In-Depth Review of the Nissan Warranty (2020)

Affiliate Disclosure

Nissan generally performs well across car reliability surveys. However, Nissan’s warranty is among the shortest in the industry. If you want to cover repair costs beyond the factory warranty, you’ll have to look at extended warranty options.

First, we’ll go over exactly what the Nissan warranty covers. Then, we’ll compare Nissan’s extended coverage options to third-party providers.

When you research providers, read sample contracts and compare coverage from multiple companies. Then compare quotes from a handful of the best extended car warranty companies. Here are a few of our favorites that we recommend getting a quote from:

Table of Contents:

• Nissan Warranty Overview
• Nissan Warranty Q&As
• Why Consider an Extended Warranty?
• Nissan’s Extended Warranty
• Nissan vs. Third-Party Providers

Nissan Warranty Overview

Before we get into the details, here’s an overview of Nissan New Vehicle Limited Warranty in 2020:

Bumper-to-Bumper Coverage

The first part of Nissan’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty is the basic warranty, which is also called bumper-to-bumper coverage. It covers repairs due to defects in materials and workmanship. Thousands of parts on the vehicle are covered, so the contract only lists exclusions. Here are a few example Nissan warranty exclusions:

• Normal wear and tear
• Cosmetic items
• Damage from lack of maintenance
• Corrosion from environmental events
• Improper charging of the hybrid battery
• Regular maintenance items
• Damage from alteration or modification
• Racing or competitive driving

The basic warranty only lasts for 3 years/36,000 miles. Comparing car warranties from other brands, that’s the shortest term available. A number of other Japanese brand warranties share the same terms, like the Subaru warranty and Acura warranty. Many brands offer 4-year/50,000-mile or 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranties.

Nissan Powertrain Warranty

The Nissan powertrain warranty covers parts in the engine, transmission and drive axle. It also includes safety systems like airbags. Seat belts are covered separately for 10 years/unlimited miles. The powertrain warranty uses a stated-coverage contract, which lists out every covered item. If something isn’t in the contract, it’s not covered.

Note that this Nissan warranty covers all seals and gaskets in the engine. Some powertrain warranties only cover seals and gaskets if they need to be repaired in conjunction with another part, so Nissan’s powertrain warranty is fairly comprehensive.

Hybrid Nissan Warranties 

Nissan covers hybrid systems for the same length as its powertrain plan. Some brands offer longer coverage for powertrain components, so that’s something to be aware of if you’re considering the Nissan Leaf or other hybrid. 

The hybrid battery is covered for 8 years/100,000 miles, which is a good length of coverage. If the power capacity dips below nine out of 12 segments before that period ends, Nissan will repair or replace the battery. 

Other Types of Coverage

Nissan’s corrosion warranty covers sheet metal panels from rusting through with holes for 5 years/unlimited mileage. Whether the corrosion began on the inside or outside doesn’t make a difference, but there needs to be a hole.

Nissan’s emissions performance warranty covers certain parts in the emission system if your car fails a test and you face a fine. Parts are also covered against failure for different lengths of time according to federal and state guidelines. 

The adjustments warranty includes wheel alignment and minor adjustments that don’t require a replacement part. Key fob batteries are also included under this warranty. 

To obtain Nissan warranty coverage, you need to bring your car to a Nissan dealership. 

Roadside Assistance

All Nissans come with roadside assistance for 3 years/36,000 miles, whichever comes first. Here’s what that service includes: 

• Flat tire service
• Jump-starts
• Towing (collision and breakdown)
• Fuel delivery
• Lockout service

Nissan awards you points when you visit a service center that you can use for future services and Nissan accessories. Nissan also has a spread of apparel if you’re into the brand’s racing heritage.

Nissan Warranty Q&As

Is my Nissan CVT under warranty?

Nissan’s continuously variable transmission (CVT) has been prone to problems over the years. Vehicles equipped with a CVT sold between 2003 and 2010 received a 10-year/120,000-mile CVT warranty. That warranty would expire in 2020. Besides that, the CVT system is covered under the normal powertrain warranty, which lasts for 5 years/60,000 miles.

