Factory Warranty Overview: Types, Exclusions, Length (2024) (2024)

Factory warranty coverage typically includes several layers of protection, the most prominent of which are the bumper-to-bumper limited warranty and the powertrain limited warranty. Bumper-to-bumper warranties typically last between 3 years/36,000 miles and 5 years/60,000 miles, while powertrain warranties can extend up to 10 years/100,000 miles. Your factory warranty length depends on your car manufacturer, but it can be extended with a vehicle service contract.

Factory warranties come with all new cars, but most manufacturers cover their certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles with warranties as well. If you purchase a used vehicle from a private seller, it may still be covered under the original factory warranty depending on the car’s age, mileage and manufacturer coverage period.

Bumper-to-bumper warranty

This warranty acts as exclusionary coverage—which is often the highest level of coverage available—for almost all mechanical and electrical components in your vehicle, including the high-tech systems, air conditioning, suspension and engine. This type of coverage is also referred to as a new vehicle limited warranty or basic limited warranty by some automakers.

Powertrain warranty

A powertrain warranty protects a vehicle’s most vital components, including the engine, transmission and drive system. It may also cover accessory components like the seals and gaskets associated with the engine. Powertrain warranty coverage usually lasts longer than a bumper-to-bumper warranty, as the components it protects are made to hold up over time.

With more hybrid and electric vehicles entering the market, manufacturers also offer coverage for electric drivetrains. Without a fuel-powered engine to cover, these warranties typically protect the vehicle’s battery against capacity issues.

Some manufacturers, especially luxury automakers, will only offer a bumper-to-bumper warranty with their new vehicles. While this may seem concerning, the coverage still protects powertrain components, just for a shorter period.

Other factory warranty coverages

Other common factory coverages include corrosion, emissions and safety restraint system (SRS) warranties. You’ll also likely have access to a roadside assistance program for the length of your bumper-to-bumper warranty.

• Corrosion warranty: Also called an anti-rust or anti-perforation warranty, this coverage protects rusted-through body sheet metal panels. It typically does not cover perforation caused by environmental damage, like acid rain.

• Emissions warranty: This coverage comes in two parts, the Emissions Performance Warranty and the Emissions Defect Warranty, both of which are regulated by the federal government. The coverage protects all emissions-related components to ensure that the vehicle’s emission output is within federal limits. California has its own set of emissions guidelines, which automakers also include in their factory warranty coverage.

• SRS warranty: This warranty applies to the vehicle’s seat belts, air bags and other related safety components.

• Roadside assistance: Your roadside assistance program usually covers services like towing, winching, battery jump-starts, lockout services, emergency fuel deliveries and flat tire changes.

As mentioned, your factory warranty does not cover every component or situation. If your car incurs damage that was not caused by regular use, it’s probably not covered by your warranty. You can find more details about what your manufacturer does and does not cover in your factory warranty booklet or owner’s manual, but most automakers will not cover:

• Normal wear-and-tear parts
• Routine maintenance services
• Environmental damage
• Aftermarket parts and alterations
• Damage caused by an accident or collision
• Damage caused by misuse or abuse
• Damage caused by lack of maintenance

The length of your factory warranty depends on your vehicle manufacturer. Many popular automotive brands offer 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranties and 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranties. Luxury car brands often combine powertrain and bumper-to-bumper coverage, so their factory warranties tend to last a total of 4 years/50,000 miles.

To give you a better idea of how long factory warranty coverage lasts, we’ve listed new car warranty details from 10 popular automakers below.

Can you void your factory warranty?

Drivers can void their manufacturer’s warranty before it expires. To keep your factory warranty in place, you should avoid the following:

• Off-road driving and racing
• Installing unauthorized aftermarket parts or modifications like lift kits
• Not following your factory-recommended maintenance schedule
• Using improper fluids

If you purchased your used car from an individual rather than a dealership, you might not know what factory warranty coverage is still valid for your vehicle. However, it’s easy to check. After locating your vehicle identification number (VIN) — you can usually find it in your owner’s manual, vehicle registration or on the inside of the driver’s side door — contact your dealership. A service representative can look up any remaining warranty information using your VIN.

CPO factory warranties

You may also want to know if your certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicle is still under warranty. After completing a multi-point inspection, CPO vehicles are typically covered by any remaining bumper-to-bumper warranty from the car’s original in-service date. For example, if your CPO car is a year old and the new vehicle’s limited warranty lasts 3 years/36,000 miles, you’d be covered for the remaining two years.

The manufacturer may also offer a 12-month/12,000-mile CPO limited warranty after this coverage expires, as well as a separate powertrain warranty.

However, most CPO warranties are not as extensive as new car warranties. They may cover fewer components and sometimes require you to pay a deductible when repairs are made. Be sure to read your CPO warranty booklet carefully so you’re not caught off-guard with extra expenses or non-covered repairs.

An extended warranty, or vehicle service contract, continues to cover vehicle repairs after your factory warranty expires. Rather than pay for repairs out of pocket, contract holders only pay the cost of their contract and a set deductible per repair.

Coverage usually includes both parts and labor costs, and many extended warranties come with added perks like roadside assistance, rental car reimbursem*nt and trip interruption reimbursem*nt, regardless of the provider you choose.

Extended warranties can be purchased from a manufacturer or an independent warranty company, and there are pros and cons with either option:

Deciding whether to purchase an extended warranty can be a tough call. If you own a highly reliable vehicle with affordable repair costs, you may not need to invest in added coverage. Instead, it may be beneficial to set aside a savings account for auto repairs. However, the cost of an extended warranty contract may be well worth the peace of mind, especially for drivers with expensive ownership costs.

Using data from RepairPal, we’ve outlined average annual repair costs for a few popular auto brands below.

If you want to see whether the cost of an extended warranty would outweigh average repair costs for your vehicle, the best way to do so is to shop around and get free quotes from multiple extended car warranty providers.

To kickstart your research process, click below to get free, no-obligation quotes from some of the best vehicle service contract providers in the industry.

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