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What Is a Powertrain Warranty?
Disclosure: This content was produced by an independent editorial party for the purposes of educating our customers, and is not influenced by the other business operations of CARCHEX.
What is a powertrain warranty? A powertrain warranty covers those parts of your vehicle that make your car go and can be the most expensive to replace—the engine, transmission, drive shaft, and axle. With a powertrain warranty, you have the satisfaction of knowing that should one of these parts fail, your wallet won’t bear the brunt of that cost all at once.
What Is Covered Under Powertrain Warranty?
When you buy a car, it typically comes with a warranty (or two) that lasts for a specific number of years or number of miles put on your car. A powertrain warranty covers the cost to repair or replace the parts of a car that are most essential to keep it running.
A vehicle’s powertrain consists of these parts:
Engine
- Camshaft and crankshaft
- Timing chain
- Pistons, rings, and connecting rods
- Water pumps, fuel pumps, and oil pans
- Engine mount
Powertrain warranties cover most engine components that need repairs for reasons other than wear and tear or neglect. Items like the crankshaft and camshaft work together to open and close the exhaust valves in the engine. The water pump circulates coolant to release heat created by the engine. Vital components like these are covered under warranty.
Transmission
- Vacuum modulator
- Torque converter
- Transmission case
- Dipstick
- Filler tube
Transmission components, such as the torque converter, assist in sending torque from the engine to the wheels. A strong powertrain warranty should cover repairs or replacements on parts for automatic and manual transmission vehicles.
Drive Axle
- Trans-axle housing
- Axle shafts
- Drive shafts
- Universal joints
- Hub bearings
- Transfer case
The drive axle, powered by the engine, helps in the transmission of torque to the wheels. The components mentioned above are involved in positioning and angling the wheels.
How Long Is a Powertrain Warranty?
A powertrain warranty usually lasts longer than other warranties, but very few last for the car’s lifetime. If they do, they aren’t always transferable, meaning they are void once a car is sold to a new driver.
Also, powertrain warranty coverage for used cars can differ depending on the car you purchase. For example, a manual transmission will have different terms than an automatic transmission because the transmission is built with different components.
Below are factory powertrain warranty terms for select vehicle manufacturers:
| Manufacturer | Powertrain Warranty Term |
| Jeep | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
| Ford | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
| Nissan | 5 years / 60,000 miles
10 years / 120,000 miles for vehicles with Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) |
| Honda | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
| Dodge | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
| GMC | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
| Toyota | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
Once these manufacturer warranties expire, an extended powertrain warranty is required to maintain protection for your car. CARCHEX offers powertrain warranties with terms from five to six years.
What Is the Difference Between a Powertrain and Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty?
A bumper-to-bumper warranty is more comprehensive than a powertrain warranty. These warranties may cover components within steering, suspension, electronics (e.g. navigation or audio), and heating/cooling.
Typically, the factory powertrain warranty has longer terms than the bumper-to-bumper warranty, sometimes called the basic limited warranty. Sometimes the bumper-to-bumper is also called “exclusionary coverage,” meaning only items that are not covered are listed in the contract.
Limited Powertrain Warranty vs. Lifetime Powertrain Warranty
Unlike your typical limited powertrain warranty, a lifetime powertrain warranty covers the cost of powertrain repairs for as long as you own the car. These aren’t very common, so to continue powertrain coverage for your vehicle, an extended powertrain warranty is required.
An extended warranty for powertrain components may come from either the manufacturer or a third-party provider for an additional cost. Their terms differ by company, but they can cover components for many years after the factory warranty expires.
Do I Need an Extended Powertrain Warranty?
A powertrain warranty doesn’t cover general wear and tear to the vehicle’s interior or to other parts that will naturally wear with time, such as the brakes, belts, body, glass, etc.
However, once the time or mileage specified in the car warranty is up, you’ll be left uncovered for some very expensive repairs, as powertrain parts are generally the most expensive.
What are the average costs for powertrain repairs or replacements? We provide an example of common powertrain repair costs, using the Toyota Camry as an example.
- Camshaft sensor replacement: $200 to $238
- Engine oil pan replacement: $1,553 to $1,948
- Water pump replacement: $391 to $524
- Axle shaft seal replacement: $269 to $332
- Wheel speed sensor replacement: $1,119 to $1,306
- Timing belt replacement: $507 to $776
Where Can I Get a Powertrain Warranty?
