Key points
- The Ford warranty provides 3 years/36,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage and 5 years/60,000 miles of powertrain coverage.
- Ford’s hybrid/EV unique components warranty protects the hybrid/EV battery and drivetrain for 8 years/100,000 miles.
- Ford offers several extended warranties, but they’re more restrictive than aftermarket plans.
Ford sold more than 518,000 vehicles in the first quarter (Q1) of 2024, making it the third-most-popular automaker. The company’s sales are spearheaded by its F-Series of trucks, including the F-150, F-250 and F-350, with over 152,000 units sold in Q1 of 2024.
But the Ford warranty is only average compared to the best new car warranties, offering only 3 years/36,000 miles of comprehensive coverage and 5 years/60,000 miles of powertrain coverage.
Let’s look at what the Ford warranty offers and how you can make sure your new car purchase is properly protected.
What does the Ford factory warranty cover?
The Ford warranty provides three years or 36,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage for each new vehicle. This is an exclusionary warranty, meaning most components and systems are included, besides a few listed exclusions.
The new vehicle limited warranty also covers your tires, on top of whatever warranty is in place from your vehicle’s tire manufacturer. Ford replaces defective tires on a prorated basis based on how many miles you’ve driven.
| Miles Driven | Total Reimbursem*nt for Parts Ford Covers |
|---|---|
| 1–12,000 | 100% |
| 12,001–24,000 | 60% |
| 24,001–36,000 | 30% |
The manufacturer’s powertrain warranty is in force for five years or 60,000 miles. This covers your car’s engine, transmission and drivetrain.
Ford’s factory warranty also covers the following:
- The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS): The manufacturer will repair or replace your airbags and seatbelt assemblies if they’re defective or damaged due to workmanship errors. The warranty period lasts for five years or 60,000 miles.
- Corrosion perforation: Ford will repair or replace body sheet metal if it becomes perforated by corrosion or if aluminum body panels corrode or rust due to a manufacturing defect, poor factory-supplied materials or factory workmanship errors. This coverage lasts for five years and unlimited miles. The company will also provide a free repair of paint damage due to airborne materials for one year or 12,000 miles.
- Diesel engines: Ford covers your vehicle’s direct injection diesel engine and engine components for five years or 100,000 miles.
In addition to its parts coverage, Ford also covers the cost of diagnosing, repairing, replacing or adjusting components that are damaged or made inoperable due to a defect caused by a Power-Up software update.
Though Ford doesn’t cover or reimburse you for maintenance services during the warranty period, it does cover windshield stress cracks for 1 year/12,000 miles. It also covers wheel alignments and tire balancing for 1 year/12,000 miles and brake pad and lining replacements for 1 year/18,000 miles.
Ford’s roadside assistance is in place for five years or 60,000 miles, which provides you with a tow to a local Ford dealership within 35 miles of disablement, flat tire changes, fuel delivery (limited to twice every 12 months), 12-volt battery jumpstarts, lockout assistance and winch services.
The entirety of the Ford warranty — including the new vehicle limited warranty and other coverage — is transferable to subsequent owners. This means that if you buy a used Ford, you’re entitled to the remainder of its existing warranty coverage based on the vehicle’s warranty start date (the date the vehicle was originally sold) and mileage.
| Warranty | Coverage |
|---|---|
| New vehicle limited warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| Safety restraint system warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| Corrosion (perforation only) | 5 years/unlimited miles |
| Diesel engine warranty | 5 years/100,000 miles |
| Hybrid/electric unique component warranty | 8 years/100,000 miles |
| Federal emissions defects warranty* | 2 years/24,000 miles |
| Federal emissions performance warranty* | 2 years/24,000 miles |
| Certain emissions parts* | 8 years/80,000 miles |
| California emissions defects warranty (short-term) | 3 years/50,000 miles |
| California emissions defects warranty (long-term) | 7 years/70,000 miles |
| California emissions performance warranty | 3 years/50,000 miles |
| California transitional zero-emission vehicles warranty | 15 years/150,000 miles |
| California defects and performance warranty** | 15 years/150,000 miles |
| Roadside assistance coverage | 5 years/60,000 miles |
What’s not included
Factory warranties don’t cover every breakdown, repair or situation, and the Ford warranty is no different.
