Auto & Bike Blog: What’s Covered By Your 2021 Subaru Warranty? [Plans and Pricing]

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All Subaru customers get a New Vehicle Limited Warranty with a term of three years or 36,000 miles, and a powertrain warranty with terms of five years or 60,000 miles.
You can purchase extended coverage for your Subaru from the manufacturer or from an independent extended warranty company.
We recommend getting free quotes from Subaru and from a trusted extended warranty company such as Endurance to make sure you’re getting the best deal for your needs.

For better or worse, part of the new car shopping experience is diving into the dozens of pages that detail the factory warranty. If you’re a new Subaru owner, our guide to the Subaru warranty will help you understand what is covered – and what to do when that coverage expires.

An extended warranty from a third-party provider can put your mind at ease when thinking about how you might cover an expensive repair. We’ll review why Endurance is our recommended provider, as well as how Subaru’s extended warranty compares.

Top Extended Warranty Companies

We reviewed the best extended auto warranty providers, and here are our top picks.

Best Overall	Best for Older Vehicles	Best Prices

Endurance	CARCHEX	CarShield

Get Quote	Get Quote	Get Quote
(877) 374-1840	(866) 254-0205	(800) 563-2761

What Is The Subaru Factory Warranty?

Different manufacturers offer various types of warranties, but you’ll most likely get two at no additional cost with the purchase of your car: basic and powertrain. All Subaru of America customers get a New Vehicle Limited Warranty with a term of three years or 36,000 miles, and a powertrain warranty with terms of five years or 60,000 miles. This applies to 2000 through 2020 Subaru vehicles.

Let’s take a closer look at Subaru’s warranties.

Subaru Plan	Term Limits	Details
New Vehicle Limited Warranty	3 years/36,000 miles	The most extensive plan with bumper-to-bumper protection, covering your entire car with minimal exclusions.
Wear Item Limited Warranty	3 years/36,000 miles	The replacement of brake pad/shoe linings, clutch linings, and wiper blades are covered by Subaru.
Powertrain Limited Warranty	5 years/60,000 miles	Covers your Subaru most vital powertrain components that make your car move, including the engine and powertrain. Axel shifts, torque converters, oil pans, oil gaskets, the transaxel are some of the internal parts included.
Seat Belt Lifetime Limited Warranty	Lifetime years and unlimited miles	Subaru’s lifetime coverage that protects car’s seat belts and related components that may fail to function properly. It doesn’t cover fading or other cosmetic damage.
Rust Perforation Limited Warranty	Lifetime years and unlimited miles	Subaru offers coverage for body sheet metal that’s rusted completely through (perforation). However, scratches and cosmetic damage don’t count. Coverage lasts five years, no matter how many miles you put on the car.

If you’re thinking of selling your car, you won’t have to deal with a convoluted process or steep transfer fees. Your Subaru warranty transfers automatically to its new owner.

Hybrid Vehicle Coverage

More and more brands are releasing electric and hybrid vehicles. Subaru made headlines with its announcement of its first plug-in hybrid vehicle, the Subaru 2019 Crosstrek Hybrid. Coverage and contract terms for the Subaru hybrid are the same as the basic and powertrain limited warranties for all other models.

Subaru Emergency Benefits

A good manufacturer’s warranty shouldn’t just cover repair costs. It should also help you when your car breaks down and needs to be towed.

All Subaru warranties come with additional emergency benefits:

Towing reimbursement.
Guaranteed Subaru OEM parts.
Emergency repairs within 75 miles of an authorized Subaru retailer.
24/7 roadside assistance (jump-starts, gas delivery, etc.) for 2000 model-year Subarus and up.

Subaru Warranty Exclusions & Voiding Your Contract

Unlike recent Subaru recalls guaranteed to be fixed, not all mechanical repairs are eligible under your Subaru factory warranty. Many repairs, in fact, can void your warranty. You may find yourself paying for your own repairs if you fall under these contract exclusions:

Cosmetic damage.
Parts covered by separate warranties.
Routine maintenance, such as oil changes.
Damage caused by an accident or weather.
Repairs made by an unauthorized, non-Subaru dealer.
Damage caused by parts not covered by the warranty.
Damage due to a failure to perform routine maintenance.

It’s all about common sense. If you follow your owner’s manual and check for exclusions, maintain your Subaru vehicle properly, and avoid racing or abusing your car, then you’re already in a much better position to get free repairs under your warranty.

Extending Your Vehicle Protection Plan: Subaru Extended Warranty Coverage

Experts love to debate whether an extended warranty is worth the price once the manufacturer’s warranty expires. While it’s ultimately up to you and whether you need the extra reassurance, we think the potential cost savings are worth it.

An extended warranty can:

Increase your vehicle’s longevity.
Provides a financial safety net and peace of mind.
Fit your car repairs to your monthly or annual budget.
Increase your vehicle’s value, especially if transferring ownership.

Common Subaru Repairs

The most important function of an extended warranty is saving money on costly repairs.

You’ll often find each automobile brand has its own pattern of specific part failures. For example, piston rings have been known to cause excess oil consumption in 2013 and 2014 Subaru models. Vehicle breakdowns could cost you hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars per year.

