Powertrain warranty

Warranty coverage limited to the parts that make power and deliver it to the wheels.

Also called: drivetrain warranty · powertrain coverage

What it means

Definition

A powertrain warranty covers the parts that produce power and carry it to the wheels, and manufacturers define it by listing those parts rather than by a general principle. Ford's certified limited warranty, for instance, itemises the engine block and its internal lubricated parts, the cylinder heads, the transmission case and its internal parts including the torque converter, and the drive axle housings, shafts and joints. It is narrower than a bumper-to-bumper warranty, which reaches more of the vehicle's systems.

Why a buyer cares

What it changes

For a used car, what matters is how much of the term remains and whether it transfers. Ford's document states that its limited warranty is transferable and that remaining coverage stays in effect with the new owner; other manufacturers set their own transfer terms.

In practice

Where you meet it

In the warranty booklet or owner's manual that came with the car, and on a dealership window sticker.

Two things that look alike

Not the same as

A bumper-to-bumper or comprehensive warranty covers considerably more of the vehicle than the powertrain alone.

Where this comes from

Sources

Both quotes come from a certified-pre-owned warranty document, not a standard new-vehicle warranty booklet. A new-vehicle powertrain booklet from a second manufacturer would make the entry general rather than Ford-specific.