Toyota Tacoma extended warranty: cost, coverage and plans
Why an extended warranty could make sense
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Toyota Tacomas are known to have average reliability, meaning an extended warranty might be worthwhile for long-term ownership or high-mileage driving.
We’ll break down what a Toyota Tacoma warranty covers, how much it costs, what your options are and whether a warranty is worth it in the long run.
All new Toyota Tacomas 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 insightQuotes we received for an extended auto warranty on a 2021 Tacoma ranged from $648.85 to $1,028.16 a year. That’s less expensive than the average cost of an extended warranty.
Jump to insightToyota has average reliability compared with other vehicles.
Jump to insightGetting an extended warranty on a Tacoma gives you peace of mind and protection against repair bills once the factory warranty expires.
Jump to insightToyota Tacoma extended warranty coverage
An extended auto warranty is an optional, paid extension of the factory warranty your Tacoma comes with. For context, Toyota Tacomas 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 truck 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 Toyota Tacoma, you have two options:
- Buy the official Toyota extended warranty, called Toyota Extra Care.
- Buy a plan from a third-party extended warranty company, which allows you to take your truck to any ASE-certified mechanic for repairs.
A ConsumerAffairs investigation found that only 41% of American drivers surveyed had enough cash to cover a $1,000 repair bill, and 13% of respondents had no way to handle a repair bill that large, even with credit.
Regardless of whether you go with an extended warranty from a dealer or a third-party provider, you’ll typically get the most value by purchasing whichever plan offers comprehensive, exclusionary protection (often called bumper-to-bumper or Platinum). These plans cover 90% or more of the parts on your vehicle. Less comprehensive Gold, Silver and powertrain plans are less expensive, but the coverage they provide may leave you no option but to pay out of pocket for pricey repairs.
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 | Typical coverage | 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 Toyota Tacoma extended warranty cost?
We were quoted $648.85 a year from olive for three years of bumper-to-bumper coverage for a 2021 Toyota Tacoma registered in Austin, Texas, with 40,000 miles. From Endurance, the quote for similar coverage was $1,028.16 annually for 30 months of coverage for the same vehicle with the same mileage. Both quotes assumed a $100 deductible. Note that both of these are third-party extended auto warranty companies.
The “official” Toyota extended warranty is called Toyota Extra Care, and it may cost less than a third-party option. Be sure to get a quote from your local Toyota dealer to compare your options.
In general, quotes for extended auto warranties vary based on coverage, vehicle, deductible, location and other factors. A 2022 Tacoma with zero miles typically has cheaper extended warranty options than a 2020 model with 50,000 miles, for example.
It's worth it to get quotes from multiple providers so you get the best deal for an extended auto warranty.
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 Toyota Tacoma were less expensive by comparison.
Note that the quotes above were for comprehensive coverage and therefore more expensive. If you just need a powertrain warranty, the annual price will be lower.
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 Toyota Tacoma extended warranty worth it?
Yes, a Toyota Tacoma 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.
Toyota as a brand has average reliability, with J.D. Power ranking Toyota 2nd out of 29 car brands for overall dependability.
As for the Tacoma specifically, RepairPal gave it a 3.5 out of 5. Still, Toyota Tacoma maintenance can be expensive, suggesting that an extended warranty might be a good idea.
Article sources
- J.D. Power, “Vehicle Dependability Improves Despite Continued Problems with Technology, J.D. Power Finds.” Accessed Aug. 14, 2024.
- RepairPal, “Toyota Tacoma Reliability Rating.” Accessed Aug. 14, 2024.
