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• Your car warranty coverage depends on your year, make, and model.
• If your car needs repairs, knowing what is and isn’t covered by your car warranty can save you time, money, and stress. 
• When a manufacturer-backed warranty expires, you have the option of renewing coverage with an extended warranty.

When you purchase a new car, it comes with a warranty – but what does a car warranty cover? A car warranty is a contract between the vehicle manufacturer and new car owner in which the manufacturer promises to repair or replace faulty components and workmanship defects for a specified period of time.

After this warranty expires, you can continue your vehicle’s protection with an extended warranty. There are two main ways to secure extended car warranty coverage: You can either purchase a plan from a manufacturer-backed dealership or a third party.

If you’re considering a third party, you’ll quickly discover there are a lot of options. We’ve already reviewed some of the best extended car warranty companies to give you a head-start. We’ll explain what to look for in their contracts, so you can understand exactly what your car warranty covers. Compare quotes between several providers to find the best price and coverage.

What Is A Car Warranty?

When you purchase a new car, it comes with a warranty – but what does a car warranty cover? A car warranty is a contract between the vehicle manufacturer and new car owner in which the manufacturer promises to repair or replace faulty components and workmanship defects for a specified period of time.

What Is Covered Under A Car Warranty?

What we call a “car warranty” is actually several warranties. It usually includes a bumper-to-bumper warranty, a powertrain warranty, and several different types of manufacturer-backed secondary warranties.

Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty

Bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage is so comprehensive it’s sometimes referred to as exclusionary warranty coverage. This is because it’s easier to describe the plan’s exclusions than it is to describe the full list of covered components. Notable exclusions from bumper-to-bumper coverage are generally the tires, interior trim, window glass, and chassis paneling.

Bumper-To-Bumper Coverage

A bumper-to-bumper warranty protects almost every component between your vehicle’s front and rear bumpers, including the:

• Braking
• Steering
• Powertrain
• Suspension
• Climate control
• Electrical system
• High-tech features

The standard length of coverage for a bumper-to-bumper warranty is three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. However, a few brands provide longer coverage. For example, a Hyundai bumper-to-bumper warranty lasts five years or 60,000 miles. 

Like most auto warranties, coverage under a bumper-to-bumper warranty will only be approved if the relevant damage is due to a design flaw, component malfunction, or workmanship defect. 

Make sure to give your contract a good read to fully understand what your bumper-to-bumper car warranty covers.

Powertrain Warranty

The powertrain is the most important mechanical system in your vehicle, and the repairs can be some of the most expensive. Powertrain warranties cover the cost of repairing or replacing defective powertrain-related components, such as the engine, drivetrain, or transmission. 

Powertrain Warranty Coverage

A powertrain warranty covers the parts of your vehicle that the mechanical energy used to propel the vehicle including:

• Engine
• Cylinder block
• Transmission
• Driveshafts
• Transfer
• Transfer case
• Differentials
• Camshaft
• Timing Belts

Manufacturer-backed powertrain warranties are usually the same as or longer than bumper-to-bumper coverage. The standard length is five years or 60,000 miles, but some last as long as 10 years or 100,000 miles.

Drivetrain Warranty

A drivetrain warranty provides protection for the parts of your vehicle that connect your engine to the wheels. Aside from the powertrain, the drivetrain is the most essential component of any vehicle.

What Does A Drivetrain Warranty Cover?

A powertrain warranty covers the drivetrain but a drivetrain warranty does not cover engine parts. To avoid any confusion, below is a list of parts covered by a drivetrain warranty:

• Transmission
• Driveshaft
• Axels
• Wheels
• CV Joints
• U Joints
• Differentials

How Long Does A Drivetrain Warranty Last?

Powertrain and drivetrain warranty coverage vary by brand. For some brands, once the new vehicle warranty expires, that’s it – coverage for everything ceases unless you purchase an extended warranty from the manufacturer or a third-party provider.

Some brands, however, then continue powertrain coverage for an extended period. Unfortunately, some car owners need to remember this distinction and are only reminded when a non-covered part of the vehicle fails.

Hybrid Car Warranty

In addition to a standard new car warranty, hybrids typically receive a separate set of warranty conditions. Certain hybrid components, including the battery, control module, and inverter, will have stricter coverage conditions and a longer coverage term. The industry standard for hybrid-related component coverage is eight years or 100,000 miles.

Additional Car Warranties

In addition to bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranties, it’s likely your car warranty will also feature several smaller coverages. Auto manufacturers often package these secondary warranties into your main warranty to comply with industry regulations or expand coverage for atypical vehicle systems.

Emissions Warranty

In 1995, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency introduced a series of laws regulating car warranty coverage for components in the emission control system. As a result, emissions control coverage is federally mandated for: 

• Two years or 24,000 miles for performance issues.
• Three years or 36,000 miles for design issues.
• Eight years or 80,000 miles for select component defect issues.

If your home state has adopted California’s emissions laws, your vehicle may have slightly different coverage.

Corrosion Warranty

A corrosion warranty covers your car against rust damage. The two options for car warranty corrosion coverage are rust perforation coverage and surface corrosion coverage. Rust perforation plans only cover vehicle damage if the relevant component has fully rusted through, whereas surface corrosion coverage kicks in at the first sign of visible rust.

What Does An Accessory Warranty Cover?

Accessory warranties provide coverage for a wide range of auxiliary vehicle systems and cabin components. They are primarily used to boost coverage on cabin safety systems, such as airbag deployment units, seat belt restraints, and exterior contact detection sensors. More comprehensive accessory warranties may include coverage for sound and video equipment, cabin fabrics, and interior paneling.

