Jeep extended warranty: cost, coverage and plans

Jeep extended warranty coverage

Jeep’s official extended warranty program requires a little explaining.

Technically, Jeep does not offer its own extended warranty program. Instead, the official extended warranties for Jeeps come from a company called Mopar.

Mopar (whose name is a combination of “motor” and “parts”) is the official parts, service and customer care provider for Stellantis, the company that owns Jeep.

That’s why the official Jeep extended warranty program, called Mopar Vehicle Protection, also covers models from Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, FIAT, Alfa Romeo and Wagoneer (Jeep’s high-end sub-brand). In some cases, it can even cover competitors’ cars, but for now, we’ll focus on Jeep.

“New vehicle” plans are available for any vehicle still inside the Stellantis 3-year/36,000-mile limited factory warranty period. “Pre-owned vehicle" plans are available for any Stellantis vehicle under 10 years old that passes an inspection by a dealership.

As for terms, new vehicle plans can last anywhere from five to eight years or 60,000 to unlimited miles. For pre-owned plans, terms last one to five years and 12,000 to unlimited miles.

A Mopar “new vehicle” extended warranty may provide far less coverage than you’re expecting.

However, there’s a major catch you should be aware of. Terms for new vehicle plans are measured from when the vehicle was brand-new, while pre-owned vehicle plans are measured from the day you buy the warranty. That means two plans can have the same advertised terms but give you drastically different results.

» LEARN: What does a car warranty cover?

Jeep extended warranty benefits

All Mopar Vehicle Protection plans include the following benefits:

• Car rental allowances of up to $45 per day (up to a maximum of $225 or five days) to help cover the cost of a rental car, taxi rides, etc., while your Jeep is in the shop for a covered repair
• 24/7 roadside assistance of up to $100 per occurrence, including towing, flat-tire change (if you have a spare), jump-starts, fuel delivery (up to two gallons) and locksmith services
• Trip interruption protection of up to $1,000 to help cover meals and lodging if your Jeep breaks down over 100 miles from home and the repairs are covered by your warranty

(Mopar used to restrict roadside assistance and trip interruption protection to plans for new vehicles, but they now come with plans for used vehicles too. You may still see references to the benefits being unequal, but a representative from a Jeep dealership confirmed the policy change for us.)

Overall, these are above-average benefits for a factory-backed extended warranty. While $45 probably still isn’t enough to cover the cost of a rental in 2024, it’s still more than the paltry $35 most competitors offer. Plus, $1,000 in trip interruption is double what other brands offer and should lend extra peace of mind on road trips.

» LEARN: Where can you use an extended auto warranty?

Jeep extended warranty plans

Mopar Vehicle Protection comes in seven tiers: three for new vehicles and four for pre-owned vehicles. However, the plan options for pre-owned vehicles are functionally identical to the plan options for new vehicles, except for the addition of Added Care for pre-owned vehicles.

Mopar Vehicle Protection plans

Check the table below for a breakdown of all seven plans, and take note of the slight differences in term options for the new vehicle warranties. Curiously, the Added Care Plus warranty for new vehicles is the only Mopar Vehicle Protection plan that doesn’t offer coverage without a mileage cap.

The key differences between plans are pretty self-explanatory:

• Maximum Care is like a direct extension of your factory 3-year/36,000-mile limited warranty.
• Powertrain Care is like an extension of your factory 5-year/60,000-mile Powertrain warranty.
• Added Care Plus offers something in between.

As for regular Added Care, it’s essentially Added Care Plus but without coverage for 200 components in the following component groups:

• Instrument panel
• Rear suspension
• Anti-lock brakes (ABS)
• Accessories
• Electrical
• Luxury group (like the sunroof motor and keyless entry system)

According to a representative with Zeigler Auto Group, a dealership chain and wholesale online vendor for Mopar warranties, customers rarely request Added Care or Added Care Plus plans. Most go straight for Maximum Care since it covers over 80% more parts.

However, when customers do end up choosing between Added Care or Added Care Plus, it’s typically because they only want a handful of specific parts covered, and they end up choosing whichever plan covers that part for the lowest price.

Jeep extended warranty cost

We collected quotes from Zeigler Auto Group to see what Mopar Vehicle Protection plans for Jeeps cost and how they stack up against the competition. For context, extended auto warranties cost around $1,000 per year of coverage on average. 

See extended warranty costs for specific Jeep models:

• Jeep Cherokee

Mopar Vehicle Protection plan cost by source

You can also purchase Mopar Vehicle Protection plans from your local dealership. However, the quotes we received from dealerships were, on average, 40% higher than quotes from Zeigler Auto Group for the same vehicles. A representative with Zeigler told us that their higher sales volume enables them to sell at lower prices than some other dealerships.

All things considered, Mopar Vehicle Protection plans still cost well below average for an extended auto warranty. Granted, there are a few caveats:

1. All plans were quoted with a $200 deductible (a $100 deductible may raise rates by 5% to 10%)
2. All pre-owned vehicle plans require you to have your vehicle inspected by an authorized Mopar dealer within 30 days of when you purchase the warranty. According to Zeigler Auto Group, dealerships can charge anywhere from $50 to $250 for an inspection, so be sure to call around.