Is Nissan’s warranty transferable? 

Yes, the Nissan warranty is fully transferable to subsequent owners. The transfer is automatic and does not require a fee. 

Does Nissan’s warranty have a deductible?

No, Nissan’s factory warranty doesn’t require a deductible. If a repair is covered, 100% of it will be paid for. 

Where can I check my Nissan warranty?

You can check your warranty on the Nissan owners website and see information specific to your vehicle identification number (VIN). 

Why Consider an Extended Warranty?

The main benefit of an extended warranty is peace of mind that a number of repairs are covered, whether you are stranded close to home or hundreds of miles away on a road trip. 

While repair costs are generally low for Nissan vehicles, there’s always a chance you could encounter a $1,000 or $2,000 repair. Some drivers still experience problems with the CVT system on later models, as well. An extended warranty can lessen the impact of expensive repairs on your budget. 

Essentially, you’re making a monthly payment for the provider to cover certain repairs. Both Nissan and third-party providers can pay repair facilities directly, so you don’t need to deal with any paperwork when you have a mechanical breakdown. 

As you shop around, you can also find extended protection plans with benefits like trip interruption coverage and roadside assistance. These benefits make breakdowns a less of a hassle.

Nissan Repair Costs

According to RepairPal, Nissan drivers pay about $500 per year for maintenance and repairs. Even with occasional CVT problems, that’s a lower number than the industry average of $652.

Here are a few repairs you might encounter as a Nissan owner (from RepairPal data):

Some of the repairs above, like the head gasket replacement, would be covered under Nissan’s powertrain warranty until 5 years/60,000 miles. However, it’s unlikely you’d need a new head gasket before that time. 

As your car passes milestones of 60,000 and 90,000 miles, the risk of an expensive repair increases. If your car has that kind of mileage, it would be a good idea for you to have a few thousand dollars set aside in a bank account for repairs. For some drivers, it makes more sense to purchase an extended warranty instead of saving that amount.

Nissan’s Extended Warranty

Nissan’s extended warranty options are called protection plans. There are three options to choose from: 

• Gold Preferred: Exclusionary coverage for over 2,000 components
• Silver Preferred: Covers over 1,500 components
• Powertrain Preferred: Covers over 800 components

All plans include roadside assistance, trip interruption and rental car coverage. Plans max out at 120,000 miles for new cars and 124,000 miles for used cars. You can get more details by checking out our Nissan extended warranty review. 

Nissan offers a few other protection options, including: 

• Key replacement
• Prepaid maintenance
• Lease wear and tear
• Appearance protection
• Tire and wheel protection
• Paintless dent repair

Nissan vs. Third-Party Providers

Nissan’s extended warranty options have some advantages, but there are a few downsides, as well. For example, the company’s protection plans require you to visit a dealership for all repairs. On the bright side, your car will get genuine Nissan parts. But if you have to fix anything else in conjunction with a covered repair, a dealership is probably the most expensive place to do so.

Third-party providers like Endurance and CarShield allow drivers to go to any shop with a certified mechanic for repairs. There are over 30,000 of them.

Also, while Nissan offers three different coverage options, many extended warranty companies offered more than that. For example, CARCHEX plans come in five main varieties. In terms of mileage, third-party plans can cover Nissans much longer than Nissan itself. CARCHEX also stands out here, with coverage for up to 250,000 miles.

Let’s say there are a half-dozen reputable extended car warranty companies that could work for your situation, and each of them offers at least four plans (many offer more). That’s a lot of options, considering coverage can differ slightly even if plans have similar names.

If your Nissan warranty is about to expire, the best thing to do is read sample contracts from a handful of protection plan providers and then compare multiple quotes. Chances are, you can find a good fit from one of the leading providers.

Best Provider	Best for High-Mileage Cars	Most Affordable
Endurance	CARCHEX	CarShield
Editor’s Rating:	Editor’s Rating:	Editor’s Rating:
★★★★★	★★★★½	★★★★½
Get Quote	Get Quote	Get Quote
(877) 374-1840	(866) 254-0205	(800) 563-2761