General exclusions — which are found in most manufacturers’ auto warranties — are damages from the following:
- Accidents, collisions or objects striking your vehicle
- Theft, vandalism or rioting
- Fire or explosion
- Contaminated or improper fuel or fluids and customer-applied chemicals or accidental spills
- Driving through water deep enough to cause water to be ingested into any component
- Misusing your vehicle, such as driving over curbs, overloading, racing or using your vehicle as a permanent stationary power source
Other exclusions found in the Ford warranty are the following:
- Damage to the 120-volt convenience cord caused by misuse of the cord (for plug-in vehicles)
- Alterations or modifications of the vehicle
- Tampering with the vehicle, emissions systems or other parts that affect these systems
- The installation or use of a non-Ford part or software (other than a certified emissions part or software) or any part of software (Ford or non-Ford) designed for offroad use after the vehicle leaves the control of Ford, including if the part fails or causes another Ford part to fail
- Damages caused by use or the environment, including cosmetic issues, dings, dents, tears, road salt, weather, stone chips, scratches, windshield stress cracks and other “acts of God”
- Maintenance and wear-and-tear items, including tire wear or damage
- Damage from improper installation or damage caused by the SYNC hands-free communication and entertainment system
- Vehicles with an altered, disconnected or inoperative odometer
- Vehicles declared a total loss or vehicles labeled as dismantled, reconstructed or salvaged
- Aftermarket parts or components, including those installed by Ford
- High-voltage battery replacement due to improper vehicle storage
- Gradual loss of lithium ion battery capacity
- Repairs resulting from a part not covered by this warranty damaging a part that is covered
This means that Ford’s warranty only covers factory defects and workmanship errors. It doesn’t cover conditions or situations in which parts are damaged or made to fail, such as those damaged in an accident or by misusing or neglecting your car.
How it compares to third-party warranties
Third-party warranties or vehicle service contracts are auto warranties provided, sold and administered by third parties. These extended warranties provide coverage beyond a factory warranty’s term (and sometimes limits), but there’s a catch.
Third-party warranties don’t fully kick in until a car’s factory warranty expires. This means there’s no overlap between each warranty. If both your factory and extended warranty cover the same part or situation, you must use your factory warranty to cover repairs.
There are situations where an extended warranty provides coverage that your factory warranty doesn’t, such as rental car or trip interruption reimbursem*nt. Consult your contract to determine how these situations are handled.
The best extended car warranties cover your vehicle for many years and miles beyond that of your factory warranty. Some are even designed to cover cars with over 100,000 miles — substantially higher than both Ford’s bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage.
How it compares to other manufacturers
Ford’s bumper-to-bumper warranty is similar to some of its competitors, including Nissan and Toyota. Its warranty is lacking compared to coverage offered by the top brands, including Hyundai, Mitsubishi and Kia. These brands each offer 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranties and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranties.
Though each of these warranties provides comprehensive coverage, the Ford warranty also covers tire defects — which Nissan and Toyota don’t.
What does the Ford hybrid warranty cover?
Ford’s hybrid and electric vehicle (EV) lineup includes the Escape Plug-In Hybrid, E-Transit Van, F-150 Lightning, Maverick and Mustang Mach-E. These vehicles are protected by Ford’s hybrid and electric unique component coverage for eight years or 100,000 miles.
Under this warranty, Ford handles repairs and replacement of the hybrid or EV electric drivetrain. This includes the following:
- High-voltage battery
- High-voltage battery connector
- Battery energy control module
- Onboard charger
- Inverter system controller
- DC/DC converter
- Hybrid continuously variable transmission or electric driveline motor
- Transmission range sensor
Ford stipulates that gradual battery capacity loss is expected and considered normal wear and tear. Unlike other car manufacturers, including Hyundai and Toyota, the Ford warranty doesn’t guarantee a minimum battery capacity after repair or replacement.
What does the Ford CPO warranty cover?
Ford Blue Advantage is the manufacturer’s certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicle program. Ford CPO vehicles must pass a multipoint inspection and meet age and mileage requirements to be certified. Cars that meet this criteria are covered by a Ford CPO warranty depending on their qualifications.
