In a gracious gesture for its vehicle owners whose lives have been paused because of COVID-19, Porsche, KIA, and Hyundai are tacking on an extra three months to the warranty period for new vehicles.
The three automakers have slightly different caveats for owners. Here’s what ConsumerAffairs was able to dig up.
Porsche
Factory warranties that were set to expire between March and May of 2020 will be extended by three months. As an example, a new car warranty due to end on May 15, 2020 will be extended until August 15, 2020.
In addition, for extended warranty purchasers, the extension will push back the start and end dates of any extended warranty, as well.
For further information, please contact Porsche customer service online.
Kia
Kia is also extending any warranty that was scheduled to lapse between March 1 and May 31, 2020 until June 30, 2020.
The automaker couched its offer by saying that “customers with expiring warranties are being promised they will get needed repairs without incurring additional costs or penalties if repairs are delayed due to COVID-19.”
That ambiguity might raise some concerns about precisely what doesn’t qualify. Kia is instructing dealers to tell its customers to contact Kia at 800-333-4542 or online to document their individual situation.
Hyundai
U.S. Hyundai owners who have a 5-year/60,000-mile new-vehicle limited warranty or a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty that is set to expire between March 1 and June 1, 2020 will have the warranty coverage extended to June 30, 2020.
Hyundai said in a news release that its Hyundai Motor America division will contact eligible customers individually. Still, it might be wise to contact Hyundai directly to confirm what the extension will cover and if your particular vehicle is covered.
Uncertain times and extended warranties
As ConsumerAffairs found out while watching one auto insurance company after another join the parade of insurers offering coronavirus relief to their customers, it’s likely that other automakers will also offer extensions similar to the ones being publicized by Hyundai, Kia, and Porsche. If you have a vehicle that had a warranty set to expire during the pandemic, it would be a good idea to call your local dealership and ask if they’re offering something similar.
As the world has found out from the pandemic, things can change quickly and dramatically. In an uncertain time such as the one we’re living in, it’s commendable that automakers like these are stepping up for customers who couldn’t get to their dealership for repairs.
Car repairs are often expensive and impossible to predict. If you’re interested in how to protect yourself for future concerns that might impact you past when your auto warranty ends, ConsumerAffairs has put together a complete guide on extended auto warranties. You can find it here.