Ford Focus extended warranty: cost, coverage and plans
Why an extended warranty could make sense
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Ford Focuses are known to have average reliability, so extended warranty options could offer extra protection against unexpected repairs as the vehicle ages.
We’ll break down what a Ford Focus warranty covers, how much it costs, what your options are and whether a warranty is worth it in the long run.
All new Ford Focuses come with a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty from the factory.
Jump to insightFord has average reliability compared with other vehicles.
Jump to insightGetting an extended warranty on a Focus gives you peace of mind and protection against repair bills once the factory warranty expires.
Jump to insightFord Focus extended warranty coverage
An extended auto warranty is an optional, paid extension of the factory warranty your Focus comes with. For context, Ford Focuses come with the following warranties from the factory:
- A three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty
- A five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty
Factory warranties follow the vehicle, not the owner. So if you buy a 2-year-old car with 20,000 miles on it, you still have one year or 16,000 miles worth of factory bumper-to-bumper warranty remaining.
For an extended warranty on your Ford Focus, you have two options:
- Buy the official Ford extended warranty, called Ford Protect Extended Service Plan.
- Buy a plan from a third-party extended warranty company, which allows you to take your car to any ASE-certified mechanic for repairs.
Most Americans can't pay for a $1,000 repair bill with cash, according to a ConsumerAffairs investigation. Nearly 13% of drivers have no way to handle a bill that large — even by borrowing.
Whether you get a third-party plan or a warranty from a dealer, a plan that offers comprehensive, exclusionary protection (often called bumper-to-bumper or Platinum) will provide the most value. These plans cover almost all the parts on your vehicle. Less comprehensive plans (e.g., Gold, Silver, powertrain) may be cheaper, but they also cover fewer parts per dollar.
Auto warranties don't cover damage or accidents, and repairs generally aren't covered if you don't properly maintain the vehicle or you make aftermarket modifications. They only pay for repairs and replacements of specifically covered parts that fail from normal wear and tear.
In general, here are the differences between what a bumper-to-bumper warranty and a powertrain warranty cover:
| Warranty type | Typically covered | Not covered |
|---|---|---|
| Bumper-to-bumper | ||
| Powertrain | Parts that create power and deliver it to the wheels | Parts not related to the engine, transmission or drive axle |
Note that some extended auto warranty plans fall somewhere between bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage.
» LEARN: What to know about manufacturers’ extended warranties
How much does a Ford Focus extended warranty cost?
An extended warranty for a Ford vehicle typically costs between $1,000 and $3,000. We weren’t able to get a quote for a Focus specifically. However, quotes for extended auto warranties vary based on coverage, vehicle, deductible, location and other factors. A 2022 Focus with zero miles typically has cheaper extended warranty options than a 2020 model with 50,000 miles, for example.
The “official” Ford extended warranty is called Ford Protect Extended Service Plan, and it may cost less than a third-party option. Be sure to get a quote from your local Ford dealer to compare your options.
Shop around and get multiple quotes so you know you're getting the best deal.
For context, the average cost of an extended warranty is around $1,000 per year of coverage. The quotes we collected for our hypothetical 2021 Ford Focus were more expensive by comparison.
Bumper-to-bumper plans cover around 90% of your car's parts. Lesser plans may only cover 20%, and powertrain plans cover even less (though the most expensive repairs are usually covered under powertrain plans). You might pay more for a comprehensive plan, but that comes with a lot more peace of mind.
Extended auto warranty providers may use varying language to describe plans. For example, Endurance provides 30 months and 40,000 miles of coverage with its plans — this is as of your vehicle's current age and mileage. Other providers may use the vehicle's original purchase date as the starting point for calculating coverage, so you'll have to subtract the age and mileage of your car (plus any remaining factory warranty) to determine the length of the coverage you're actually getting.
Is a Ford Focus extended warranty worth it?
Yes, a Ford Focus extended warranty is worth it. In general, an extended auto warranty is worth it if any of the following are true:
- Your vehicle has a bad reputation for reliability.
- The warranty costs less than you expect to spend on repairs.
- A big repair bill could hurt you financially.
- You don’t mind paying for peace of mind.
Ford as a brand has average reliability, with J.D. Power ranking Ford 23rd out of 29 car brands for overall dependability. As for the Focus specifically, RepairPal gave it a 4.0 out of 5.
That said, a powertrain warranty on any model newer than 2008 and a bumper-to-bumper warranty on anything newer than 2010 could make sense. There are quite a few powertrain glitches in those earlier years (specifically the transmission in 2010-plus years). Wiring and electronic module issues are also common.
Many ConsumerAffairs reviewers have reported issues with their Ford Focuses.
“I bought my daughter a Ford Focus 2016 with about 47000 miles,” said Michael, a reviewer from Florida. “3 weeks ago the engine exploded with 53327 miles!!!”
Jeremy in Colorado also had powertrain issues: “At 88,000 miles the transmission started slipping between 2nd and 3rd gear, unable to kick down at 50 mph to pass anyone without major slipping, in stop and go traffic it smashes into gear hard.”
Ford maintenance is right around average in terms of cost. But high-price repairs for the Focus in particular might mean that an extended warranty is worthwhile.
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:
- J.D. Power, “Vehicle Dependability Slumps as Rate of Deterioration Increases, J.D. Power Finds.” Accessed Aug. 14, 2024.
- RepairPal, “Ford Focus Reliability Rating.” Accessed Aug. 14, 2024.
