A Ford extended warranty covers certain vehicle repairs after your original limited warranty has expired for up to eight years and 150,000 miles and an average cost of $2,000 to $4,000.

When you hear the words “extended warranty,” the first thing that probably comes to mind is, well, spam calls. But what is that extended warranty you keep getting calls about—and is it worth having one?

Jerry

, the trusted insurance comparison app created to save drivers money on

car insurance

, is here to demystify the Ford extended warranty and help you decide whether buying one is right for you. We’ll also show you how to lower your

Ford insurance costs

Overview: what is a Ford extended warranty?

When you purchase a new car, a warranty is typically included in the cost of the vehicle. That warranty is essentially the automaker’s guarantee that they’ll cover the cost of repairing certain defects in the design and manufacture of your vehicle. Ford’s factory warranty includes three years and 36,000 miles of limited bumper-to-bumper coverage along with five years and 60,000 miles of powertrain coverage.

An extended warranty is a vehicle service contract that guarantees coverage for the cost of certain repairs past the life of your vehicle’s factory warranty. Ford offers four levels of extended service contract coverage, ranging from three years or 36,000 miles to eight years and 150,000 miles.

You can buy a Ford extended warranty when you purchase a new Ford, add it after a few years before your original warranty expires, or include it in a used Ford purchase.

MORE:

Car insurance vs car warranty: What’s the difference?

Jerry sends free alerts to keep your car up-to-date so you can avoid costly repairs

* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score

Get ahead of my car maintenance

* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score

Ford Protect Extended Service Plan (ESP): coverage and cost

Ford Protect, backed by the Ford Motor Company, offers four Extended Service Plans (ESPs) with different levels of coverage. From least to most coverage, these include:

PowertrainCARE: Provides limited coverage for engine and transmission components

BaseCARE: Provides coverage for most essential vehicle systems, including steering, brakes, suspension, and A/C and heating systems

ExtraCARE: Provides coverage for 113 vehicle components, including select high-tech components

PremiumCARE: Provides comprehensive coverage for nearly every mechanical and electrical component except those covered by regular maintenance

Any Ford Protect plan is accepted at all Ford and Lincoln dealerships in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Although you may need to pay a small deductible (usually $100) on some repairs, extended warranty coverage can drastically reduce the cost of unexpected repairs.

All Ford Extended Service Plans come with the option for 30 months of interest-free financing. In addition to guaranteed repair coverage with genuine Ford parts, your Ford extended warranty plan will include 24-hour roadside assistance, including towing and fuel delivery services and up to 10 days of rental car benefits. All Ford ESPs are transferable, meaning that they’ll follow the vehicle if you choose to sell it—which increases the resale value of your Ford.

What’s covered

Choosing a Ford ESP starts with deciding how much coverage you need.

If you’re just looking for an extended powertrain warranty to cover your vehicle’s most essential (and expensive!) repair costs, you’re probably best off sticking with the PowertrainCARE plan. This bare-bones warranty includes just 29 covered components, including:

All internally lubricated engine parts

All internally lubricated transmission parts

Transfer case

Transmission case

Seals and gaskets

Exhaust/intake manifold and bolts

Rear/front-wheel drive axles

Oil pan and pump

Even with its limited coverage, the PowertrainCARE warranty could represent significant savings if you need to repair or replace one of the covered parts. For example, an

oil pump O-ring replacement

could run you as much as $300 to $500, while

exhaust manifold repair costs

range from $500 to $900.

On the other end of the scale is the PremiumCARE plan, which Ford claims is the most popular Ford Protect extended warranty. It’s not hard to believe, since this plan includes over 1,000 covered components, from basic powertrain parts to emissions and safety repairs.

In between are the BaseCARE and ExtraCARE plans. These two plans are actually quite similar in their coverage. In addition to the basic coverage of the PowertrainCARE plan, both BaseCARE and ExtraCARE include coverage for:

Steering components (e.g. power steering pump, linkages and couplings)

Brake components (e.g. calipers, master cylinder, and springs)

Front suspension (e.g. struts, ball joints, bushings)

Air conditioning and heating (e.g. A/C compressor and condenser)

Electrical components (e.g. starter motor, ignition, and speedometer/odometer)

The main difference between these two plans is that ExtraCARE includes coverage for certain High Tech components, such as the instrument cluster, keyless entry system, and power seats, door locks, and windows. The ExtraCARE plan also includes coverage for certain engine and transmission components not covered by the Base or Powertrain plans.

	PowertrainCARE	BaseCARE	ExtraCARE	PremiumCARE
Engine	X	X	X	X
Transmission	X	X	X	X
Rear-wheel drive	X	X	X	X
Front-wheel drive	X	X	X	X
Front suspension	-	X	X	X
Brakes	-	X	X	X
Steering	-	X	X	X
A/C and heating	-	X	X	X
Electrical	-	X	X	X
High tech	-	-	X	X
Rear suspension	-	-	-	X
Emissions	-	-	-	X
Audio	-	-	-	X
Safety	-	-	-	X

What isn’t

Not even the most robust Ford extended warranty plan covers all possible repairs. Here’s what your Ford ESP won’t cover, regardless of which plan you choose:

Things covered by your auto insurance: E.g. non-moving body parts, glass, sheet metal, paint, rust, etc.

