If you have a Saab you now know the answer to this question.
But how do the rest of us know if we’re covered under warranty? Usually a vehicle
is covered under warranty for a certain amount of time or a certain amount of
miles driven, whichever one comes first. If your oxygen sensors or mass airflow sensors turn out to be defective, a base factory warranty will usually
cover parts, labor and cost of towing. But what if these parts went bad due to
an accident?
A part going bad due to any external damage is not going to
be covered under warranty. If you’re cruising home from work, someone rear-ends
you, and then you start having problems with your a/c compressor, you’re
probably not going to be covered. Most manufacturers offer different warranties
for different amounts of time. A bumper-to-bumper warranty usually will cover
most items on your vehicle but last a shorter amount of time, while a power
train warranty usually covers fewer parts but lasts longer. Whichever warranty
you have on your vehicle is determined by the agreements between the dealer and
the manufacturer.
Whether or not you are covered under warranty isn’t as
black-and-white as we’d all probably like. When you take your car to a
dealership they not only look for the problem, they look for the cause of the
problem. If the failure is due to lack of maintenance, an accident, misuse, or
any other fault of the driver (and they will look for reasons), you will not be
covered. For this reason it is important to check your manual and online
resources to find out details specific to your vehicle before taking it into
the shop. And for all of you holiday & end-of-year shoppers this December
read the fine print! No one likes surprises that can cost a few thousand
dollars down the road. Oh, and if you own a Saab, ignore the above.
Unfortunately you’re not covered.
