Do I need to take my vehicle to the dealer to maintain my warranty?

No! You do not have to take your car to the dealer to maintain your warranty!

You DO NOT have to take you car back to the dealer in order to keep your warranty valid. It is in fact illegal for the dealer to tell you that. The owner's manual spells out the maintenance required to maintain your warranty. As long as you follow the schedule in the owner's manual for oil change intervals and other required service, the manufacturer cannot deny a warranty claim based on the work being done elsewhere. That is the law.

Many dealers have their own maintenance schedules that include services that are not required by the manufacturer. These services may include such things as fuel additives, engine oil additives, power steering fluid additives, and transmission fluid additives. Look at the owner's manual and compare the dealer's maintenance schedule to the one in your owner's manual. If items appear in the dealer's schedule that are not in the owner's manual, that service is not required to maintain your warranty.