I was wondering does nismo parts like the headers and the intake void the powertrain warranty. also will it still pass smog.

 

It should pass smog if it is S-tune, and if it is s-tune then it won't void your warranty, r-tune will probably not be accepted by dealers.

 

The commonly available Nismo parts, both R and S tune will still pass 50 state emissions. This includes R-intake, R-cams, R-headers, and all S-tune components. Most dealers will honor warranty claims if you use Nismo parts. Also, it would be very difficult for a dealer to prove that a certain mod led to a certain problem. Now.....if a specific R-tune component fails, then it will not be covered by warranty.

 

This is the key thing to remember about warranties and aftermarket parts. Simply installing a part does not void your warranty. The dealer has to prove that the aftermarket part actually caused the problem in question.

As far as Nismo parts, I believe the official "rules" go like this:

1) S-Tune parts are covered with your factory warranty as long as they are installed by the dealer.

2) R-Tune parts are not covered, and are treated like any other aftermarket part.

How your specific dealer responds to modifications is a crap-shoot. Some dealers are very accepting, and some are extremely strict. You'll probably want to get to know your service department folks and get an idea on how they'll react to various mods.

 

I don't believe that is true for the R-Tune parts. They are intended for off-road use - implying that they DON'T meet the emission requirements that street cars do.

From the Nissan site:

 

That is indeed what Nismo says "officially". However, I believe some members here on the forum have actually smogged their cars with just about all those parts installed on their cars. (Cams, cats, headers, exhaust, intake.) They actually passed the California tailpipe sniffer smog tests. I believe one of the Performance Nissan guys was one of them.

Now, that definitely doesn't mean that your car would pass the *visual* part of the test, too. When you've got an aftermarket intake, headers, and cats, it's hard to sneak them by.