What Does Drivetrain Warranty Cover? The drivetrain warranty is one of the most important warranties on your vehicle. It covers major mechanical parts, such as the engine and transmission. Some drivetrain warranties also include other components that are essential to a car’s performance, such as the axles, differential, and driveshaft. If you’re thinking about buying an extended warranty for your car, it’s important to understand how a drivetrain warranty works. Here’s a guide to what’s covered by this type of policy.
What Does Drivetrain Warranty Cover?
A drivetrain warranty covers parts of the vehicle that make it move, including the engine and transmission. A drivetrain warranty covers parts of the vehicle that make it move, including the engine and transmission. This differs from a powertrain warranty, which only covers those components if they’re installed by a manufacturer-approved service center.
Drivetrain warranties don’t cover things like tires or brakes, which are covered by separate warranties. However, there are some exceptions: many manufacturers offer an additional tire and wheel (T&W) warranty that can be added to your basic drivetrain coverage for an extra fee (or included in certain models).
If you purchase a vehicle with T&W coverage through your dealer, that dealership will have access to any special policies offered by automakers through their websites or mobile apps. In addition to standard systems that let you update your contact information or enroll in roadside assistance services over time periods ranging from one year to 10 years after purchasing a new car, these platforms allow dealerships—as well as customers themselves—to view all available options for extending coverage beyond what’s bundled into the initial price tag of their purchase before making final decisions about how much protection they want against unexpected repairs down the road.
Some drivetrain warranties also include the axle and differential — the parts that transfer power to the wheels.
Some drivetrain warranties also include the axle and differential — the parts that transfer power to the wheels.
The axle is actually a set of axles, or shafts, that connect to your vehicle’s wheels. The differential transfers power from the transmission to each of these shafts so you can drive forward.
Transferable drivetrain warranties are increasingly common
Transferable drivetrain warranties are increasingly common, so if you’re in the market for a new car, it’s worth checking whether your preferred model comes with this type of warranty. A transferable drivetrain warranty means that if you sell or trade in your vehicle after the initial coverage period ends, the warranty will continue to be in effect for whoever buys it from you.
That can be good news for buyers looking at used cars that come outfitted with one of these policies, which can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars depending on cost and coverage.
An extended drivetrain warranty covers all of the major mechanical parts of a vehicle
An extended drivetrain warranty covers all of the major mechanical parts of a vehicle—the engine, transmission, differentials and transfer case.
It’s important to note that an extended warranty is not required by law, but they can be useful. They can also be very expensive —so it’s important to do your research before purchasing one.
An extended drivetrain warranty is often not the best option for your vehicle if you have a newer model with fewer than 100,000 miles on it or if you don’t plan on keeping your car for more than five years.
Drivetrain warranties usually equal 30 percent of the cost to replace your engine
The 30 percent benchmark is a good place to start when making your decision on whether or not to purchase a drivetrain warranty. It’s enough coverage to keep you from needing an expensive repair if something goes wrong, but it also won’t cost too much for the duration of your warranty. If you plan on keeping your vehicle for a long time, however, this coverage may not be sufficient; in that case, it could be worth looking into other options.
If you’re looking for more coverage, other extended warranties can cover more than just your engine
If you’re looking for more coverage, other extended warranties can cover more than just your engine. These extended warranties can cover electrical components like the alternator, transmission and air conditioning system. Some also cover brakes and tires as well as other components such as body and paint.
Some of these extended warranties may even include warranties for two or three years, instead of just the standard one year warranty that comes with most new vehicles. If you plan on keeping your vehicle past its first few years, an extra long warranty could save you money in the long run if something goes wrong with it.
Read your drivetrain warranty carefully so you know what it does and does not cover
Before you purchase a drivetrain warranty, it’s important to understand what it covers and what it doesn’t. If you don’t read the fine print, you could find yourself with an expensive repair bill. For example:
- Does your drivetrain warranty cover all repairs or just some of them? Is there a limit on how much it will pay for each repair?
- What exactly does your drivetrain warranty cover? Some may only cover certain parts of the transmission or engine block. Others may include other components such as the transmission oil cooler and radiator hose fittings (both highly susceptible to leaks).
- How much is the cost of this extended service contract? This can vary depending on where you buy it from, so make sure to shop around for the best deal before buying anything at all!
Conclusion
Our advice: Review your drivetrain warranty carefully before you buy it to ensure that it covers all the mechanical parts you expect. And remember, if your vehicle is under a manufacturer’s warranty, check to see if transfer of service contracts are allowed. Many dealers will allow you to keep the remainder of your factory coverage even after purchasing an extended vehicle warranty from them.