Does that mean these extended warranties are a strong buy? Well, let’s look at terms and conditions to ensure there aren’t any hidden strings attached.

Jeep extended warranty terms and conditions

Most of the terms and conditions in the Mopar Vehicle Protection sample contract we read are pretty standard for an extended auto warranty. So there aren’t any hidden “gotchas” that would explain their surprisingly low prices.

We broke down some of the key things you should be aware of below, but it’s always a good idea to read your contract before you sign.

What’s not covered by a Jeep extended warranty?

Typical exclusions for an extended auto warranty apply: Negligence, misuse and missed maintenance intervals can all result in claim denial.

Your Vehicle Protection plan also doesn’t cover normal wear and tear (e.g., worn-out brakes or clutches), weather- or accident-related damage, and unauthorized modifications or repairs.

We asked a Mopar Vehicle Protection claims officer what the No. 1 reason for denied claims on Jeeps was, and they told us, “Aftermarket parts are the fastest way to void your warranty … especially lift kits. The driveline can’t handle it. It causes axle damage. If we find out you installed an aftermarket lift kit, we’ll void your warranty.”

That being said, he did clarify that lift kits installed by a certified Mopar dealer are covered under warranty.

Jeep extended warranty alternatives

Mopar Vehicle Protection plans are already pretty robust, relatively affordable and, best of all, willing to cover your Jeep even if you take it off-road (check your plan to confirm). Still, it never hurts to see what other extended warranty companies can offer.

olive quoted us $27.30 per month (or $327.65 per year) for a Complete Care plan on our Jeep Gladiator. That’s around $1,638.25 for five years, assuming rates stay consistent. In comparison, Zeigler quoted us $1,550 for Maximum Care.

That’s not a drastic difference, but results for your vehicle may vary. (We’ve seen companies offer vastly different quotes for different vehicles from the same automaker.)

Ultimately, your best bet is to do your own research, compare quotes and read reviews for different companies to see where you can find the right deal. If you want to learn more about extended auto warranties, check out our extended car warranty hub.

Is a Jeep extended warranty worth it?

Extended auto warranties are more likely to be worth the cost if any of the following are true for you:

• You drive an unreliable vehicle.
• You can’t afford an unexpected repair bill.
• The cost of the warranty is less than you expect to spend on repairs.
• You don’t mind paying for peace of mind, even if you never file a claim.

How much you value peace of mind is up to you, and only you know your finances well enough to decide if you can absorb a large repair bill with little notice. That means the best guidance we can give is whether Jeeps are unreliable enough to potentially save you money in the long run.

We’ve already established that Mopar Vehicle Protection plans for Jeeps cost well below the industry average, and, according to both Consumer Reports and J.D. Power, Jeep isn’t the most dependable brand on the road. Consumer Reports listed Jeep at 26th out of 30 carmakers in 2023. J.D. Power ranked the brand higher, at 11th out of 29 carmakers in 2024. However, J.D. Power only looks at problems per 100 vehicles from the 2021 model year for that ranking. Consumer Reports draws from a vaster and older set of model years.

Jeep’s pervasive issues with reliability seem to be reflected in some consumer reviews.

“We recently bought a 2022 Jeep Gladiator, after four days of owning it problems started,” reported Katelyn, a ConsumerAffairs reviewer from New Jersey. “It has been at [the dealership] numerous times and every time they tell us it's fixed it's not. They have replaced numerous parts and still having issues.”

Peter, a ConsumerAffairs reviewer from California, wrote, “Consider yourself warned. At 47,000 miles my Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT ($70,000 vehicle) had the lifters fail which is a widely reported issue. As a result, the cam shaft deflected metal particles into the engine block which now requires me to put an entirely new motor into the vehicle. Roughly $10,000 in damages and repairs.”

If you have substantial savings, getting stuck with a massive repair bill might not be a big worry, but if you don’t, it could be catastrophic. A ConsumerAffairs investigation found that most drivers surveyed couldn’t afford to pay cash for a $1,000 repair bill, and 13% of respondents simply had no way to handle a bill that large — even with credit.

Stories like these are why Lauren Fix, the editor in chief of Car Coach Reports and a member of ConsumerAffairs’ advisory panel, says that when it comes to Jeeps, an “extended warranty can be a wise idea.” This is because, she explains, “Jeeps are built for the road less traveled and tend to get roughed around more than the everyday family sedan. Jeeps (also) have some common issues,” like the ones mentioned by consumers.

Though troubling, these stories may not be the norm. Jeeps have build quality issues, yes, but some data suggests that they’re not always so expensive to fix. According to 2019 data from RepairPal, the average cost per year to repair and maintain a Jeep was just $634, which when adjusted for inflation is around $881 — slightly less than the $891-per-year average for all cars.

RepairPal also claims that many of the most common Jeep repairs (knock sensor and axle shaft seal replacements) can cost less than $200 to fix. Jeep repairs were considered “severe” 13% of the time, only a little above the average of 12% for all cars on RepairPal.

Given that Jeep owners seem to face a high frequency of relatively cheap repairs, if you do buy a warranty, it might be wise to lower your deductible to $0. Alternatively, you can save the $2,000 you’d spend on a warranty and simply pay for repairs out of pocket.

» MORE: Pros and cons of extended auto warranties