Ford assigns each certified vehicle to one of three levels:
| Certification Level | Gold Certified | EV Certified* | Blue Certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Up to 6 years old | Up to 6 years old | Up to 10 years old |
| Mileage | Less than 80,000 miles | Less than 80,000 miles | Less than 150,000 miles |
| Multipoint inspection | 172 points | 127 points | 139 points |
| Comprehensive limited warranty | 1 year/12,000 miles | 1 year/12,000 miles | 90 days/4,000 miles |
| Powertrain limited warranty/BaseCARE EV* limited warranty | 7 years/100,000 miles** | 8 years/100,000 miles** | ✗ |
| Money-back guarantee | 14 days/1,000 miles | 14 days/1,000 miles | 14 days/1,000 miles |
| Roadside assistance | 7 years/100,000 miles** | 5 years/60,000 miles | 7 years/100,000 miles** |
| Other perks | 22,000 FordPass rewards points to use toward first two maintenance visits | 22,000 FordPass rewards points to use toward first two maintenance visits | 11,000 FordPass rewards points to use toward first maintenance visit |
Ford CPO vehicles are protected by the remainder of the car’s original bumper-to-bumper warranty. When that coverage expires — or if it already has — the car is covered by Ford’s CPO warranty based on the car’s certification level.
The manufacturer stipulates that coverage provided by its comprehensive limited CPO warranty isn’t as extensive as the new vehicle limited warranty. Ford’s CPO warranties cover the following:
| Covered Component | Comprehensive Limited Warranty | Powertrain Limited Warranty |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | ✓ | ✓ |
| Transmission | ✓ | ✓ |
| Front-wheel drive | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear-wheel drive | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering | ✓ | ✗ |
| Brakes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Suspension | ✓ | ✗ |
| Electrical system | ✓ | ✗ |
| Air conditioning and heating | ✓ | ✗ |
| High-tech | ✓ | ✗ |
| Emissions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Audio | ✓ | ✗ |
| Safety | ✓ | ✗ |
| Security | ✓ | ✗ |
Ford requires you to take your vehicle to a Ford dealer for covered repairs. You must also properly maintain your vehicle according to your car’s maintenance schedule. There is a $0 deductible under the new vehicle limited warranty and a $100 deductible under the CPO comprehensive and powertrain limited warranties.
If you sell your Ford CPO vehicle, the remainder of its CPO warranty stays in force for any subsequent owners.
Why would you need extended coverage for a Ford?
Factory warranties are comprehensive but don’t cover every part, system or situation — and they don’t last forever. This is especially true with the Ford factory warranty, which expires after three years or 36,000 miles.
If you plan on keeping your car for a while or expect to drive more than 36,000 miles within three years of buying a Ford, you may want to purchase an extended warranty for peace of mind.
Because the purchase price of an extended warranty is based partly on the age and mileage of your car, purchasing extended coverage early in your vehicle’s life span will likely save you money overall.
It’ll also ensure you still have coverage when your factory warranty runs out.
Additionally, many extended warranties provide coverage and perks not included in a manufacturer’s warranty, such as trip interruption reimbursem*nt, rental car reimbursem*nt and maintenance coverage.
Ford reliability
On Reddit, sentiment about Ford’s reliability is mixed or neutral. Many of the comments I read provide anecdotes and assumptions that Ford cars are just as reliable as other brands if they’re well-maintained and looked after. Other comments specify that certain models or model years may be less reliable.
According to RepairPal, Ford ranks No. 21 out of 32 car brands for reliability. The average annual repair cost for a Ford vehicle is $775, which is above average. Fords typically require 0.3 unscheduled repair visits per year compared to 0.4 across all brands and models, with 15% of necessary vehicle repairs deemed severe compared to 12% for major issues across all brands and models.
The J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study reveals that Ford vehicles have 239 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100). This is compared to Lexus, which the study ranks as the most reliable manufacturer with 135 PP100, and Toyota, which comes in second with 147 PP100. Ford has similar reliability to Infiniti (219 PP100) and Volvo (245 PP100).
Social media sentiment seems slightly more forgiving than reliability studies. However, the J.D. Power study does support an anecdote commonly shared across social media: both the Ford Super Duty and Ford Ranger are included in the best large heavy-duty pickup and best midsize pickup categories, respectively, which means reliability may vary depending on the specific vehicle you purchase.
Where should you get an extended warranty?
Auto manufacturers and third-party providers sell extended auto warranties. Dealerships often sell manufacturer extended warranties when you buy a car, typically by wrapping the cost into your auto loan or requiring a separate upfront payment.
Aftermarket extended warranties are available at any time from reputable third-party providers. Some providers, such as Endurance, are direct administrators, which means they both sell and manage their plans — including approving or denying claims.
