Factory warranty guide: coverage & term lengths

Factory warranty term list

Here’s an alphabetical list of every major automaker operating in the U.S. and its current bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranty offerings at the time of publishing.

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Wondering what the difference between a bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranty is?

• Bumper-to-bumper warranties cover the vast majority of the parts on your car, with just a few exceptions.
• Powertrain warranties typically only cover your engine, transmission and drivetrain.

The industry standard for new vehicles is three years or 36,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage with five years or 60,000 miles of powertrain coverage, but some brands have different approaches.

For example, the majority of German automakers simply offer a five-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper factory warranty. That’s more bumper-to-bumper protection than most brands offer, but you lose out on the additional powertrain coverage.

Other brands, like Lexus and Hyundai, stick with the traditional warranty format but extend how long each term lasts, offering their customers better long-term protection.

Other types of warranties

In addition to bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranties, many manufacturers include the following warranties as well:

• Corrosion/anti-perforation warranties protect the car’s body panels from rust building up inside the paint.
• Battery warranties guarantee the traction batteries inside hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles (EVs) for at least eight years/100,000 miles.
• Accessory warranties cover any accessories that were purchased with the car (tow hitches, floor mats etc.) from the manufacturer.

» MORE: Car warranty guide: what you need to know

What if you want more warranty coverage?

If you’d like additional coverage beyond what your factory warranty provides, you have two main options:

• CPO warranties come with certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles and extend the remaining factory bumper-to-bumper warranty by an average of one year/12,000 miles.
• Extended warranties are available from car manufacturers and third-party warranty companies, and they come in a variety of different coverage levels and term lengths.

Whether spending extra for more warranty protection is worth the cost or not depends on your personal situation and preferences. For example, the average bumper-to-bumper extended warranty costs around $1,000 per year of coverage, but it might be worth it if you drive a vehicle with below-average expected reliability or simply want the added peace of mind.

If nothing ever goes wrong with your vehicle, an extended warranty would cost you more than it saves you. On the other hand, it could be a godsend if you’re ever stuck with a large repair bill, like Veronica from Maryland, who told us, “When I had a $4,000 issue with one of my former vehicles, Endurance covered the entire balance except for $100.”

» MORE: Is an extended car warranty worth it?