Jeep Wrangler extended warranty: cost, coverage and plans

Wrangler extended warranty coverage

An extended warranty effectively “extends” your factory warranty protection, giving you a few extra years of coverage against pricey repairs.

For context, every new Jeep includes the following warranties from the factory, and these automatically transfer to subsequent owners until they expire:

• A three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, which covers virtually everything on your vehicle but wear-and-tear parts (like brake rotors and tires)
• A five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty, which covers your engine, transmission and drive axles

Three years or 36,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage is pretty much the industry standard, but it’s also the least you’ll get from a major automaker.

If you want more coverage, you have two options for your Wrangler:

1. Buy an “official” Jeep extended warranty from a company called Mopar, which handles parts and warranties for all Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, FIAT, Ram and Alfa Romeo vehicles.
2. Buy a third-party extended warranty that offers similar levels of protection but with the added benefit of not having to go to the dealer for repairs (you can go to any ASE-certified mechanic).

» LEARN: What to know about manufacturers’ extended warranties

Whether you go first- or third-party, here’s what all warranties have in common: They only cover repairs needed due to manufacturer defects.

If your throttle position sensor fails — which is a common issue on Wranglers, according to RepairPal — that repair would likely be covered under warranty because there was no outside cause. However, if you install a lift kit and it causes axle damage, that wouldn’t be covered under warranty since damage from all outside sources (aftermarket parts, weather, collisions) isn’t covered.

» MORE: What does a car warranty cover?

If you have significant savings, getting stuck with a massive repair bill might not be a huge worry, but if you don’t, it could be ruinous. 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.

How much does a Jeep Wrangler extended warranty cost?

A three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper extended warranty on a Jeep Wrangler can cost as little as $2,200 before tax, based on the quotes we received. That’s well below the $1,000 per year of coverage average for an extended warranty and significantly cheaper than the two quotes we got for our sample Wrangler ($3,257 and $3,684, respectively).

Warranty prices change, so it’s worth getting multiple quotes for yourself so you know you’re getting a good deal.

That $2,200 quote came from Zeigler Auto Group, an online wholesaler of Mopar warranties. A Zeigler representative told us that their higher sales volume lets them sell at much lower prices than some dealers and even third-party alternatives.

You may be able to get a warranty for even less if you opt for nonexclusionary coverage (like a powertrain plan), but it’s a riskier choice. These plans tend to cost up to 40% less, but they only cover between 2% and 10% of the parts on your car. A bumper-to-bumper plan covers 90% or more. Basically, you get less coverage for your money, and there’s a much bigger chance that a given repair won’t be covered by your new warranty.

» LEARN: Questions to ask a car warranty provider

Is a Wrangler extended warranty worth it?

So, you can get a good deal on an extended warranty for your Wrangler, but is it worth the cost? Very possibly.

We can’t say for sure whether or not an extended warranty is the right choice for you and your individual circumstances, but usually an extended warranty is more likely to be worth it if:

• Your vehicle has below-average expected reliability.
• The cost of your warranty is less than what you think you’ll spend on repairs without one.
• Getting stuck with a big repair bill could be financially catastrophic for you.
• You don’t mind paying a few thousand dollars for a little peace of mind, and you don’t care about your return on investment.

Since the final two bullets are up to you, let’s break down the first two.

» MORE: Is an extended car warranty worth it?

For starters, the reports we’ve seen suggest that Jeeps don’t rank well for long-term reliability. Consumer Reports ranked the brand 26th out of 30 automakers, and J.D. Power ranked it 11th out of 29 marques.

As for the Wrangler itself, Consumer Reports gave the JL generation (2018 to 2023) a below-average predicted reliability score, with most years scoring a 1 out of 5 as of publishing.

RepairPal, which aggregates data based on the cost and frequency of repairs, gave the Wrangler a more favorable 3.5 out of 5 reliability rating, but it still ranked the Wrangler 25th out of 26 compact SUVs. That site’s data suggests that Wranglers visit the shop for unplanned repairs 0.25 times a year (which is better than average) but that those repairs cost $2,000 or more 16% of the time (which is worse than average).

Consumer reviews also show a mix of very positive and very negative opinions, which you might expect from a model that reportedly doesn’t need repairs often but costs a lot to fix when it does.

“​​I bought my Jeep about March 9. … I wish I would've never done it. The worst mistake of my life,” wrote Andrea in New York after her Wrangler broke down one month into ownership.

However, Paula from Maryland had a different take: “It’s a beast. Being my 5th wrangler I’ve never had mechanical issues so I’m always surprised when I read about how unreliable these trucks are. I’ve never experienced it.”

» MORE: Jeep maintenance: cost, plans and service schedule

Putting all of this together, there does appear to be a higher-than-average likelihood that your Wrangler will need an expensive repair once the factory warranty runs out. At the same time, the cost of a three-year Mopar warranty from Zeigler (about $2,200) is relatively affordable, meaning it might be worth the cost.

If you decide to get an extended warranty for your Wrangler, shop around, do some research and make sure you’re getting a good price on your warranty so you have better odds of breaking even on your purchase and driving your Wrangler for years to come.

» MORE: Pros and cons of extended auto warranties