift the warranty, or take the truck back,” Zac concludes. 

Is It Legal To Sell A Vehicle With Misleading Information About The Warranty?

Legally, dealerships and manufacturers in the U.S. cannot deceptively misrepresent warranty coverage or sell a vehicle with promised protections that don’t exist. Under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, if a written warranty is offered, its terms and conditions must be fully and clearly disclosed. A seller can’t include misleading or false terms or refuse coverage without a valid contractual basis. 

If the truck was advertised as having full warranty coverage and that warranty is now being “restricted” without documented cause, that kind of misrepresentation could constitute a violation of federal warranty disclosure standards and anti-deceptive trade practices.

Additionally, the FTC’s Used Car Rule requires dealers to provide accurate warranty information via the Buyers Guide. Misrepresenting a warranty can be considered an unfair or deceptive practice.  

In some states, like New York, used car buyers also have additional protections under state lemon law. Implied warranty laws that guarantee at least a minimum written warranty and require dealers to repair covered defects, with avenues for refunds or replacement if they fail to do so.

What To Do In This Type Of Situation?

When in a situation where warranty coverage is being denied or restricted without documentation, it is essential that the vehicle owner documents everything. This includes keeping copies of the sales contract, Carfax, warranty documentation, Buyers Guide, and all communications with the dealer and manufacturer. 

It will also be helpful to contact the dealership in writing, demand clarification of why the warranty was restricted, and request any supporting documentation. If that fails, escalate the issue to the warranty provider and ask to speak with higher management or a compliance officer. 

It is also possible to submit a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission for potential violations of the Used Car Rule or Magnuson-Moss Act and file with your state Attorney General’s consumer protection division, which handles deceptive trade practices in vehicle sales.  

If the state you’re in has a used car lemon law, that may provide additional remedies such as arbitration or even a requirement that the dealer repurchase the vehicle if they fail to honor the warranty.  

If those avenues don’t resolve the issue, consulting with a consumer rights or lemon law attorney can help you evaluate whether legal action for breach of warranty, fraud, or deceptive practices is warranted. 

MotorBiscuit reached out for comment to Stellantis via email and @zactheceo1 via TikTok direct message.

@zactheceo1 PLEASE HELP!!! PLEASE REPOST!!! #ram #dodge #stellantis #stellantiswarranty #fraud ♬ original sound – Zac