See More Articles from the Car Warranty GuideBumper-to-Bumper Warranty: Why It Does NOT Cover Everything

The bumper-to-bumper warranty is one of the most commonplace coverages a vehicle can receive. Also known as the basic or standard new car warranty, it covers everything the powertrain warranty does not.

This includes a significant portion of non-engine parts like your brakes, fuel system, power steering, lights, sensors, audio system, climate control and battery. Note that in some cases the battery is covered by its own policy. Other parts, such as airbags, seatbelts and dealer-installed options, may be covered as well, but not always!

Here are some tips that should help you choose your next car warranty wisely…

Issues With Wear Parts

Since so many vehicle parts are excluded from this warranty, it should be obvious that you should not take the tem “bumper-to-bumper” literally.

Aside from excluding certain parts, the bumper-to-bumper warranty also does not cover repairs or replacements to parts that have a limited life span – also known as “wear” parts. Those include air, fuel and oil filters, brake pads, windshield wipers, light bulbs and sensors. Dealerships and manufacturers also include vehicle aspects like headlight lenses, windshields and windows. So, if you get a crack on one of your windows due to a stray rock, the bumper-to-bumper warranty is unlikely to cover it.

The pain finish and body panels are not covered either, but manufacturers do offer corrosion warranties just in case. Tires are considered a wear part as well, but luckily new tires tend to come with their own warranty – directly from the tire manufacturer.

Dealing With the Fine Print

What complicates matters even more is the fact that the coverage varies widely – by manufacturer, model and year. So, even if you have discovered a fantastic warranty coverage from a specific manufacturer, it may not apply to the vehicle you may be test-driving. Always read the paperwork that comes with the warranty – namely the fine print – and watch out for its limits and exclusions.

Make sure you know when your warranty expires as this tends to happen either after a specific amount of years or specific amount of kilometres. You might see terms like four years/80,000 kilometres or three years/60,000 kilometres. As soon as you exceed one of the limits, the warranty will expire. The good news is that sometimes your coverage is limited by time only, which should make your life a little easier.

Certain luxury automakers tend to offer regular services, like tune-ups, fluid changes and so on, as part of the bumper-to-bumper warranty, but some also place these services under different label. Most bumper-to-bumper warranties nowadays also cover roadside assistance, which is actually very useful.

Keep in mind that the bumper-to-bumper warranty often expires before the powertrain warranty. This is important because you may receive your tune-up or some other service and then have your warranty claim rejected, which would force you to pay out of pocket.

If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact us at any time or visit Unhaggle.com.