Should you get Honda's extended warranty?

Honda Extended Warranty is a vehicle protection plan that provides repair and defect protection for your car after the factory warranty expires.

You can purchase an extended warranty for your Honda through a Honda dealership or a third-party warranty provider.

Third-party extended warranty companies are generally more flexible when it comes to warranty premium costs and component coverage conditions.

While the Honda factory warranty protects your vehicle’s most important parts and components for the first three years of ownership, you may plan to keep your vehicle longer than that. A Honda extended warranty is one way to increase coverage up to a total of eight years and 120,000 miles.

If you’re concerned by the cost of a Honda extended warranty, it’s worth researching and comparing third-party warranty options. We’ve reviewed many of the best extended car warranty companies and compiled a comprehensive guide to Honda vehicle protection plans. By reading this guide and comparing quotes from several providers, you’ll be better equipped to compare and select the right extended warranty plan for your Honda.

Featured Extended Warranty Companies

We reviewed the industry’s top extended auto warranty providers, and here are our featured picks.

Best Overall

Best for Used Cars

Low-Cost Plans

Endurance

CARCHEX

Select Auto Protect

Get Quote

Get Quote

Get Quote

(866) 990-3410

(866) 950-7122

(860) 294-4933

Honda Extended Warranty Overview

Honda Extended Warranty Costs

Do You Need A Honda Extended Warranty?

What’s Covered Under Honda’s Factory Warranty?

Honda Reliability & Repair Preparation

3 Things We Like About Honda Care

3 Things We Don’t Like About Honda Care

Why Should You Consider a Third-Party Extended Warranty for Your Honda?

Get The Best Extended Honda Coverage

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cancel my Honda Care extended warranty?

What are the alternatives to Honda Care?

How much will a third-party vehicle service contract cost?

Honda Extended Warranty Overview

Honda’s extended vehicle protection plan, better known as Honda Care, is a customizable warranty program that allows customers to create a coverage extension package for the following vehicle systems:

Honda Extended Warranty

Coverage Terms

Honda Care Vehicle Service Contract

up to 8 years/120,000 miles

Chassis (drive): Covers the braking, steering, and suspension systems

Climate control: Covers the air conditioning, heating, and cooling systems

Powertrain: Covers the engine, transmission system, differentials, and axle assembly

Electronic units: Covers the engine control unit, conventional/hybrid batteries, and electronic cabin systems (e.g. audio, navigation)

Honda Genuine Accessories: Covers navigational and security systems, as well as audio and communication devices and accessories

Available for new and pre-owned vehicles, you can add Honda Care at any point before the expiration of the standard three-year or 36,000-mile Honda factory warranty. To ensure comprehensive and cost-efficient coverage, we recommend you wait until your factory warranty is about to lapse before augmenting it with an extended warranty. Honda Care is available for up to eight years or 120,000 miles.

With Honda Care, you’re eligible for a range of attractive perks, including 24/7 roadside assistance, trip interruption protection, rental car reimbursement, and concierge services.

If you’re looking to secure additional coverage for general maintenance tasks, the Honda extended warranty program can be stacked with Honda Care Sentinel, a subordinate extended warranty plan that provides coverage for less expensive maintenance, such as tire damage or unscheduled oil and fluid replacement.

Also, if you currently own or plan on purchasing multiple Honda vehicles, you might want to consider applying for the Honda Care Family Plan, a multi-car warranty package for sharing roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement perks.

A Honda extended warranty can help offset the cost of repairs.

Honda Extended Warranty Costs

There are two major types of costs to consider when purchasing extended coverage: your deductible and your monthly premium.

The deductible is a predetermined minimum dollar amount you must pay for claimed repairs or services. Honda Care extended warranty plans come with either a $0 or $100 deductible. Remember, even though selecting the $100 deductible means a lower monthly warranty premium, it also means you’ll be paying more for every service repair you incur over the life of the warranty.

We contacted several third-party extended car warranty companies to learn what it would cost to protect a 2018 Honda Civic about to run out of warranty coverage. Extended bumper-to-bumper Honda warranty coverage averaged at a total price of $2,302. This could be paid completely upfront or over payment terms as long as 48 months. Monthly payments ranged from $52.50 to $107.25.

The cost of your Honda warranty will be determined, deductible choice aside, by the following five factors:

Coverage customization: The more comprehensive the warranty coverage, the more expensive the premium.

Provider choice: In most cases, extended warranties from third-party providers have less expensive premiums than Honda dealership extended warranties.

Existing coverage: If you choose to stack an extended warranty on your car’s unexpired factory warranty, you will be charged a discounted premium rate.

Vehicle age: Older vehicles tend to have a higher risk of defects and service issues. As a result, your car’s age and mileage will factor into the calculation of your premium cost.

Vehicle model: Your Honda model will be cross-referenced against historic defect and reliability data. If this information indicates a higher-than-average chance of a coverage event, your premium will be more expensive.

In some cases, your Honda dealership may also offer to bundle your Honda Care plan premiums and origination costs with your vehicle’s broader financing agreement. However, we can’t in good faith recommend this payment structure for current or soon-to-be Honda owners. Even though it might be convenient to roll your vehicle service contract into your car loan, it’ll also mean you’ll end up paying interest on your warranty premiums.

Despite the company’s well-deserved reputation for durability and reliability, Honda vehicles are not immune to defects or mechanical breakdowns. A Honda extended warranty can help protect your vehicle for the miles ahead.

Do You Need A Honda Extended Warranty?

A vehicle service contract, more commonly known as an extended warranty, provides Honda owners with protection against out-of-pocket costs for future car repairs, service labor expenses, and upcoming maintenance bills. Before purchasing a Honda extended warranty, you should consider the factory warranty coverage that you already have as well as your vehicle’s reliability.

