How to Check Car Warranty by VIN (Guide)
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Every new vehicle comes with some form of basic factory warranty. Once this warranty ends, you can decide to purchase an extended warranty from the manufacturer or a third party.
Whether you’ve purchased a brand-new car or recently acquired a car that’s only a year or two old, it’s vital to know what warranty coverage the vehicle may still have and when it ends.
Here's how to check warranty coverage with your car's VIN:
Key Takeaways
- A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a unique 17-character code that identifies your specific vehicle.
- Your VIN can be located on the dashboard on the driver’s side, where the dashboard meets the window, or on the driver’s side door post where the door latches.
- To check the warranty status of your vehicle for free, contact the dealership with your VIN for information, contact financing if the vehicle is financed, or reach out to third-party providers.
- For a more comprehensive check, use a paid VIN decoder sites like CARFAX, AutoCheck, carVertical, and EpicVIN.
Table of Contents
What Is a VIN?
VIN stands for Vehicle Identification Number, and it is a unique code that identifies your specific vehicle. It contains 17 characters, including a mix of numbers and capital letters.
Each vehicle has a unique VIN, meaning that two of the same vehicle models will have their own VIN. By looking up the VIN of a vehicle, you can find out about any registrations, recalls, thefts, insurance, warranty claims, and warranty coverage.
How to Do a Free Warranty Check by VIN
Step 1: Find Your VIN
You can locate the VIN on your vehicle. Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side, where the dashboard meets the window. You may need to open the door and look from the outside to see it.
If you do not find the VIN there, then open the driver’s side door, examining the door post, where the door latches.
If you have trouble finding your VIN, search the location for your specific vehicle model or visit your nearest dealership for assistance.
Step 2: Check Your Odometer
In addition to your VIN, you also need to know how many miles car car has. Many warranties are based on years and mileage.
So, examine your car's odometer to determine mileage.
Step 3: Contact the Dealership
Once you have the VIN, contact the dealership. This is the best way to find out about the original factory warranty. It is the most effective for relatively newer vehicles.
Keep in mind that most factory warranties last roughly three years. If the vehicle is older than that, it is unlikely to still have the basic factory warranty. Still, it may have powertrain coverage, hybrid battery coverage, or a manufacturer-extended warranty.
Step 4: Contact Financing
If you are financing the vehicle, then you can also contact them for a warranty check.
Step 5: Consider Third-Party Providers for Extended Warranties
If you’re looking to find out about potential extended warranties, then you can also contact third-party providers. Give them the VIN, and they can tell you if the vehicle has an extended warranty.
Keep in mind that they can only tell you about their coverage, which means you’ll need to reach out to multiple providers.
Some of the top third-party car warranty providers to check with include:
- Endurance [review]
- CarEdge [review]
- Protect My Car [review]
- CarShield [review]
- Olive [review]
- autopom! [review]
Where to Look up Car Warranty Status By Vin?
In addition to checking with the manufacturer, you can also look up car warranty status by VIN on other sites. These VIN decoder sites will also display key information about the car, including registration history, title status, and more.
Here are some of the top VIN decoder sites to consider:
CARFAX
Carfax is perhaps the most well-known VIN decoder. It pulls from over 22 billion records, with data for cars purchased after 1981 in the U.S. and Canada. It costs $39.99 for one report, $59.99 for three, or $99.99 for six.
AuotCheck
AutoCheck is powered by Experian and contains data from over 500 million vehicles. It also assigns ranks when comparing vehicles based on their features. AutoCheck costs $24.99 for one report, $49.99 for 25 reports, or $99.99 for 300 reports.
carVertical
carVertical is another well-known VIN decoder that uses the blockchain to collect data from global sources. It costs $19.99 for one report, $23.98 for two reports, or $32.97 for three.
EpicVIN
With EpicVIN, you get real-time information about the vehicle based on the VIN. it pulls from 40 million vehicle records via MVTIS (the nation’s largest database). EpicVin offers several packages for VIN checks. One report costs $14.99, 4 reports cost $28.17, and 16 reports is $86.34.
Regular Maintenance is Vital for Warranty Coverage
Even if your car falls within the correct mileage and time requirements, the warranty is not unconditional. Manufacturers may void the warranty if you have not been following the maintenance schedule. This also applies to many third-party extended warranties.
Therefore, you should always follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule for your vehicle and keep a record of it.
Warranty Check by VIN: Conclusion
It's quick and simple to check your car's warranty using the VIN. Note down your VIN number and the odometer mileage reading before checking the manufacturer's warranty. Then, contact your dealership, financing company, or a third-party provider to learn about coverage.
If your vehicle is no longer under factory warranty, then consider an extended warranty to protect your car and bank account. Check out our comprehensive review of the best extended warranties.
