Jeep Warranty Review: What’s Covered in 2020?

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With some cars, you have to be gentle. You can’t drive up a curb or venture off the shoulder of the road. Jeep doesn’t make those cars. A Jeep can endure terrain and obstacles that would put other vehicles out of commission. 

However, even a Jeep will need repairs over time. The Jeep warranty isn’t one of the longest in the industry. In fact, it’s one of the shortest. You may want to think about extending coverage beyond the factory warranty.

We’ve researched many of the best extended car warranty providers. Below, we’ll compare Jeep’s extended warranty options to some of our top recommendations. When you shop for coverage, make sure to get multiple quotes from different providers. 

Table of Contents:

• Jeep Warranty Overview
• Jeep Modifications and Your Warranty
• Jeep Warranty Q&As
• Should You Get an Extended Warranty?
• Jeep Repair Costs
• Jeep’s Extended Warranty vs. Third-Party Providers

Jeep Warranty Overview

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA US LLC) is the manufacturer and parent company of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram. Mopar is the official parts and service organization, which provides warranty coverage and protection plans.

Here’s what the Jeep factory warranty covers:

Jeep Basic Limited Warranty

The basic limited warranty is one of the main parts of Jeep’s factory coverage. This warranty covers the cost of parts and labor to repair any original item defective in material or workmanship. 

The limited warranty is known as bumper-to-bumper coverage since it includes most of the Jeep vehicle. It lasts for 3 years/36,000 miles, whichever comes first. Compared to the rest of the market, Jeep has the shortest bumper-to-bumper warranty, though about a dozen other brands share the same terms. 

The basic limited warranty only lists exclusions because so many items are covered. Here’s what the Jeep warranty does not cover:

• Tires
• Wireless headphones
• Parts added or modified after the car left the manufacturing plant

That’s a pretty short list. However, there are some more exclusions that apply to all parts of the Jeep warranty. Some of these are: 

• Damage from environmental events or accidents
• Damage from improper maintenance
• Lack of maintenance
• Normal maintenance items like filters and hoses
• Damage from racing

The warranty requires you to visit an FCA dealer to obtain coverage. In an emergency, you can have your car repaired by a non-FCA facility. However, you’ll have to pay for the repair first and then submit receipts for reimbursement afterward. 

Within this warranty, certain items and adjustments are only covered for 12 months/12,000 miles. These are:

• Brakes (rotors, pads, linings and drums)
• Wiper blades
• Clutch discs/modular clutch assembly
• Windshield and rear window
• Wheel alignment
• Wheel balancing

Jeep Powertrain Limited Warranty

Jeep’s powertrain warranty lasts for 5 years/60,000 miles. Again, that coverage period is the shortest offered by any brand. The powertrain warranty is there to cover some essential, expensive parts a bit longer than the factory warranty. It covers the engine, transmission and drivetrain.

Jeep Corrosion and Emissions Warranties

Jeep’s corrosion and emissions warranties are pretty standard compared to the industry. Your new car should pass emissions tests, and its sheet metal shouldn’t rust through with holes. 

Corrosion warranty details:

• This warranty repairs or replaces any sheet metal rusted through with a hole. 
• Surface rust or corrosion is not covered. 
• All sheet metal panels are covered for 36 months with no mileage limit. 
• Exterior sheet metal panels are covered for 60 months with no mileage limit.

Emissions warranty details: 

• Federal law requires emissions-related components to be covered for 2 years/24,000 miles.
• The hybrid starter generator, catalytic converter, powertrain control module and 48-volt power pack unit are covered for 8 years/80,000 miles.

Jeep Roadside Assistance

The Jeep warranty comes with roadside assistance for 5 years/60,000 miles, which includes:

• Flat tire service
• Fuel delivery
• Battery jump-start
• Lockout service
• Towing

Mopar® Genuine Parts Warranty

Any genuine Mopar part is warranted for 2 years/unlimited mileage whether installed by a dealer, third-party technician or yourself. Some parts, like batteries and performance parts, may have differing warranty terms. Mopar also offers a lifetime limited warranty on Value Line brake pads/shoes, shocks/struts and mufflers.

