What Does My Ford’s Warranty Cover?

That is a great question, and fortunately, it is not too difficult to answer, though there are some important details and exceptions that you should keep in mind. Generally, Ford warranty coverage—including the powertrain warranty—is good for any part found to be defective in material or workmanship provided by the factory.

So if you need repairs for your engine because part of it—as installed or made by Ford—is faulty or defective, then your warranty covers it, and you don’t have to worry about it. This is great if you find yourself suddenly in need of engine repair for something that’s not your fault. But what about those exceptions and details you need to consider? Well, let’s dig into those…

Different Types of Ford Warranty Coverage

One of the first things we need to go over in looking at Ford warranty coverage is the fact that there are several different ones you should know about. Every new Ford comes with protection like a corrosion warranty that’s good for five years and an emissions warranty that ensures their new vehicles meet emissions standards.

The big ones that most people are concerned with, however, are the new vehicle limited warranty and the powertrain warranty. Let’s take a look at each of these and how long they last:

Ford New Vehicle Warranty

The major protection that every Ford has when sold as new is the new vehicle limited warranty. This lasts for up to three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first, and covers most of the vehicle’s components. Having this kind of coverage is one of the biggest reasons many people choose to buy a new vehicle: for the peace of mind it offers.

Powertrain Warranty

In addition to the full new vehicle warranty, the other type of major coverage that most people are concerned about is the powertrain warranty. This covers the engine and related parts on Ford vehicles for five years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. Considering how expensive it can be to have engine repair work done, this warranty protection is huge and can make a big difference in your budget. There are two more related warranties to note…

Powerstroke Diesel Warranty

First, if you buy a Ford vehicle with a Powerstroke diesel engine—usually found in a truck—then you have a different warranty that covers it, rather than the standard coverage as part of the powertrain warranty. Ford’s Powerstroke diesel warranty coverage lasts five years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. You can see this is the same period as the powertrain warranty but with greater mileage, which is perfect for getting the most from a bold diesel engine.

Hybrid/Electric Components Warranty

In addition to any relevant coverage from the standard powertrain warranty, hybrid and electric vehicles from Ford also include a hybrid/electric unique component warranty. This is good for up to eight years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first, and covers components that are unique to hybrids and electric vehicles. The high voltage battery, for example, in one of these models is included in this warranty, whereas the standard battery for a gas-powered Ford vehicle is not covered by this protection.

What’s Covered By the Ford Warranty?

Understanding the kind of coverage your vehicle has and how long it lasts is important, of course, but just as important is knowing exactly how that coverage works. Ford warranty coverage isn’t a blanket that falls over everything during its term; instead, it is for specific types of issues. Ford’s warranties cover any part found to be defective due to its material or workmanship as provided by the factory.

In other words, the parts covered by these warranties that are installed by the factory during your vehicle’s original manufacturing can be replaced under warranty as long as the issue with them is due to their quality or how they were installed.

So let’s say you have a new Ford that you’ve been driving for a year, and you’re still well within the duration and mileage for the Ford powertrain warranty coverage. All of a sudden, smoke starts pouring out from under the hood of your vehicle; you stop, call a tow truck, and have your vehicle brought to us (or another certified service center). After an inspection, it’s found that there’s a problem with your vehicle’s engine, and it’s due to a defect in a part installed at the factory when it was built as new. Good news: that’s covered, so you don’t have to worry about the expense of fixing it since your warranty is still good.

What’s Not Covered By the Ford Warranty?

You might’ve noticed that our explanation and definition of what’s covered under your Ford warranty is quite specific—and that’s for good reason. While Ford’s warranty protection is fantastic, there are a number of things that aren’t covered by the new vehicle warranty, powertrain warranty, and any other coverage your vehicle has. In particular, these Ford warranties don’t include damage caused by the environment, alterations or modifications you make after buying your vehicle, general maintenance or wear, and similar situations.

So let’s say you’re driving on a rainy day, going a little too fast for the weather, and this results in a collision; any damage due to this crash isn’t included under warranty protection. Similarly, if someone steals your vehicle or vandalism occurs, this is also not covered (these things are what insurance is for, after all). Environmental damage—like a stone getting kicked up by a large truck in front of you and chipping your windshield—isn’t covered, along with damage from road salt or a tree felled in a storm.

If you make any alterations and changes to your vehicle—including aftermarket additions like installing a lift kit on a truck—any damage from those alterations isn’t covered by your Ford warranty. We should note that this includes issues that come up that might have otherwise been covered but which include parts that you’ve altered or modified since that can void the original warranty coverage.

Finally, general maintenance and service like oil changes, tire rotations, replacing your brakes, and similar things are not covered by the Ford warranty. You might get some complimentary services provided by a dealership or another program, but those things are not part of warranty coverage.

Other Things to Keep in Mind

One final thing we should note when it comes to warranty coverage is when these things all start since they have durations related to them. Warranty coverage begins at the in-service date for your vehicle, which is the date you buy it or when it is put into service as a dealer demonstrator or for similar use. This is very important if you’re looking at a used model that still has some original warranty coverage or you’re trying to get a deal on a vehicle a dealership has been using for demonstrations since it might not have the warranty duration you expect.

As you can see, Ford warranty coverage is not particularly complicated, but there are some specific things that you need to have in mind to understand all of your coverage. Knowing what is and is not included is vital when making sure you don’t pay for something that should be covered. It’s just as important to understand what kinds of things you can do to void your warranty protection or make it so something isn’t covered that otherwise should be; the use of aftermarket components or making improper repairs is the big one to consider.

With all of these things in mind, it helps to trust your vehicle to a certified service center that knows Ford models inside and out; that way, you know your warranty coverage is protected, and you can keep getting the most from your vehicle for many years to come.