Bumper-to-Bumper and Powertrain Warranty Quick Facts
- Powertrain warranty coverage may last up to 10 years, much longer than bumper-to-bumper warranties.
- Powertrain warranties cover repairs to components that bring power to the wheels.
- “Bumper to bumper” doesn’t mean every vehicle part has warranty coverage.
- A bumper-to-bumper warranty covers repairs for more parts but for a shorter period — often three years or 36,000 miles — compared to powertrain warranties.
- Check the plan details to understand which items and situations are excluded from warranty coverage.
When car shopping, you’ll notice that most new — or certified pre-owned — vehicles have two major types of warranties: a powertrain warranty and a bumper-to-bumper limited warranty. Because they cover so many components of your car, these two are the most important among the many types of warranties that might be available.
Continue reading to learn the difference between powertrain warranties and bumper-to-warranties.
- What Does a Powertrain Warranty Cover?
- What Does a Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty Cover?
- What Isn’t Covered by a Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty?
- What Is the Difference Between Powertrain and Bumper-to-Bumper?
What Does a Powertrain Warranty Cover?
Simply put, this is a warranty on components of the vehicle’s propulsion system, including the engine, transmission, and other related pieces, such as the differential. Powertrain warranties typically cover repairs to just about anything involved in bringing power to the wheels, including a car’s driveshaft and constant velocity joints.
However, not everything under the hood is covered by a powertrain warranty. Some parts are “wear items,” meaning wear is part of their design, and a warranty won’t pay for their replacement. Typical exclusions are the battery, clutch, and specific drive belts. Read more about warranty exceptions below.
How Long Does a Powertrain Warranty Last?
The factory warranty for a car’s powertrain can last up to 10 years. However, the length of coverage depends on the manufacturer. For example, most mainstream brands (Ford, Ram, Chevrolet, Toyota, and so forth) provide a 5-year/60,000-mile warranty, whichever comes first. Some luxury brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Porsche warranty the powertrain for four years or 50,000 miles. Jaguar and Land Rover provide five years or 60,000 miles of coverage. Other luxury brands go a little further: Cadillac, Lexus, and Lincoln (six years or 70,000 miles). Lucid and other EV automakers must cover their electric powertrains for at least eight years or 100,000 miles in accordance with federal regulations. However, leading the pack for the best combustion powertrain coverage are Kia, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and Genesis (10 years or 100,000 miles).
PRO TIP: Because of the varying lengths of coverage, it’s smart to research the exact powertrain warranty length of any new car you might consider.
How Much Does a Powertrain Warranty Cost?
Manufacturers include the new car powertrain warranty in the transaction price of a new vehicle. It is part of every new vehicle’s warranty package, which also includes the bumper-to-bumper limited warranty and might include a limited tire warranty, corrosion warranty, and others. Some carmakers provide the option of extending the factory coverage. For instance, Porsche offers a couple of extra-cost plans that extend the standard factory powertrain from 4-year/50,000-mile coverage to 10 years or 100,000 miles.
What Does a Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty Cover?
A bumper-to-bumper limited warranty is sometimes called a comprehensive warranty; however, “limited” means something. It covers nearly everything from the front bumper to the back bumper. Not the bumpers themselves, though, because body panels aren’t covered. Additional coverage beyond the powertrain warranty may include the vehicle’s electronics, audio system, air conditioning system, suspension components, and more.
Even though they’re known as “bumper-to-bumper,” these plans have exceptions, and not every vehicle part is covered.
Bumper-to-bumper warranties cover far more parts than powertrain warranties and often don’t last as long. For example, a typical new-car factory warranty for mainstream models usually lasts three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first.
What Isn’t Covered by a Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty?
New vehicle limited warranties vary by the automaker. Refer to your paperwork for details on your car’s warranty coverage. Typically, powertrain warranties and bumper-to-bumper plans do not cover repairs to these items, misuse, or damage caused by specific situations:
- Interior trim, seating fabric, and cabin surfaces
- Side windows, windshield, and wipers
- Tires and wheels
- Brake pads
- Fluids
- Paint
- Corrosion
- Body panels and damage from collision
RELATED: Do You Need to Service Your Car at the Dealership to Keep Your Warranty Valid?
What Is the Difference Between Powertrain and Bumper-to-Bumper?
As the name suggests, powertrain warranties cover only the vehicle’s powertrain, usually a car’s most significant and expensive component. Meanwhile, the bumper-to-bumper warranty covers everything — the powertrain, the electronics, the suspension, the vehicle systems, and more.
As a result, a bumper-to-bumper warranty may benefit you the most, and it doesn’t cost anything when you purchase your new car. You might even consider buying an extended warranty. But suppose your bumper-to-bumper warranty expires (or your certified pre-owned program only offers powertrain protection). In that case, you can rest assured knowing your car’s most expensive components are protected by the longer powertrain warranty.
Always check the fine print of your warranty to avoid any unexpected out-of-pocket costs before you take your car for service.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated for accuracy since it was originally published.
