Nissan Warranty

Nissan has a long history of offering vehicles with solid value and dependability. It’s easy enough to compare Nissan vehicles to competitors in terms of performance, fuel economy, and safety features. But it’s also critical to consider a brand’s factory warranty coverage and extended warranty options. 

All new Nissan vehicles have a limited factory warranty covering unexpected repairs and breakdowns. By understanding what is covered under the Nissan warranty, you can potentially save yourself thousands in repair costs. This guide will explain everything you should know about Nissan’s factory warranty and why you might consider extended vehicle coverage. Looking at factors like coverage, customer service, and cost, we’ve reviewed the best third-party extended car warranty providers, such as Endurance and CARCHEX.

Nissan’s limited factory warranty is a little shorter and provides pretty basic coverage terms than most car warranties. The warranty includes 3 years/36,000 miles of basic bumper-to-bumper coverage and 5 years/60,000 miles of powertrain coverage, which is similar to warranties offered by other mainstream brands.

Overall, it provides decent coverage for repairs or replacements caused by defective materials or workmanship. Labor and parts are also included using Genuine Nissan or Nissan-approved replacement parts.

Nissan offers an electric vehicle, the Leaf, but its 2020-2021 model lines have no hybrids. In addition to the New Vehicle Limited Nissan Warranty, the Leaf comes with a 5-year/60,000-mile electric powertrain warranty, while its lithium-ion battery pack is covered by its own 96-month/100,000-mile warranty.

Additional Nissan Warranty Coverage

Like most new-vehicle warranties, Nissan’s 2022 warranty is pretty straightforward. The company will make repairs “needed to correct defects in materials or workmanship of all parts and components of each new Nissan.” As with other warranties, there’s a fairly short list of things that aren’t covered.

Nissan’s factory warranty includes “Adjustment Coverage” for 12 months/12,000 miles. Examples of covered operations within this period include wheel alignment and wheel balancing. Batteries for the Intelligent Key and remote-entry key fobs are covered for 12 months, and even the original windshield wiper blade inserts are covered for 6 months.

Other Nissan warranties mentioned in the manufacturer’s Warranty Information Booklet include:

• 5-Year/Unlimited Miles Corrosion Coverage: Nissan covers defects that result in corrosion perforation (rust-through) of the vehicle’s body sheet metal panels. It specifically does not cover the exhaust system. Also, any corrosion of exterior trim, such as body moldings, lasts for just 12 months/12,000 miles.
• 10-Year/Unlimited Mile Seat Belt Warranty: All defective parts of your seat belt system are covered.
• Federal Vehicle Emissions Control Limited Warranties: Nissan includes a few federal emissions warranties – Performance (2 years/24,000 miles), Defect (3 years/36,000 miles), and Long Term Defect (8 years/80,000 miles). These warranties cover different parts of the emissions systems, such as the catalytic converter, fuel injection system, and ignition control module.
• California Vehicle Emission Control Warranties: If your vehicle falls under California’s emissions laws, then the emissions warranties are Performance (3 years/50,000 miles), Defect (3 years/50,000 miles), and Long Term Defect (7 years/70,000 miles). Coverage varies by model, so make sure to check your specific warranty for details.

Nissan Battery Warranty

A Replacement Battery Limited Warranty is also included for new Nissans. Under this warranty, a replacement battery is provided at a “pro-rata adjustment” up to 84 months after the date of the battery’s purchase or installation, whichever is earlier. For example, if you’ve used the battery for up to 24 months, the repair is free, but if it’s been in use for 72 months, then you pay 75 percent of the repair cost. The good news is the replacement battery will be covered for the remainder of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.

Nissan Roadside Assistance

Where Nissan’s factory warranty falls a bit short compared to some others is in roadside assistance, which runs 3 years/36,000 miles. Some mainstream brands, including Ford and Chevrolet, extend their roadside assistance to the same 5-years/60,000-miles as their powertrain warranties.

That’s not necessarily a reason to choose one brand over another, but it is something to put on your calendar as a reminder. Your insurance company may offer roadside assistance, and you can add it with a service like AAA. Nissan’s extended warranties, as well as third-party warranties, also include this useful service.