Jeep Modifications and Your Warranty

Jeep knows its customers love to modify their vehicles with both original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and aftermarket parts. Genuine Mopar parts are covered by Mopar’s warranty explained above. Aftermarket parts and modifications are not covered by Jeep, but many of them won’t void your warranty.

Here’s what Jeep allows: 

• Installing non-FCA parts
• Using non-FCA materials or additives
• Modifying the vehicle body structure, front bumper and running boards
• Replacing the windshield with non-FCA parts
• Aftermarket collision parts
• Aftermarket accessories, tinting and grilles
• Performance or racing parts

So, what will void the warranty? Disconnecting, tampering or changing the odometer – unless a technician follows the legal procedure for odometer repair – voids your Jeep warranty. Attaching a device that disconnects the odometer will also void the warranty.

The bottom line is you can have fun with your Jeep – you’ll just have to pay for repairs to aftermarket parts. You should also know that any damage to covered parts caused by aftermarket parts isn’t covered.

Jeep Warranty Q&As

How do I know if my Jeep has a warranty?

You can check your Jeep’s warranty at the Mopar Owners website. You’ll have to sign in with the email address you gave to your dealership.

Does Jeep still have a lifetime warranty?

Mopar used to offer a lifetime protection plan, but it’s not available anymore. Drivers who purchased the lifetime plan still have access to those coverage terms. However, lifetime plans aren’t transferable to secondary owners (unless required by state law).

Does Jeep’s warranty cover off-road damage?

No, Jeep’s warranty only covers defects in material and workmanship that occurred at the factory. If your Jeep starts acting weird after an off-road excursion, you’ll have to cover any issues on your own.

Should You Get an Extended Warranty?

Whether you use your Jeep Cherokee for commuting across town or backcountry roads, an extended warranty is something to consider. There’s always the chance that you won’t use the full value of an aftermarket warranty, for sure. But there’s also the chance that you’d have to pay a $2,000 or $3,000 repair out of pocket as your vehicle ages beyond factory coverage.

If you have a good amount of emergency funds saved up for repairs, you might save some money by paying for repairs yourself. Even so, you could miss out on other conveniences like roadside assistance, or the fact that the warranty company negotiates with the repair shop for you.

Jeep Repair Costs

An extended warranty can be a lifesaver if you don’t have the ability to cover expensive repairs. The J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study^SM ranked Jeep in 26th place out of 32 brands. This study looked at the frequency of problems for three-year-old vehicles. Unfortunately, your warranty will be up at three years.

According to RepairPal, Jeep drivers pay an average of $634 per year on maintenance and repairs. That’s slightly higher than average. Here are a few repairs you might encounter:

Jeep’s Extended Warranty vs. Third-Party Providers

For extended coverage, there are two Mopar Vehicle Protection Plans to choose from: Maximum CareSM and Added Care Plus. Maximum Care covers over 5,000 components and lasts up to 8 years/150,000 miles. Added Care Plus covers over 800 parts and can last for the same amount of time.

If you want to get one of these plans, you have to make the purchase before the original Jeep warranty expires. You’ll have to pay a surcharge if you buy a plan after 1 year/12,000 miles, as well.

If you open up your search to third-party providers, you’ll find many more options. All of our recommended providers will let you add coverage after your factory warranty has expired. Maximum coverage limits are usually much longer, as well. For example, CARCHEX can cover vehicles up until they have 250,000 miles.

With third-party coverage, you can also go to any licensed mechanic for repairs. In contrast, Jeep requires you to visit a dealership from one of the FCA brands. Going to the dealer can be more expensive if a particular repair isn’t fully covered under the protection plan.

Extended warranty companies can also provide perks like roadside assistance. For example, Endurance gives its drivers a one-year membership to Endurance Elite, which includes:

• Roadside assistance
• Personal assistant
• Key fob replacement
• Tire replacement and repair
• ID theft protection
• Endurance Protect app

Lastly, third-party companies usually offer more choices when it comes to coverage. CARCHEX and Endurance both offer five different plans, while CarShield offers six. More options mean more ways for you to customize coverage.

We recommend comparing quotes between all three companies. That way, you can find the best price and get a feel for customer service.