GM News: GM Rolls Back the Odometer on Chevy and GMC Powertrain Warranties

[Drew Dowdell]

In a memo released to dealers yesterday, General Motors announced that beginning with 2016 model year vehicles, the powertrain warranty will be shortened from 100,000 miles to 60,000 miles on Chevrolet and GMC models, while still remaining in effect for 5 years. Buick's existing 6 year / 70,000 mile powertrain warranty remains in effect. General Motors began offering 5 year / 100,000 mile powertrain warranties in 2007 at a time when public confidence in the company was low. There is no mention of Cadillac in the memo, so it looks like they will keep the 5 year / 100,000 powertrain warranty they currently offer.

Also being scaled back is the amount of included maintenance. Current Chevy, Buick, and GMC vehicles come with 4 scheduled maintenance visits included in the first 2 years of ownership. That will be cut back to 2 scheduled maintenance visits beginning for model year 2016.

GM says this move brings the warranties for these brands more in line with their direct competition.

This is where the brands stack up for most of their respective models:

Family Brands:

Fiat: 4 years / 50,000 miles

Chevrolet, GMC, Ford, Honda, Nissan: 5 years / 60,000 miles

Ram, Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep: 5 years /100,000 miles

Toyota: 6 years / 60,000 miles

Hyundai, Kia, Mitsubishi: 10 years / 100,000 miles

Premium Brands:

Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar/LR, Volvo, Porsche: 4 years / 50,000

Cadillac: 5 years / 100,000 miles

Buick, Acura, Lexus, Lincoln: 6 years / 70,000 miles\

We obtained a copy of the memo which you can read below. (click to enlarge)

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[G. David Felt]

Interesting and sad. I always hoped GM would take the high road and like the Koreans lead with superior powertrain warranties in the US. This smells of the Bean counters taking back control again so as to increase the bonuses to the executives.

[loki]

dfelt, it's a high % that i'd agree with you...or the unions.

what i hope it is, is more money for R&D.

There's being competitive, and there is also coming down to the other's level.

[G. David Felt]

dfelt, it's a high % that i'd agree with you...or the unions.

what i hope it is, is more money for R&D.

There's being competitive, and there is also coming down to the other's level.

Yet if they believe in their product and build it at a high quality level, the warranty will cost them very little if anything to have that extra 40K miles.

 

It is belief in yourself and the product you make that speaks volumes to customers. 

[Drew Dowdell]

In the end, I think that very few will notice.  Most drivers will age out before hitting 100k miles anyway. 

[smk4565]

I don't think a lot of buyers really care that much about the warranty, it isn't a deal breaker on the car, otherwise the Camry wouldn't outsell the Sonata by 2 or 3 to 1.  Cutting the warranty looks bad short term, makes people think GM doesn't believe in their product, but after a few months people will forget about, and most buyers probably only expect 4 yr/50k mile warranties anyway. 

[daves87rs]

In the end, I think that very few will notice.  Most drivers will age out before hitting 100k miles anyway. 

 

 

This is exactly why....and most people won't care. Only GM will get yelled at because they are the usual target.....

[knightfan26917]

 

In the end, I think that very few will notice.  Most drivers will age out before hitting 100k miles anyway. 

 

 

This is exactly why....and most people won't care. Only GM will get yelled at because they are the usual target.....

 

 

...which is the sad part.

 

 

Cort www.oldcarsstronghearts.com

1979 & 1989 Caprice Classics | pigValve, paceMaker, cowValve

"It goes so fast" __ Jodee Messina __ 'Was That My Life?'

[Z-06]

Logical possibly but bad PR move.

[Guest Advocate]

This explains why I used to drive Buicks and Cadillacs, but today I drive a Hyundai Genesis. 10 year / 100,000 mile warranty shows me the manufacturer stands behind the product.

[regfootball]

when you start having turbos and 8 speed trannies, and more AWD systems, this is what you get.

 

i don't think this helps owner confidence.........

 

i agree on those with the 10/100's and 5/60 BTB

 

I think you see a lot of dealerships tacking on 'lifetime powertrain warranties', so maybe GM figures they won't need to cover it so long any more.

[ponchoman49]

A stupid move. Especially when consumer confidence is still not very strong with GM products. Just about everybody I know has traded their GM product in on a foreign competitor and this just re-enforces why. Bean counters still rule the roost at the general and always will. With technology at an all time high, drive train warranties will be looked at more than ever unless your Toyota or Honda who people will blindly trust even if there was no warranty at all. Shortening the warranty on a GM will be perceived as that manufacturer not having confidence in their product.

[hyperv6]

Well so far no real back lash. Even dealers asked how things were going have indicated few people have issues with this or even bring it up.

 

The fact is GM will get through this just fine. The engines and transmission for the most part are not an issue for them. Most of their drivetrains has out lived their cars easily with very high miles. The cars may not be pretty but they keep running.

 

Also many of the systems on the engine are covered with the Emissions warranty right up to the plug wires and plugs. It is still 5 year 100,000 mile warranty as mandated by the government. Things that are often an issue like injectors or electronics are covered.

 

Most people never even go to the dealers on these as they have no idea they are covered.

 

I know some of you have your doubts but this one will work out with no issue.

[Drew Dowdell]

The truth is that the vast majority of drivers aged out of the warranty long before 100k miles. Less than 12,000 miles a year is pretty typical for most people. 

[hyperv6]

The truth is that the vast majority of drivers aged out of the warranty long before 100k miles. Less than 12,000 miles a year is pretty typical for most people. 

 

I just considered this and 3 of the 4 cars in the garage here now are aged out far short of the 100,000 miles. I also looked at our past cars and all of them but one aged out well before 100,000 miles. We here average at about 12,000 on the wife's car as it get most the work but even my daily driver only sees 9,000 miles a year. it can take me 10-12 years to hit 100,000 miles.

[G. David Felt]

I am in the minority that takes my weekends and vacation to do road trips with 25-30K miles a year so for me I mile out a warranty before aging out the warranty.