As a car owner, if you’ve ever experienced an unexpected breakdown, you know just how eye-wateringly expensive auto shop bills can be. In the very worst cases, they can set you back thousands of dollars in one fell swoop, emptying your wallet in the process.
Your vehicle’s powertrain is one of its most crucial systems, which means the components it consists of are some of the priciest to replace. As a result, you’ve most likely been looking into powertrain warranties for their money-saving potential. With the AAA recently estimating that the annual cost of car ownership has hit $12,297 (or $1,024.71 monthly), plenty of other drivers will be too.
In this guide, we’ll look at what a powertrain warranty is, what one typically covers, and how you can extend yours once it expires.
What Is a Powertrain Warranty?
Thankfully, when a car is purchased brand new, it comes with what’s known as a manufacturer’s warranty or factory warranty—which acts as the manufacturer’s promise to repair or replace any components that fail prematurely due to fault. This can be a real lifeline for owners, defending them from the financial burden of repairs for a predetermined number of years or miles traveled (whichever comes first).
This factory warranty is separated into parts, with each applying to different vehicle areas, systems, or types of potential damage. One of these warranty parts specifically protects your vehicle’s powertrain, which is the network of components responsible for propelling the vehicle forward. These are the engine, transmission, driveshaft, differentials, and axles—essentially, the parts that generate power and deliver it to the wheels.
This warranty is one of the most important protections offered by automakers because repairs on these components can be particularly costly. Because of this, it’s also usually the part of a factory warranty that lasts the longest. For example, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, and Mitsubishi offer the most generous new car powertrain warranties, lasting 10 years or 100,000 miles. Whatever the case may be for your vehicle, as long as your powertrain warranty is active, any covered components that fail will be repaired free of charge at an authorized dealership.
What Powertrain Warranties Typically Cover
A powertrain warranty protects the core mechanical systems that power a vehicle forward. This includes major components like the engine, transmission, drivetrain, and related parts. To be more specific, below is a breakdown of the key elements typically included. However, you should always read the fine print of your warranty for complete coverage details.
Transmission
The transmission plays a critical role in converting the engine’s power into movement. While older vehicles primarily used manual or automatic gearboxes, many modern front-wheel-drive (FWD) cars rely on continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), which use belts and pulleys instead of traditional gears and clutches to adjust power output efficiently.
Transfer Case
For vehicles with all-wheel drive (AWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD), the transfer case distributes power from the transmission to both the front and rear axles through driveshafts, ensuring proper torque allocation for different terrains.
Driveshaft
This is a long rotating shaft that transmits power from the transmission (or transfer case in AWD/4WD vehicles) to the differential, which then delivers it to the wheels.
Differential
Located on the drive-wheel axle, the differential is a gearbox that allows the wheels to rotate at different speeds when turning. This is crucial for stability and control, as the outer wheels must spin faster than the inner ones during a turn. In FWD vehicles, the differential is combined with the transmission in what’s known as a transaxle.
Axles
Axles are the shafts responsible for rotating the wheels. They carry the power from the differential to the tires, enabling forward and backward motion.
Engine Components
The engine is the most expensive part of the powertrain and consists of numerous critical components. Most powertrain warranties cover its major internal parts, such as the:
- Cylinder block
- Cylinder heads
- Oil pan
- Valvetrain
- Timing belt
- Fuel injectors
- Water, fuel, and oil pumps
- Flywheel
- Gaskets and seals
- Other internal engine components
What Powertrain Warranties Exclude
Put simply, a powertrain warranty does not cover systems unrelated to propulsion. For example, components like the air conditioning system, power steering, and suspension fall outside its coverage. Some other common powertrain warranty exclusions are:
- Wear-and-tear parts like brake pads, spark plugs, filters, clutches, and CV joints
- Damage from aftermarket modifications or unapproved parts
- Unauthorized alterations that violate the manufacturer’s guidelines
- Accidents, collisions, or misuse of the vehicle
- Environmental damage from floods, fires, or other natural disasters
- Poor maintenance or use of contaminated fuel
Failing to follow the manufacturer’s recommended service schedule can also void a powertrain warranty, leaving the owner responsible for repairs.
The Benefits of an Extended Powertrain Warranty
When your manufacturer’s powertrain warranty expires, you, the owner, must foot the bill for any future repairs. This doesn’t have to be the case, though, as you have the option to purchase an extended warranty for your used car from either your dealership or a third-party provider. This is highly recommended, as there are a number of benefits to doing so:
- Financial Protection: Many powertrain components are incredibly expensive to repair. A prime example is a blown head gasket, which can set you back anywhere between $1,967 and $2,277, according to RepairPal. By having an extended car warranty, also called a vehicle service contract or auto protection plan, you continue to be protected from costs incurred as a result of unexpected component failure.