Things covered by required maintenance: E.g. batteries, cables, belts, hoses, tires, lights, brake pads and rotors

Anything caused by improper and unreasonable use: E.g. off-roading, drag racing, etc.

Modified or custom parts: E.g. an aftermarket sound system

Other components: Fabric, upholstery, carpets, dash pad, wiper blades, etc.

For some of these components, Ford offers a few additional service contracts at the time of a new vehicle purchase. These include TireCARE, DentCARE, WindshieldCARE, and SurfaceCARE. If you want coverage for tires, dents, and glass, the TripleCARE plan combines all three in a single extended warranty package.

Ford also offers a Premium Maintenance Plan which covers scheduled maintenance—such as oil changes—along with multi-point inspections and preventative care. With this plan, you’ll be able to cut down on repair bills with scheduled maintenance at any Ford dealership.

Duration

The duration of your Ford extended warranty depends on which plan you choose and on your own needs. You can mix and match time and mileage, with options ranging from three to eight years and from 36,000 to 150,000 miles.

No matter which ESP you go with, extended warranty coverage for a new or used in-warranty Ford vehicle will begin from your New Vehicle Limited Warranty start date and expire when you hit the specified time or mileage limit—whichever comes first. For used Fords that are out of warranty, the extended warranty begins from the signature date and initial mileage.

	PowertrainCARE	BaseCARE	ExtraCARE	PremiumCARE
New plan time/mileage	3 years/75,000 miles OR 6 years/36,000 miles to 8 years/150,000 miles	3 years/48,000 miles OR 4 years/36,000 to 8 years/150,000 miles	3 years/48,000 miles OR 4 years/36,000 to 8 years/150,000 miles	3 years/48,000 miles OR 4 years/36,000 to 8 years/150,000 miles
Used plan time/mileage	6 months/6,000 miles to 6 years/75,000 miles	6 months/6,000 miles to 6 years/75,000 miles	1 year/12,000 miles to 6 years/75,000 miles	1 year/12,000 miles to 6 years/75,000 miles

Are you overpaying for your car insurance?

Compare quotes and find out in 45 seconds.

Compare Rates Now

No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms

No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms · No fees

4.717k Ratings

5M+Drivers Joined

7M+Cars Garaged

Cost

The exact cost of your Ford Protect extended service plan depends on your coverage level, duration, and deductible, as well as the price you negotiate with your Ford dealer. On average, Ford owners pay between $1,800 and $4,300 for three to eight years of extended warranty coverage.

As you might imagine, the more robust protection plans will cost you more. Ford Protect PremiumCARE is considerably more expensive than PowertrainCARE, since it covers over 10 times the components! You’ll also pay more for a long warranty than a short one.

The standard deductible for a Ford extended warranty—that is, the amount you agree to pay out of pocket for any covered repairs—is $100, but other deductible options range from $200 to $0. The higher your deductible, the lower the overall warranty cost.

Other additional benefits can also affect the cost of your ESP. For instance, you can go with the standard rental vehicle benefits ($40 a day for up to 10 days), or pay extra for an Enhanced Rental Option that gives you $60 a day instead.

Is it worth getting a Ford extended warranty?

Getting an extended warranty is a matter of personal choice. Having certain vehicle repair costs covered can grant peace of mind, but the added cost of the extended warranty may not be worth the price. If you’re considering buying a Ford extended warranty, take your time reviewing your options and negotiating a good price with your local dealer.

One alternative to a Ford extended warranty is

mechanical breakdown insurance

(MBI), which may be available through your insurance company. Like an extended warranty, MBI helps to cover the cost of mechanical repairs not caused by wear and tear after your vehicle’s factory warranty expires, but it’s regulated by outside bodies and not purchased through a dealer with a profit incentive.

MORE: How to choose an extended car warranty

How to lower Ford insurance costs

The average cost to insure a Ford is slightly below the national average for all vehicles—but some Fords have higher-than-average

car insurance

costs due to poor safety ratings and high theft rates.

Jerry

can help you reduce your Ford ownership costs with a new low rate on car insurance. All you need to do is download the

licensed broker app

, answer a few questions, and sit back for about 45 seconds while Jerry compares real-time quotes from over 55 top insurance providers. Once you’ve chosen the quote that works for you, Jerry’s insurance agents will handle the rest, getting you switched over with a minimum of paperwork and hassle.

On average, Jerry users save over $800 a year on car insurance just by shopping in the app!

“Jerry was so easy to use. A representative texted me my lowest quote, and when I responded yes, Progressive emailed me 2 minutes later with next steps. Highly recommend if you don’t want to look for quotes alone!” —Sayad A.

RECOMMENDED

Thousands of customers saved on average $887/year on their car insurance with Jerry

This app is great, but the customer service is even better! Not to mention convenient! My husband and I got the lowest rate (much lower than the rates I was finding online through my own searches), quickly, and pretty much all through text message! Thank you so much for a hassle free experience👍

Gabriella R.

Find insurance savings

4.7/5 Rating on App Store

Estimate your repair costs for free with GarageGuard™

Simplify your car maintenance with Jerry.

Try GarageGuard™