How Do I Check If My Vehicle Is Still Under Warranty?
When purchasing a used vehicle, you must know if it comes with some of the original manufacturer’s warranty. If you bought your vehicle brand new, keeping track of warranty expirations isn’t always easy. What’s covered and for how long will differ from brand to brand. So, how do you check if a vehicle is still under warranty, and what parts are covered?
First, it’s important to know what limited warranties the manufacturer provides on a new vehicle.
Manufacturer warranties
Two primary types of warranty coverage come with a new vehicle: comprehensive and powertrain. What’s the difference between comprehensive and powertrain?
A comprehensive warranty provides protection against defects in materials and workmanship on most vehicle working parts. This includes the suspension, electrical, safety, and hi-tech systems. Most comprehensive manufacturer warranties are 3 years/60,000 km or 4 years/80,000 km.
A powertrain warranty only covers the vehicle parts that provide power and make it move, such as the engine, transmission, and drivetrain. It is usually longer than comprehensive coverage.
The vehicle manufacturer may include separate coverage for other parts to be repaired or replaced. These are the emissions systems, radio systems, batteries, and other wearable parts. A rust-perforation warranty is also included on new vehicles. Hybrid and electric cars have separate battery and powertrain coverage (most are around 8 years/160,000 km).
It’s important to read the fine print of any warranty and understand what is and isn’t covered on your vehicle.
How do you know if any of these warranties are still active?
Check your bill of sale
If you bought the vehicle when it was new, you can check your bill of sale for the purchase date. This will help you determine how much time has elapsed since your warranties started (generally from the sale date). Knowing how many years and kilometres your vehicle brand provides for each type of warranty will also help. You can find information about your vehicle’s warranty in the owner’s manual. However, it will not confirm if there is or isn’t any warranty left on the vehicle. You can also find most vehicle brands’ warranty information online with a Google search. Warranties start on the date the vehicle is first sold new from the manufacturer.
Check Online
More and more manufacturers are adding the ability to check your warranty status on their websites. Have your VIN ready, and quickly search your brand and warranty information online. Hyundai Canada has a handy lookup feature that provides an example of what you can find. It provides the warranty start date and a detailed list of the original warranties provided on the vehicle.
Check with a dealership
If you don’t know when the vehicle was first sold new, the simplest way to find out is to call a local dealership that sells your brand of vehicle. Before contacting the dealership, you must have your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and mileage handy. Your VIN is a 17-character series of letters and numbers unique to your vehicle. The VIN contains information about the vehicle type and the manufacturer. You can usually find it listed on a small tag located on the driver’s side of the dashboard. It’s visible when looking through the windshield from outside. Your vehicle registration, insurance card, and bill of sale should also have your VIN printed on them.
Once you have located your VIN, the next step is checking how many kilometres your car has on the odometer. This information is essential because most warranties have a mileage limitation. With your VIN and mileage, you have all the information you need. You only need to call a dealership to determine if your vehicle’s warranty is still active.
Check Carfax
You can also check a Carfax report, a paid service that finds and details your vehicle’s history. It searches through dealer records, insurance records, and provincial registration databases. Most used vehicles bought from a dealership will come with a Carfax report. It will tell you when the vehicle was first registered. This will provide a good approximation of when the vehicle’s warranties began but can sometimes be inaccurate, so you may need to double-check.
A Carfax report can also tell you about any accidents, major repairs, or services done at the dealership. Having background information on your vehicle is essential. It can help protect you from hidden problems and give you confidence in your vehicle choice.
Extended Car Warranties
If the manufacturer’s warranty expires, you can extend it. You can often extend the comprehensive and powertrain or the powertrain only. If you have a newer vehicle, you want to have a comprehensive extension. Powertrain-only coverage is limited. Be sure to shop around and understand what you are getting.
Find out more about Obvi’s extended warranty and get a free quote. If you have any questions, you can chat with a live adviser or schedule a call!
Customer service, financial stability, and claims coverage are important considerations when buying an extension with a multi-year lifespan. Make sure you are informed before buying a policy.
Follow the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule
Vehicle warranties are not unconditional. If you want your manufacturer to honour their warranty, you must maintain your vehicle. Be sure to follow the recommended maintenance schedule. You can find it in your owner’s manual, or the service shop where you do your maintenance can often provide it.
Get your oil changes, wheel alignments, and fluid changes done at the right intervals. This is crucial for maintaining warranty coverage. It will also help ensure your car stays in the best possible condition.
Summary
If you are unsure about your warranty coverage, don’t worry—you can check if your vehicle is still under warranty. Find your bill of sale and VIN, get your mileage, and call a dealership to see if your car is still covered. Do you have an extended warranty plan for your vehicle? If you do, you must contact the warranty provider for information about your terms. If not, you can get a policy online and shop around for coverage.