K&N Pledges to Stand Behind Their Customers
By Mike Kojima
We were in a meeting with K&N, makers of the iconic high performance air filter and air intakes recently and one of the discussions that really made an impression on us was K&N’s stand on protecting its customers. The measures that K&N has taken so impressed us that we were compelled to write about their policies.
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| K&N has many dyno cells for testing power and road simulation. Each filter and intake undergoes extensive testing while monitoring trims and other inputs to the ECU to ensure that their products will not trigger DTS codes or check engine lights. |
Here is an example of how your new vehicle warranty could be denied if you were using a K&N filter or intake. We have personally seen this happen to people we actually know. Many late model cars come with very sensitive Mass Airflow Meters of MAF’s. This is because of ever tightening emissions standards and the desire to provide optimal fuel economy. In new cars, many MAF’s were failing during the warranty period setting off DTS codes and check engine lights. One of the prime failure modes was contamination of the MAF’s hot wire sensor by dirt. Cars produced from the late 90’s to around 2007 were especially prone to this issue.
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| K&N does SAE testing for filtration efficiency to ensure that MAF contamination and possible engine damage will not be an issue with their products. |
The problem has been widespread with some OEM’s having significant warranty issues with dirt contaminated MAF’s. So sensitive were some MAF’s that sometimes a careless technician who was sloppy when changing air filters ruined the MAF. The OEM’s became sensitized to this issue and the denial of warrantee claims due to the presences of an aftermarket air filter was and still is common, particularly a performance aftermarket filter.
