Manufacturer’s Warranty: What’s Not Covered
And why it matters
Deciding to purchase a car can be many things – exciting, 
overwhelming, and necessary to mention a few. Once you’ve decided on the kind of car you will be driving, the next step is to start considering what warranties are available. All dealerships and manufactures warranties differ, so be mindful of fully understanding what is and is not covered before saying yes! As incentives, some dealerships and automakers will offer special deals covering things such as road side assistance and oil changes for a certain amount of time. These are worth considering when shopping around.
Below are a few things to remember that won’t be covered by your manufacturer’s warranty. This is not a comprehensive list of every warranty on the market, but it will help you plan out your budget for car maintenance and repairs, helping you extend the life of your vehicle by knowing what to expect.
2 Common Kinds of Manufacture Warranties: Bumper-to-Bumper and Powertrain
When asking about Manufacture Warranties you may hear the phrases ‘Bumper-to-Bumper’ and ‘Powertrain’ often. These are the two most common warranties offered. They are often offered for 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Bumper-to-Bumper. This is usually the most common kind of warranty and sometimes referred to as the ‘limited warranty’. Coverage can vary, but will almost never include regular maintenance like fluid top-offs and oil changes.
Powertrain. General coverage includes the engine and transmission, along with any other moving parts that lead to the wheels. Regular maintenance to these parts, such as engine tune-ups and tire rotations are not covered.
Warranties are designed to give car owners peace of mind that if there is a production error, the company that made the car will pay to have it fixed. So, as a general rule of thumb, warranties won’t cover parts that wear out from intended use. This includes tires, brakes, batteries, exterior paint, head lights. Down below is a longer list of parts not normally covered:
A list of what is not generally covered:
- Brake linings and disc pads
- Clutch release bearings
- Clutch pressure plates and center plates
- Tires
- Wiper blade
- Seat and backrest covers
- Floor coverings
- Spark plugs
- Batteries for key fobs and alarms
- Light bulbs
- Shock Absorbers
- Adjustments to doors, flaps, boot lids, bonnets, sunroof
- Brake adjustment
- Clutch adjustment
- Headlight adjustment
- Steering geometry adjustments
- Wheel balancing
More to Keep in Mind
Coverage will also not include interior wear and tear such as stains, tears, and scratches. This is viewed as the fault and responsibility of the owner.
In addition, general maintenance such as, fueling, oil changes, filter changes, engine tune-ups, and tire rotations are not covered because maintaining these parts is viewed ‘as working as intended’ and not a part that was manufactured incorrectly.
Also, keep in mind that you will still need car insurance in addition to your warranties. The following is a list of things a warranty will not cover, but that an auto policy can:
- Accident or collision damage
- Theft
- Road salt damage
- Natural disaster damage, like hail
- Dents or paint chips
- Several more
Conclusion
Don’t let this list scare you. While it may look long, remember there are thousands of parts to any vehicle and many of them can be covered under warranty. It will just take some investigating to understand what is and is not covered. But it is good to remember that general wear and tear, maintenance, and misuse on any car won’t be covered. Also, don’t forget to find a car insurance policy that will fit your needs and cover other incidentals. Keeping this all in mind will help you estimate your new car maintenance budget. Helping you take better car of your vehicle and help extend the life of it.
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