We’ve found several examples of common Subaru repairs and their average costs on RepairPal:

Model	Repair	Cost
Subaru Impreza	Radiator replacement	$314–$487
Subaru Baja	A/C compressor replacement	$694–$888
Subaru WRX	Oil pan reseal – engine	$245–$337
Subaru Impreza WRX	Spark plug replacement	$303–$394
Subaru Impreza Outback Sport	Strut/shock absorber replacement	$612–$866

Whether you own a seemingly troublesome Subaru Impreza or a Subaru sport vehicle, RepairPal says you might expect to pay about $617 per year or more, if multiple repairs are needed. In this case, an extended warranty can make all the difference.

Subaru Extended Service Agreements

An extended warranty, unlike a factory warranty, isn’t built into the pricing of the vehicle. It’s an extra charge you pay up front or in monthly payments. This type of agreement is more aptly called a service contract.

Subaru offers two levels of coverage under its Added Security® program with terms up to eight years/120,000 miles or 10 years/100,000 miles. You can choose a plan with no deductible, but plans are available with a $50 or $100 deductible.

1. Classic Coverage: This is the less-expensive option covering nearly 1,000 items, including the engine, transmission, drivetrains, front suspension, steering, brakes, fuel system, and air conditioning. Wear-and-tear items and onboard computer are among some of the exclusions.
2. Gold Plus: This premium option covers everything in the Classic plan plus hundreds of more parts. This plan essentially provides the same bumper-to-bumper coverage as the basic factory warranty.

With an Added Security® Classic coverage plan, Subaru will provide towing and rental car reimbursement for covered repairs. With the Gold Plus plan, the benefits are a bit more extensive, making the coverage more attractive to the average buyer. These perks include:

Reimbursements your lodging and meals when a breakdown occurs.
24-hour emergency roadside assistance.
$100 allowance for “Sign & Drive” dispatched towing.
Jump starts, tire changes, gasoline delivery, locksmith service, computerized trip routing, retailers locator service, and travel assistance.

It’s important to note that this extended service agreement must be purchased under your New Vehicle Limited Warranty plan, meaning you have 3 years or 26,000 miles to decide if you want to pay for extra coverage. You can only have your car serviced at a Subaru dealership.

Third-Party Extended Warranties For You Subaru

What are third-party warranty companies? They offer extended warranties but have no direct relationship with the car manufacturer.

A few advantages come with a third-party vendor or broker that you won’t get with a dealership warranty. When you purchase a third-party service contract, you get:

More coverage plans.
More flexibility when choosing a repair facility.
Potentially longer contract terms and higher mileage coverage.
Competitive plans that lower overall price compared to dealer warranties.

If price and flexibility are important factors in your decision, then a third-party extended warranty may be the route to take. Below we’ll discuss two third-party options, Endurance and CARCHEX.

Endurance Extended Vehicle Protection

If you’re looking for a reputable car warranty company backed by over 14 years of industry experience, Endurance is the right provider for you.

For the most part, Endurance has received positive customer reviews. At the time of publication, the company scored 4.2 out of 5.0 stars (with over 500 reviews) on Trustpilot, and 3.64 stars (at just under 1,000 reviews) on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), although it’s not BBB accredited.

Endurance currently offers six comprehensive warranty plans, each one carefully designed to maximize coverage and value for the customer:

Supreme plan: Referred to as bumper-to-bumper coverage, it gives maximum breakdown protection for all parts, unless specifically excluded in the plan.
Superior plan: As the plan with the most stated-component coverage, Superior covers hundreds of specific components, including the engine, transmission, transfer case, drive axle, suspension, cooling system, and more.
Secure Plus plan: With the shortest waiting period among all plans (30 days and 1,000 miles), this plan is a mid-level warranty with a higher level of coverage compared to the Select Premier plan.
Select Premier plan: This plan is designed to protect the vital components of high-mileage vehicles, such as the engine, transmission, transfer case, electrical components, and more.
Secure plan: Though a bit limited, this powertrain warranty covers components such as the engine, transmission, transfer case, drive axle, and turbocharger – all at a reasonable price.
EnduranceAdvantage™ plan: Unique in the industry, the Advantage plan works as both an extended car warranty and a maintenance contract. Maintenance coverage includes services such as oil changes, engine diagnostic exams, and brake pad replacements.

Best Overall

Get Quote

(877) 374-1840

The best option for a direct provider, meaning you work with their team throughout every step of the process

CARCHEX Extended Vehicle Protection

CARCHEX is a Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited company with an A+ rating and fewer customer complaints than many of its competitors. With endorsements from Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, CARFAX, and many others, we think you can put the fear of bad behavior safely in the past.

While the Subaru extended warranty has two warranty plans offered by the dealer, CARCHEX offers five levels of coverage.

Bronze: With plans lasting five to six years, Bronze coverage protects your engine and transmission.
Silver: Silver plans cover powertrain components and some extras for up to seven years.
Gold: This coverage level is perfect for vehicles with more than 60,000 miles. It covers all major systems in the vehicle. Coverage can go for five to 10 years.
Platinum: You’ll get the highest level of stated-component coverage for five to 10 years.
Titanium: This is the highest level of coverage offered, closest to the factory warranty. Most plans last up to 10 years.

CARCHEX offers comprehensive coverage that rivals Subaru’s Classic Plan and provides the same extra benefits as the Gold Plus plan – with flexibility and a cost-effective edge.

Best For Older Vehicles

Get Quote

(866) 254-0205

Top-rated provider with unmatched customer service and affordable coverage

Original article: What’s Covered By Your 2021 Subaru Warranty? [Plans and Pricing]