Roadside assistance coverage included in the new vehicle factory warranty includes coverage for events such as:

• Dead battery
• Mechanical breakdown
• Flat tire
• Emergency fuel delivery
• Lock-out service
• One-way towing after an accident or collision
• Rental car reimbursement

Towing assistance is available a bit longer than the other features, and lasts for 5 years/60,000 miles. You’re also eligible for trip interruption services, such as meal or lodging reimbursement, if the mechanical breakdown happens more than 100 miles from your primary residence.

The Nissan GT-R Warranty

Affectionately known by its owners and fans as “Godzilla,” the Nissan GT-R is a limited-production, high-performance sports car that performs in the same league as top Porsches, but at a much lower price. That still means an MSRP of $113,540. Nissan sells about 400 per year, so this is not a big group. But owners are passionate about power and performance.

The GT-R has its own warranty booklet, and while most of the coverage is the same as for other Nissan models, there are some notable exceptions:

• Racing: Nissan is more specific and emphatic about racing in the GT-R warranty, stating that damage will not be covered if it results from “racing and/or competitive driving of any sort whatsoever, and/or use on a track or driving on any airstrip.”
• Dynamometer tests: GT-R owners like to run their cars on a dynamometer to see if the engine is putting out the 565 horsepower Nissan claims (600 hp in the NISMO edition). Any damage caused while running the car on a dynamometer will not be covered, unless the purpose was to test for emissions compliance.
• Dealer checkups: To keep the GT-R’s warranty valid, Nissan requires that owners return to a Nissan GT-R Certified dealer for free Performance Optimization Services at the first 1,000 miles, and then at the 12-, 24-, and 36-month milestones. Nissan says GT-R owners can have this service performed at a “qualified repair facility,” but at their own cost.

What Is Not Covered Under Nissan Factory Warranty?

Like many other carmakers’ warranties, Nissan’s warranty does not cover normal maintenance services and wear and tear, including worn brake discs and pads. Also like most companies, Nissan includes a list of activities for which any resulting damage will not be repaired under warranty. These are similar to what you’ll see on other brands’ warranties, but there are some interesting references in Nissan’s warranty that bear mentioning.

First, Nissan cites “Misuse, including using the vehicle to tow” as one of those activities. Yet, the company provides a towing guide for its vehicles. 

As one example, the 2021 Nissan Altima Owner’s Manual makes numerous references to using the car for towing but does not provide any specifications, such as a trailer weight limit. If you plan to use a Nissan vehicle to tow a trailer, check with your dealer first.

Damage caused by these activities also are not covered by the Nissan factory warranty:

• Racing and competitive driving
• Repairs performed by anyone other than a Nissan dealer
• Damage caused by any automated or manually operated car wash or by using a pressure washer
• Damage from lack of proper maintenance, such as oil changes, as outlined in your owner’s manual
• Damage from environmental factors, such as tree sap, UV damage, or hail
• Installation of non-Nissan approved accessories or components

Your Nissan warranty won’t cover tires, either. Instead, they’re protected by tire manufacturers such as Hankook, Michelin, Toyo, and Yokohama.

Nissan’s new car warranties are generally transferable to subsequent Nissan owners at any time, but if you sell the vehicle during the first six months, the factory warranty is void.

As we’ve explained, your new Nissan is covered for several years, but the warranty does have an end date. An extended car warranty can provide the peace of mind that you won’t need to pay out of pocket for expensive or unexpected repairs after the factory Nissan warranty expires.

Nissan Reliability

While Nissan’s vehicles are consistently ranked as some of the most reliable, coming in 9th out of 32 car brands on RepairPal, no car is perfect. You can also see how the manufacturer measures up against other brands in the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Vehicle Vehicle Dependability StudyTM. In the 2022 edition, Nissan ranked 20th out of 32 brands. Its 205 problems per vehicle falls below the industry average of 192. Keep in mind, however, that this rating is for the entire brand.

Nissan Repair Costs

The need for potentially expensive repairs becomes more likely as a vehicle ages. Most new car buyers are likely to still be making loan payments after the original factory Nissan warranty expires. So, it pays to consider some typical repair costs of some older Nissan models. At RepairPal, you can enter any model and view repair costs for many repairs and vehicle services.

Here are a few of the common problems and associated repair costs Nissans have had in recent years:

Notably, Nissan’s own information for replacement costs for several components and systems on the 2017 Rogue include the following examples:

• Steering: $1,272
• Transmission: $3,325
• Air conditioning: $915
• Brake caliper: $455
• Fuel pump: $607

The data above shows that while the average annual maintenance cost of a Nissan is roughly just $500, according to RepairPal, this is just an estimate and doesn’t account for unexpected, high-cost issues and repairs.