Other providers, such as CarShield and Carchex, are brokers. This means they sell plans on behalf of administrators, such as American Auto Shield and Zurich.
According to our December 2023 USA TODAY Homefront auto warranty survey of 1,500 extended warranty owners, 46% of extended warranty customers purchased coverage from a manufacturer or authorized dealer and 35% of customers purchased a policy from a third-party provider.
Manufacturer’s extended warranty
Ford Protect extended service plans are the company’s extended warranty products. The manufacturer backs these plans entirely and requires genuine Ford parts and certified technicians for any covered vehicle repair.
Ford’s extended warranty plans are available for new and used vehicles, though the new vehicle limited warranty must still be in force to purchase coverage. The manufacturer offers one exclusionary policy and three stated-components plans:
| Coverage | PremiumCARE | ExtraCARE | BaseCARE | PowertrainCARE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of covered components | 1,000+ | 113 | 84 | 29 |
| Engine | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Transmission | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear-wheel drive | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Front-wheel drive | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Brakes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Front suspension | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Rear suspension | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Air conditioning and heating | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Electrical system | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| High-tech | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Emissions | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Audio | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Safety | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
The company also offers the following four extended service plans for its EVs:
- PremiumCARE Plus EV: Covers more than 1,000 components, replaces wear-and-tear items and provides premium maintenance benefits
- PremiumCARE EV: Covers more than 1,000 components
- ExtraCARE EV: Covers 113 components
- BaseCARE EV: Covers 84 components
Ford’s extended warranties are transferable to subsequent owners after paying a transfer fee, which varies by state. If you still owe on the contract via an installment payment plan, you must pay off the contract in full before transferring coverage.
Plans for new Ford vehicles are available for up to 10 years/175,000 miles. Used car coverage may last 1 year/10,000 miles to 6 years/75,000 miles. Disappearing deductibles for each plan include $0, $50, $100 and $200 options for new Fords and $50, $100 and $200 options for used models.
Additional perks included as part of a Ford extended warranty include 24/7 roadside assistance and rental vehicle benefits for up to 10 days when your car is kept overnight for a covered repair.
The company also offers premium maintenance plans, which include services such as tire rotations, engine filter and oil changes, new wiper blades and other preventive care services and wear and tear replacement. This coverage is purchased separately from an extended warranty.
Third-party extended warranty
Aftermarket extended auto warranties give you more freedom to purchase coverage based on your specific budget, needs and preferences. They also allow you to visit your choice of repair facility instead of the manufacturer’s local dealer.
Third-party extended warranties may be purchased at any time, though the cost of coverage depends on your vehicle’s make, model, age and mileage, and your plan choice.
Extended warranties cost an average of $108 per month or $848 per year of coverage, for an average total cost of $2,845.
Like the Ford extended warranty, you may wrap the cost of third-party coverage into your loan, pay for it upfront or make monthly payments. Some providers even allow you to pay for your plan monthly, similar to a subscription service.
Some third-party warranty providers, such as Omega Auto Care, offer plans that include maintenance benefits. Because coverage, benefits and costs vary between providers, always shop around to compare quotes from reputable third-party extended warranty providers:
| Company | Our Rating | Monthly Cost | Coverage Plans | View Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
4.7 | $90–$115 | 6 | Check Price | |
Learn More | 4.6 | $82–$112 | 3 | Learn More |
Learn More | 4.5 | $130–$150 | 5 | Learn More |
Learn More | 4.4 | N/A | 5 | Learn More |
Learn More | 4.4 | $120–$140 | 6 | Learn More |
| Company | Our Rating | Monthly Cost | Coverage Plans | View Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
4.7 | $90–$115 | 6 | Check Price | |
Learn More | 4.6 | $82–$112 | 3 | Learn More |
Learn More | 4.5 | $130–$150 | 5 | Learn More |
Learn More | 4.4 | N/A | 5 | Learn More |
Learn More | 4.4 | $120–$140 | 6 | Learn More |
What’s next?
The Ford warranty is standard and comparable to the coverage provided by other mass-market manufacturers. However, the automaker’s low reliability scores mean you could be on the hook for expensive repairs when the 3-year/36,000-mile factory coverage expires — especially if you’ll meet or exceed the mileage limits before three years pass.
We recommend looking into extended warranty coverage for peace of mind and to mitigate any potential repair costs as your Ford ages and puts on the miles.
