Types of New Car Warranties
All new cars come with several warranties, from bumper-to-bumper coverage to those that cover specific components like the powertrain, emissions system and rust perforation.
A new car can come with 6 or more warranties which can be daunting for its new owner to wade through.
Bumper-to-bumper: Often called the basic warranty, a bumper-to-bumper policy covers virtually every component on a new car.
Most exclude regular maintenance, like fluid top-offs and oil changes, but a few luxury brands — most notably BMW and Saab — have separate free-maintenance provisions.
Bumper-to-bumper warranties usually expire faster than powertrain warranties. American and Japanese cars typically come with a 3 year/36,000 mile warranty while luxury and more upscale brands carry a 4 year/50,000 mile warranty.
Powertrain: Don’t be fooled, a 10-year or 100,000-mile powertrain warranty doesn’t promise a decade of free repairs for your car. It typically covers just the engine, transmission and drive axles. This represents about 20% of your vehicle.
Some systems NOT covered include air conditioning, electronics, steering, suspension and high tech electronics.
Roadside Assistance: Most automakers include roadside assistance with their new car warranties. These programs cover anything from flat-tire changes and locksmith services to jump starts and towing.
Corrosion: This covers body panels that have rusted through. Such policies generally last five to six years and have no mileage limits.
They only cover complete perforation — a relatively rare occurrence with today’s rust-proofing — so you’ll probably be denied a claim for sheet metal that’s only partially rusted.
Emissions: Since 1972, the government has required all cars to have emissions controls like oxygen sensors and catalytic converters.
Two types of warranties exist: performance warranties and design and defect warranties. Performance warranties require automakers to repair or adjust emissions controls for at least two years or 24,000 miles if the car fails an emissions test.
If emissions controls fail independent of a test, the design and defect warranty covers them for at least two years or 24,000 miles. Major components like catalytic converters and engine control modules are covered for performance and defects for eight years or 80,000 miles.
On some items, California residents are eligible for additional coverage.
Hybrid components: Components in the hybrid drivetrain include the high-voltage battery pack along with the hybrid assist motor and the electrical connections in between.
These components may be prohibitively expensive to repair or replace, so automakers offer generous warranties, in most cases 8 years and from 80,000 to 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Seat belts and airbags: A lot of carmakers include seat belts and airbags with powertrain or bumper-to-bumper warranties. Others make separate provisions, and the warranties sometimes carry no expiration date.
Seat belts are generally covered for operating usability only, so don’t expect a replacement for discoloration or other cosmetic defects.
From www.warrantyinfo.com/
This intel first appeared on: http://www.warrantyinfo.com/2008/05/understanding-you-new-car-warra...