Extended warranties offset these costs and make affording expensive repairs or replacements more manageable. They’re also usually transferable, which can help increase the resale value of your Nissan should you decide to sell it. Not all Nissan models are the same, so be sure to do additional research about your particular Nissan before making a decision about an extended warranty.

Third-party extended warranty companies tend to offer more flexibility and provide more coverage options for drivers than Nissan extended warranties. However, the manufacturer has three extended warranty options that range from powertrain coverage to bumper-to-bumper coverage. We’ll cover more about the Nissan extended warranty from the manufacturer and third-party companies in detail below.

Nissan Extended Warranty

If you’re purchasing a new Nissan, it’s likely the sales representative will offer you a Nissan extended warranty on the day you sign for your new vehicle. Nissan offers vehicle service contracts called Security+Plus Extended Protection Plans for new and pre-owned vehicles. There are three levels of coverage: Powertrain Preferred, Silver Preferred, and Gold Preferred. These programs can last up to 8 years or 120,000 miles.

All Nissan extended warranty plans are transferable to future owners and come with 24/7 roadside assistance and access to 24-hour customer assistance. One downside is that Nissan only offers two deductible copay options: $0 or $100. Nissan does pay directly for repairs, so you don’t have to pay up front and wait for reimbursement, but you’re required to have your car serviced at an authorized Nissan dealership.

Keep in mind that with a Nissan extended warranty, you are locked in to having covered repairs performed at a Nissan dealer. In a mechanical breakdown situation, you need to have the vehicle towed to a Nissan dealership for repairs.

Nissan Extended Warranty Coverage

Here’s more information on each of the following extended warranties offered by Nissan:

Nissan Powertrain Preferred Plan

The Powertrain Preferred plan covers far more than the engine and transmission and includes:

• Front-wheel, rear-wheel, or all-wheel drive components
• Suspension system components
• Fuel injection system
• Electrical components, including starter, alternator, ignition system parts, and more
• Air conditioning system
• Brakes (certain components)
• Roadside assistance

Nissan Silver Preferred Plan

To that coverage, Silver Preferred adds more than 690 more items, including a long list of electrical and electronic systems and components throughout the vehicle. In addition, Silver Preferred provides additional benefits, including:

• Trip interruption reimbursement for repairs needed more than 100 miles from home
• Car rental assistance
• Towing allowance

Nissan Gold Preferred Plan

The Gold Preferred plan, Nissan explains, covers virtually all major components, except for normal maintenance services and a few parts listed in the contract.

Third-Party Extended Warranty Companies

After conducting extensive research, we think Nissan extended warranties sold by the dealer lack the flexibility, value, and added benefits that can be found when purchasing a vehicle service contract from a third-party provider.

You can buy a vehicle service contract from a third-party provider anytime after your limited factory warranty expires after 3 years or 36,000 miles. That gives you plenty of time to evaluate your options, including third-party warranties. Benefits of such contracts include:

• Purchase an extended warranty after the Nissan factory warranty expires
• Lower cost than the factory extended warranties
• Wide choice of coverage plans
• Choice of tens of thousands of repair facilities, including Nissan dealers
• Other benefits like those of the Nissan extended warranties, including roadside assistance, trip interruption reimbursement, and towing and rental car allowances

We recommend getting a minimum of three quotes from third-party companies, as pricing will vary based on your location, vehicle, and more. Then, you can make an informed decision.

Both CARCHEX and Endurance offer these benefits:

• You have more coverage options and contracts from which to choose (everything from basic powertrain warranty coverage to full bumper-to-bumper protection), so it’s easier to find the best plan for your specific vehicle.
• When you need a repair, you have the choice of over 30,000 ASE-certified repair facilities.
• Between month-to-month contracts, monthly or annual payment options, and a variety of deductibles, you can make your extended coverage work for your budget.
• You don’t miss out on roadside assistance, as it’s included in most plans.
• Payments are made directly to the repair facility. That way, you don’t have to pay for an expensive repair and wait to be reimbursed.
• Plans are transferable to subsequent owners.

In this article, we provided an overview of Nissan’s factory warranty coverage and extended plan options. We also included specific details on Nissan warranty exclusions and reasons why extended warranty coverage is worth considering.

Nissan Car Warranty: FAQ

Here are frequently asked questions about the Nissan warranty.