- Driving Confidence: Knowing your vehicle’s most crucial components are covered goes a long way to help you drive with confidence and peace of mind. Whenever you hit the road, you can rest assured that you’ll be looked after if the worst happens — and your wallet will never need to leave your pocket.
- Resale Value Boost: The best providers will allow you to transfer warranty coverage to subsequent owners, giving you greater selling power should you come to sell your vehicle and potentially increasing the resale value.
- Bonus Perks: Third-party vehicle service contract providers are incentivized to give you better value for money than dealerships can, so most include bonus perks for our drivers to enjoy. The number of perks on offer may influence which provider you decide to opt for, with the more reputable companies usually giving more.
How Endurance Powertrain Coverage Stands Out
Unlike most extended warranty providers, which offer just one level of powertrain coverage, Endurance Warranty has a few for you to choose from. Secure is our most affordable plan, providing comprehensive protection for your powertrain specifically. It’s a competitive and budget-friendly plan that covers the following components:
- Engine: All internally lubricated parts, such as pistons, crankshaft, and valves.
- Turbocharger/Supercharger: Factory-installed units, including all internal parts.
- Transmission: Components like gears, shafts, and bearings.
- Drive Axle: Front and rear drive axle shafts and bearings.
- Transfer Unit: Transfer case and all internally lubricated parts.
- Seals and Gaskets: Coverage for seals and gaskets related to the above components.
For drivers who’d like a little more protection, our Secure Plus plan is the next step up for older vehicles, covering all of the above and then some. Additional components include:
- Steering System: Steering gear box, rack and pinion assembly, power steering pump, and all internally lubricated parts.
- Electrical Components: Alternator, voltage regulator, starter motor, starter solenoid, and other essential electrical parts.
- Air Conditioning: Compressor, condenser, evaporator, and related components.
Not only are these some of the most all-encompassing powertrain plans on the market, but they’re also bolstered by Endurance’s market-leading additional benefits. All Endurance plans include 24/7 roadside assistance (including towing, fuel delivery, and lockout services), rental car reimbursement, and trip interruption coverage as standard. Plus, Endurance customers can unlock a year of our Elite Benefits, adding on tire repair and replacement, key fob replacement, and more.
Better yet, we’re the direct administrator of all our plans, making for a seamless claims process if you run into problems on the road. Our award-winning customer service team is always available via phone or email if you have any questions or queries. You can also download the Endurance app to access all of the most important information in just a few taps. If that wasn’t enough, our plans are also fully transferable to subsequent owners.
Comparing Powertrain Warranties to Comprehensive Coverage
While powertrain warranties do a great job of protecting your vehicle’s crucial systems, they aren’t the most comprehensive type of protection. For example, your manufacturer coverage will also include a bumper-to-bumper warranty.
A bumper-to-bumper warranty is the most extensive part of your factory warranty, covering most components and systems between the front and rear bumpers, except for wear-and-tear items like tires, brake pads, and wipers. It typically lasts 3 to 5 years or 36,000 to 60,000 miles, depending on the manufacturer.
If you’re in the market for an extended auto warranty and want to drive with greater confidence, it’s worth looking at the higher tiers of protection offered by providers. For example, Supreme is Endurance’s most comprehensive plan, offering as close to new manufacturer’s warranty protection as you’re likely to find. It is an exclusionary plan, which means only the parts listed in your contract are not covered.
When to Consider an Extended Powertrain Warranty
Owners of older vehicles or vehicles with higher mileage can often find themselves ineligible for exclusionary extended warranties but still want to protect themselves from potential unexpected component failure. Extended powertrain warranties are often the ideal solution, and a number of providers are lowering eligibility criteria for these plans in particular.
Endurance’s Secure and Secure Plus plans are specifically designed with high-mileage vehicles in mind. We’re always willing to be flexible too, so if you’d like to cover a little more or less than the base plans, we can work with you to create a custom solution that better meets your needs and budget.
Protect Your Powertrain With America’s Most Trusted Warranty
Your vehicle’s powertrain is its most important system, so it should be a priority when it comes to protection. While a manufacturer’s warranty is fantastic while it lasts, you’re exposed to the financial burden of repair bills as soon as it expires, making an extended powertrain warranty a smart investment.
For information on how Endurance can protect your vehicle – and get a FREE quote – contact our auto protection advisors at (800) 253-8203. You can also shop online to see recommended plans and instant pricing!
Check out our extended warranty blog with plenty of news and articles on major automakers like Ford, Jeep, Toyota, and more.