2

When does the manufacturer warranty for a car start?

I was told that it starts when the car was built and the built date is considered to be January 1st of the year of the model, so that it would be January 1st 2020 for a Camry 2020. Is this true?

I don't wanna sell cars to customers not knowing if the manufacturer warranty is no longer valid and tell them otherwise.

3
  • 1
    "I don't wanna sell cars to customers..." You're a car dealer? Jan 13, 2021 at 21:19
  • 1
    Check first if the warranty is transferable from the original owner. If there is a warranty, the original dealer should be able to verify.
    – Ron Beyer
    Jan 14, 2021 at 0:02
  • 1
    Considering that you can usually buy a car of a given model year in the summer or at least fall of the year before, for example buying a 2020 Camry in late 2019, it would not at all make sense for the car not to be under warranty during the first few months of its service life.
    – phoog
    Nov 3, 2022 at 8:09

1 Answer 1

8

I was told that it starts when the car was built and the built date is considered to be January 1st of the year of the model, so that it would be January 1st 2020 for a Camry 2020. Is this true?

No.

When does the manufacturer warranty for a car start?

The term of a manufacturer's warranty on a new motor vehicle is defined in the written warranty contract that accompanies the sale, but the definitions used are fairly uniform as a matter of industry custom and practice (and influenced by various regulatory requirements). The language defining the warranty term from a warranty for a 2018 Acura (I picked it at random as an example) is pretty typical. It states in the pertinent part:

Time and Mileage Period

This warranty begins on the date the vehicle is put into use in one of the following ways:

• The vehicle is delivered to the first purchaser by an Acura dealer.

• The vehicle is leased.

• The vehicle is used as a demonstrator or company vehicle.

Your vehicle is covered for 4 years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. Some parts may have separate coverage under other warranties described in this book.

So, suppose that you buy a car with a 4 year/50,000 mile warranty from a dealer on February 14, 2021 when it has 17 miles on the odometer. This warranty expires on February 14, 2025 or when it has 50,018 miles on the odometer, whichever comes first.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .