What types of warranties cover brakes?
Some types of car warranties cover brake components, including:
Bumper-to-bumper warranties
Bumper-to-bumper warranties typically cover non-wear-and-tear brake components for up to five years or 60,000 miles. If you’re not sure whether your vehicle has any of its original factory warranty remaining, you can check your car warranty with your vehicle identification number (VIN).
Factory wear-and-tear warranties
Factory wear-and-tear warranties may cover your brake pads, linings and other limited-life brake components for up to one year or 18,000 miles. Check your vehicle’s warranty booklet for details.
Complimentary maintenance warranties
Complimentary warranties may include up to three years of coverage for maintenance work. This means an auto dealer or a provider might pay to replace your brake pads and rotors for free at certain intervals, even if there’s no factory defect.
Extended auto warranties
While factory warranties generally only come in bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranties, extended auto warranties come with a lot more plan choices, and they typically offer some level of brake coverage.
When are brakes covered by a car warranty?
Your brakes are made up of over a dozen individual components. Auto warranties only cover some of your brake components, some of the time.
Brake calipers
Your brake caliper, which is the big metal clamp that bites onto your rotor, is designed to last a long time with regular maintenance, usually over 100,000 miles. Because it’s not designed to wear down over time, it’s typically covered under most factory bumper-to-bumper warranties and even many mid-tier extended warranties.
Hydraulic components
Your brake hydraulic lines and fittings, hydraulic control unit and hydraulic trailer brake assembly and its components are typically covered under an auto warranty.
Cylinder components
Components like your master cylinder, power brake cylinder and wheel cylinder are generally covered.
When brakes aren’t covered by car warranties
Wear-and-tear parts are almost never covered under regular auto warranties. A wear-and-tear part is any component that’s expected to fail within a certain time frame.
Parts that are meant to wear down generally aren’t covered under your car’s warranty.
Brake discs
Most factory and extended warranties don’t cover brake discs since they’re considered to be wear-and-tear parts that need to be changed at regular intervals, usually every 30,000 to 50,000 miles. However, they may be covered under a short, one-year warranty from your vehicle’s manufacturer. They may also be covered under a complimentary maintenance plan.
Brake pads, shoes and linings
Brake components like brake pads, shoes and linings are only designed to last around 30,000 to 50,000 miles each. As a result, they’re usually not covered under factory and extended warranties. However, they may be covered under a short, part-specific warranty or maintenance plan.
Common reasons your warranty claim might be denied
If your brake component fails due to one of the following reasons, your warranty provider will very likely deny your claim.
- Damage: Collision, weather damage, vandalism, theft or corrosion
- Abuse: Towing too much, racing or going off-road
- Neglect: Failing to stick to the maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual
- Preexisting condition: Issue that occurred before your warranty took effect
Whether it’s a part-specific warranty or a more comprehensive warranty, auto warranties typically only cover parts that fail due to factory defects. So, if a non-wear-and-tear part fails on your vehicle for seemingly no reason, there’s a good chance you’ll be covered under warranty.
» LEARN: What does a car warranty cover?
FAQ
How much does it cost to fix your brakes?
The cost of fixing your brakes depends on what needs to be fixed, your car model, labor costs and where you’re located. If you need to replace your brake pads, prices typically range from around $150 to $300 per axle. But if you’re looking to replace a failed caliper, the cost could range from around $800 to $1,000 or more.
How do factory and third-party extended warranties for brake coverage compare?
Factory warranties are provided by the vehicle manufacturer and typically last for a set term, such as five years or 60,000 miles. They cover defects in materials or workmanship but often exclude wear-and-tear components. In comparison, extended warranties are service contracts that kick in after your factory warranty expires and may offer broader or customizable coverage, including brake components, depending on the plan.
How do you know if your brake issue is covered?
Contact your dealership or warranty provider with your VIN and a description of the issue. They can usually confirm coverage before you authorize any repairs. Getting preapproval can help you avoid surprise costs.
Bottom line
Auto warranties only cover some brake components. Some parts of your brake system, like your caliper and master cylinder, are built to last, so they should be covered under a car warranty. Other parts, like your pads and rotors, only last around 50,000 miles by design, so they likely won’t be covered. While figuring out which parts are covered can be tricky, remember you can always call your local dealer or warranty provider and ask.
Article sources
ConsumerAffairs writers primarily rely on government data, industry experts and original research from other reputable publications to inform their work. Specific sources for this article include:
- Federal Trade Commission, “Auto Warranties and Auto Service Contracts.” Accessed Dec. 9, 2025.
