Being able to have a warranty for your vehicle can be a huge money saver when a repair is needed unexpectedly. Needing to pay out of pocket can cost you a lot of money if something unfortunate were to happen to your car.
There are some additions that you can add to your vehicle that could actually void your warranty, but you won’t know until something happens. You can keep this from happening if you know which items will cause you to lose out on your warranty.
One thing that most people wonder about is a backup camera, which can be helpful when added to a vehicle. No, installing a backup camera will not void your warranty. In fact, you will find there are many benefits to having one of these additions to your vehicle.
You need to know all of the facts before adding anything to your car, so we will discuss all of the different pros and cons of adding a backup camera and why it might be the right option for you and your vehicle.
What is a Backup Camera?
A backup camera allows you to see the blind spot behind your vehicle without having to look back so that you can keep your head faced forward as you back up. This is useful because it allows you to see the area where you would normally be able to, which could be dangerous when kids or pets are around.
These backup cameras are typically connected to a screen that is fitted into the dashboard so that you can see a clear image of what is behind your car. Although you still have your mirrors to use, this camera reaches the area where the mirrors can’t see.
These backup cameras can be purchased on their own, or with professional installation included.
Because of the electrical wiring involved with the installation process, it is recommended to have a professional handle the installation for you to ensure that it is done correctly and the camera is usable right away.
Can Installing A Backup Camera Void My Warranty?
As I mentioned before, your warranty will not be voided if you install a backup camera. So, if you would like to add one to a vehicle that did not come with that system, you should feel free to do so.
This works as an added safety feature that can help you see behind you in your blind spot but can also help when parallel parking and backing into a parking space.
However, not only will installing this system not void your warranty, but it is actually illegal for a manufacturer to deny your warranty because you add one to your vehicle. This is a safety feature that you are legally allowed to add to any vehicle you own.
This will increase the safety of yourself and those around you because you have better visibility than you previously had, and that is not something that a manufacturer can void your warranty for.
In fact, there are many benefits to having a backup camera that they are becoming standard on most newer vehicles.
Benefits of Having a Backup Camera
Having an added backup camera in your vehicle offers a great safety feature that helps keep pedestrians around you safe even when you wouldn’t be able to see them through your rearview mirror.
Although your mirrors can be good for many things, they still have certain blind spots that make them unable to allow you to see if a small item or child is behind your vehicle. Being able to see clearly with a backup camera lets you know if there is something on the ground or someone behind your car.
This works as a safety feature for those around you, but it also keeps you from running over items left behind the vehicle, like a suitcase or grocery bag.
Another benefit of having a backup camera is the fact that it can help you when you are parking too. Although you might not back into spaces all the time, if you like to do so, then having the camera giving you better visibility makes it much easier to back into a tight parking space.
It can also be useful when you are parallel parking as well because you can see the space clearly through the use of the camera and the mirrors than just the mirrors alone.
Overall, there are many proven benefits, but the biggest one is that a backup camera prevents accidents. Having the ability to see what is directly behind your car makes preventing an accident much easier whether you are on the road or trying to fit into a tight parking spot.
Lowering the number of accidents can help people avoid injuries, and it can potentially save lives. This is by far the greatest benefit of them all, and the main reason why most drivers opt for installing a backup camera in their vehicle.
Are There Any Downsides?
Although having a backup camera seems like a no-brainer with the ability to lower the chance of an accident, there can be drawbacks to having one in your vehicle. In most cases, they can play a role in making the roads safer, but that is not always the case.
We are actually seeing people relying too heavily on their backup cameras and not using their mirrors as they normally would. This can end up being a cause of accidents if drivers are not paying attention to the road the way they should.
Relying too much on any one thing makes you neglect other safety features. For instance, drivers who use backup cameras might not feel the need to look back themselves in order to see what is behind the car.
The problem with this is that the camera only shows a certain area of space. It might take a moment for the driver to recognize that someone is walking towards the back of their vehicle is they don’t take a look around the car.
If they just look in the backup camera, they could miss someone who is walking towards the vehicle and back up too close to them. Instances like these could be on the rise with more and more drivers using their backup cameras by themselves instead of as an added precaution.
Good vs Bad
If there are good and bad things about backup cameras, then is it a good idea or not to install one in your vehicle?
Well, although there may be some small downsides to relying on a backup camera, the fact that it is illegal for a manufacturer to prohibit it for the use of a warranty means that people are out there fighting for the use of these cameras.
They seem to be having a much more positive effect on driving than negative, and if drivers are educated about the potential downsides, then the potential risks could be lowered even more.
Letting drivers know that they need to still take all the proper precautions when using their backup cameras will open their eyes to the issues that have arisen from relying too much on the camera.
Getting drivers back into the habit of checking their mirrors and looking around the car before they back up will help make using the cameras even safer and prevent accidents from happening from not double-checking the surrounding area.
So, overall, it seems that it would be useful to install a backup camera in your car for extra safety.
Since your warranty will not be in jeopardy if you do install this system, you can make the decision for yourself of whether or not you want to have a backup camera in your car, or if you would rather use your mirrors to do the job.
Final Words
When thinking about whether or not you should put a backup camera in your car, you know that you don’t have to worry about the warranty being voided because of the additional add-on.
However, this means that you have the decision to make all on your own of whether or not this safety feature is right for your car.
If you are a safe driver that will continue to use your mirrors instead of simply relying on the camera alone, then this will probably be a great addition for you to install in your car. If you feel like it might not help, you could always do a test run and see how you like it.
With the high number of people adding this safety feature, it seems that the majority of people like having this system as a backup in their vehicle. This might make you want to add this type of system to your car immediately.
Well, as long as you know that you have the freedom to add it to your vehicle whenever you want, you have the option to make your decision and install a new backup camera in your car for added safety.