Another reason why powertrain warranties are listed as being so long is because they can be a powerful marketing tool for automakers:
Buy this car and enjoy a 10-year powertrain warranty!
Once you understand what a powertrain warranty covers and the benefits of the plan you choose, then you can get past the fancy sales pitch and make an educated investment.
What most people don’t realize is that powertrain warranties from third-party providers are far more flexible and comprehensive than your usual dealership powertrain warranties. For example:
- The warranty coverage you get from a manufacturer usually stipulates that you must use their certified dealerships for repairs. A third-party plan will let you choose from licensed repair shops all over the country.
- Dealership warranties are set in stone. A third-party provider will offer multiple options to find the plan that fits your driving habits.
CARCHEX extended warranties offer a flexible and affordable safety net that will keep you covered once your vehicle’s powertrain warranty runs out. This way, you’re never left in the lurch for expensive vehicle repairs.
The CARCHEX Powertrain Warranty
Here’s a look at the five coverage levels offered by leading third-party warranty provider CARCHEX. There are a number of customizable protection plans available within each level.
Notice that Bronze Coverage is comparable to a factory powertrain warranty. It covers the most expensive repairs for your car and provides protection for five to six years. If your car has a high number of miles on it, you may consider the Gold Coverage, which is ideal for cars approaching 100,000 miles.
- You can work with one of our CARCHEX Extended Vehicle Protection specialists to get a free quote for a plan that fits your specific needs and budget.
- We also give you the opportunity to compare plans and research warranty information or view sample contracts to help you know what to look for and the right questions to ask.
When weighing your options, keep in mind that CARCHEX stands at the top of the auto warranty industry with an A+ customer service rating from the Better Business Bureau and have been BBB-accredited since 2009. Our service has a long list of endorsements from outlets such as DMV.org, Trustpilot, Edmunds.com, CARFAX, and RepairPal.
What You’ll Receive With Your CARCHEX Extended Powertrain Warranty
In addition to coverage for your engine, transmission, and drive axle components, you’ll receive a host of other benefits with your plan.
CARCHEX Benefits
- 24/7 roadside assistance (rental reimbursement, towing assistance, trip-interruption coverage, key lockout service, battery jump assistance and fuel delivery)
- No Haggle, Low Price, Every Day Guarantee™ and 30-Day Money Back Guarantee
- A network of more than 30,000 repair facilities that are closest to you
- Affordable and competitive prices
- Claims paid directly to the repair facility
- Payment plan options for easier monthly payments
Call Us Now to Learn More
Our warranty specialists are ready to help you with all sorts of questions, including what is a powertrain warranty? Call CARCHEX at 866-261-3457 to speak to a warranty specialist now and get a free instant quote.
Sources:
ConsumerLaws.com: https://consumer.laws.com/powertrain-warranty
Mister Transmission: www.mistertransmission.com/what-is-a-drivetrain/
Thoroughly Reviewed: https://thoroughlyreviewed.com/car-warranty/carchex-reviews/
Better Business Bureau: https://www.bbb.org/us/md/hunt-valley/profile/extended-warranty-contract-service-companies/carchex-0011-23015869
My-CarDictionary.com: https://www.my-cardictionary.com/cardictionary/products/produkt/Produkt/show/camshaft.html
My-CarDictionary.com: https://www.my-cardictionary.com/cardictionary/products/produkt/Produkt/show/gearbox.html
GMC: https://www.gmc.com/owners/warranty-faqs
Repair Pal: https://repairpal.com/estimator/toyota/camry/camshaft-position-sensor-replacement-cost
Repair Pal: https://repairpal.com/estimator/toyota/camry/engine-oil-pan-replacement-cost
Repair Pal: https://repairpal.com/estimator/toyota/camry/water-pump-replacement-cost
Repair Pal: https://repairpal.com/estimator/toyota/camry/axle-shaft-seal-replacement-cost
Repair Pal: https://repairpal.com/estimator/toyota/camry/abs-wheel-speed-sensor-replacement-cost
Repair Pal: https://repairpal.com/estimator/toyota/camry/timing-belt-replacement-cost