Extended Warranty Coverage

Extended warranties give you the option of prolonging your vehicle’s warranty coverage. Your level of coverage under an extended warranty will depend on what type of plan you choose. Extended warranty plans are usually organized by tiers: an entry-level powertrain plan, a mid-level mixed coverage plan, and a comprehensive bumper-to-bumper plan.

Extended Car Warranty Vs. Manufacturer Warranty

If you want an extended warranty, your first instinct may be to purchase the manufacturer’s version when you buy your new car. While many of these programs and contracts are solid options, we’ve found that third-party extended warranty contracts can be just as or more appealing. They often provide more comprehensive coverage tiers, more customization options, and more reasonably priced plan structures.

These tiered options sound a lot like standard new car warranty features. We’ve listed three key differences to help distinguish between car warranty and extended car warranty coverage:

1. By definition, extended car warranties aren’t actually “warranties” at all since they’re separate purchases. They are technically vehicle service contracts or protection plans.

2. The average length of coverage for an extended car warranty is longer than the average length of coverage for a standard car warranty. While you may be able to buy just a few years of coverage, most plans last between six years or 100,000 miles and 10 years or 125,000 miles.

3. A standard new vehicle limited warranty typically starts on the car’s in-service date. Until this warranty expires, your car’s coverage is restricted and guaranteed by the manufacturer. Some extended warranties, such as those from third parties, start on the day you purchase the contract. If buying an extended warranty from a manufacturer, make sure to note the start date, as the terms are often years or miles from the original service date.

Car Warranty vs. Car Insurance

Car warranties and insurance can both cover different types of repairs to your vehicle, so it’s important to separate the two.

Car warranties cover mechanical breakdowns and repairs due to flaws in material or workmanship. For example, you’re driving on the road and your steering wheel suddenly becomes difficult to turn because your power steering failed. This could be covered under a warranty but not by car insurance.

On the other hand, insurance covers damage related to car accidents, environmental effects, and vandalism. So, if you get into an accident and your car has body damage, your insurance company can cover the repair depending on the situation.

What makes things a bit confusing is that extended warranties are called mechanical breakdown insurance in California. Also, some car insurance companies like Geico sell mechanical breakdown insurance in other states. Insurance and warranty companies can also offer similar benefits like roadside assistance.

Top Car Warranty Companies

Our team reviewed all major warranty companies and found the best providers to be Endurance, Olive, CarShield, CARCHEX and Protect My Car. These companies are great options if you’re looking for extensive warranty coverage. Here are some details on the best plans from these providers:

• Endurance: Our top pick has the best warranty coverage selection in the industry. Endurance offers six contracts including a Supreme plan that covers almost any breakdown except for a list of exclusions. It’s similar to a factory warranty in this way. The company also offers a maintenance plan that can cover oil changes, tire rotations, brake pads, and more.
• Olive: Olive’s Complete Care plan is an exclusionary contract, so it covers anything except for a list of exclusions. Beyond that, Olive offers two plans that cover a range of repairs: Powertrain Plus and Powertrain.
• CarShield: CarShield’s highest coverage is its Diamond plan. This can cover hundreds of components on all major systems as it’s an exclusionary plan. CarShield’s Aluminum plan is a unique offering for the industry. It’s designed to cover high-tech components like the navigation and it supplements an existing powertrain warranty. CarShield also offers the highest mileage limit in the industry of 300,000 miles.
• CARCHEX: As a longstanding extended warranty provider, CARCHEX offers a great selection of plans with five options to choose from. Titanium is the highest plan that offers factory-level coverage. CARCHEX plans also come with trip interruption, roadside assistance, and rental car coverage.
• Protect My Car: Our fifth pick can help you protect your car in multiple ways. The company offers three plans for a good coverage selection. Besides that, you also get maintenance coverage for oil changes and tire rotations. This can help you keep your car in good condition for many years.

What Are The Benefits of Third-Party Extended Warranty Coverage?

For example, CARCHEX has five coverage tiers with multiple plans under each level. That amounts to more than 15 contracts, each with additional customizations. Endurance is another popular choice for coverage, as we have named it the “Best Overall” provider. With six levels of plans, Endurance keeps its customers happy and protected. For a full comparison between these providers, read our Endurance vs. CARCHEX review.

Affordability is another key factor. Because third-party providers aren’t exclusively affiliated with specific car manufacturers, they work in a much larger, more competitive market, especially in comparison with the average dealership service contract department. The uptick in competition has driven third-party providers to offer more flexible and more cost-effective plans.

When shopping for an extended warranty, it’s definitely worth looking into third-party providers as well as the manufacturer. We recommend getting at least three quotes, starting with these three top-ranked companies.

Car Warranty Coverage: Conclusion

A car warranty is often multiple warranties bundled together. In this article, we explained the differences between the various types of car warranties – from drivetrain to bumper-to-bumper and everything in between. Once your car’s new vehicle limited warranty expires, it is worth purchasing extended warranty coverage to protect your vehicles most critical component parts.

What Does a Warranty Cover on a Car?: FAQ

Below are some frequently asked questions about what a car warranty covers:

Our Methodology

Our expert review team takes satisfaction in providing accurate and unbiased information. We identified the following rating categories based on consumer survey data and conducted extensive research to formulate rankings of the best extended auto warranty providers.

• Affordability: A variety of factors influence cost, so it can be difficult to compare quotes between providers. Our team performs ongoing secret shopper analyses for different vehicles, mileages, warranty plans, and locations to give this rating.
• Coverage: Because each consumer has unique needs, it’s essential that a car warranty company offers an array of coverage options. We take into account the number of plans offered by each provider, term limits, exclusions, and additional benefits.
• Industry Standing: Our team considers Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings, availability, and years in business when giving this score.
• Customer Service: Reputable extended car warranty companies operate with a certain degree of care for consumers. We take into account customer reviews, BBB complaints, and the responsiveness of the customer service team.