What’s Covered Under Honda’s Factory Warranty?

Honda warranty coverage kicks in the second you drive your vehicle away from the dealership. However, not all factory warranties are created equally. Here’s what coverages and coverage term conditions are included in Honda’s f

Basic Bumper-to-Bumper Vehicle Warranty: 3 years or 36,000 miles

Powertrain Limited Warranty: 5 years or 60,000 miles

Hybrid Powertrain Warranty: 8 years or 100,000 miles

Federal Emissions Warranty: 3 years or 36,000 miles

California Emissions Warranty: 3 years or 50,000 miles, or 7 years or 70,000 miles

High Voltage Battery Capacity Warranty: 8 years or 100,000 miles

Accessory Limited Warranty: 3 years or 36,000 miles

Remanufactured Parts Limited Warranty: 3 years or 36,000 miles

Corrosion Limited Warranty: 5 years and unlimited miles

Seat Belt Limited Warranty: 15 years or 150,00 miles

Now, while this list of warranties may seem extensive, coverage under a Honda factory warranty is by no means universal. Here are three types of non-defective repairs that won’t be covered under the Honda New Vehicle Limited Warranty:

Tire patching or replacement

Cosmetic chassis damage or polish issues

Cracked, shattered, scratched, or chipped window glass

On average, Hondas generate $428 in repair and maintenance costs every year, according to RepairPal. So, after 15 years of ownership, the average Honda owner can expect to pay up to $6,420 in repair costs – and remember, that’s only considering average annual repair expenses. For this reason, we believe long-term warranty coverage is important for your financial security and overall peace of mind.

Honda Reliability & Repair Preparation

According to RepairPal’s 2020 Reliability Rating list, Honda, which received a 4.0 out of 5.0, is the most reliable car brand in the U.S (out of 32 auto companies surveyed). These ratings are drawn from an in-depth analysis of average repair costs and mileage reliability across 345 unique automobile models.

Remember, no matter how reliable your vehicle is, repair projections are still an important factor in choosing an extended warranty plan. In fact, a 2020 study from J.D. Power found that 2017 Hondas exhibited 139 problems per 100 vehicles over a one-year period. If you know the type and timeframe of service work to expect, you can choose and customize your extended warranty options accordingly. To help kickstart this process, we’ve listed three popular Honda models and the cost of their most common repairs below:

Honda Accord: Replacing the ignition switch will cost between $125 and $275, according to Auto Service Costs.

Honda Civic: Replacing the catalytic converter will cost between $945 and $2,475, according to CarBrain.com.

Honda CR-V: Replacing the variable valve timing control solenoid will cost between $371 and $672, according to RepairPal.

3 Things We Like About Honda Care

Honda Care can be transferred between private entities for a $50 fee.

Concierge support is a very useful feature. With the press of a button, you are connected to a live agent who can help you with everything from dinner reservations to event booking and trip planning assistance.

After purchasing a Honda extended warranty for your car, you also benefit from a range of other worthwhile incentives, including roadside assistance, towing services, and fuel delivery.

3 Things We Don’t Like About Honda Care

You can find other options that are less expensive than Honda Care. We collected quotes from several third parties for a 2018 Honda Civic and got as low as $52.50 per month.

After purchasing a Honda Care plan, personally maintaining your vehicle tends to become a coverage liability. This means any evidence of DIY repairs, even temporary patch-ups, could potentially void coverage for a claim event.

For Honda Care to approve covered repairs, you will need to have your vehicle serviced by Honda technicians and replace any components with Honda OEM parts. If you break down in a remote area and have to take your car to a mechanic with non-manufacturer components, you may find your car’s repair and service bills omitted from coverage.

Why Should You Consider a Third-Party Extended Warranty for Your Honda?

Despite some limitations, Honda Care is an adequate extended warranty plan and, on the surface, it’s easy to see the advantage of packaging your car brand and warranty with the same company. However, more often than not, you can net a more inclusive, affordable deal by reaching out to a third-party extended warranty provider.

First of all, although coverage flexibility will depend on your specific choice of warranty provider, third-party extended warranty plans are generally more customizable than dealership vehicle service contracts. This means you can tweak your coverage according to your specific requirements, be it warranty budget, specific model issues, or projected driving mileage.

Secondly, coverage under a third-party provider is not contingent on service at a specific dealership or repairs with company components from company technicians. This means you have the freedom to work with trusted local mechanics and service centers. Once your claim is approved, your warranty provider will handle everything directly with the mechanic. That means no paying up front and chasing down reimbursement checks.

Thirdly, the average premium cost for third-party extended warranties is generally cheaper than for dealership vehicle service contracts. This is because third-party providers are not contractually bound to one single auto company, enabling them to access and compete with a much broader customer market.

Get The Best Extended Honda Coverage

If you’re not sure where to start looking for a third-party extended warranty provider, we recommend looking through our best extended car warranties and reading reviews for Endurance, CARCHEX, and CarShield to start. Not only do these companies offer at least five different levels of affordable extended warranty coverage, but they rank well in industry standing, affordability, and customer experience.

Get a free, no-obligation quote and compare coverage and costs to find the best protection for your Honda.

Featured Extended Warranty Companies

We reviewed the industry’s top extended auto warranty providers, and here are our featured picks.

Best Overall

Best for Used Cars

Low-Cost Plans

Endurance

CARCHEX

Select Auto Protect

Get Quote

Get Quote

Get Quote

(866) 990-3410

(866) 950-7122

(860) 294-4933

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cancel my Honda Care extended warranty?

Yes, your Honda extended warranty can be canceled at any point. If you choose to cancel Honda Care within 60 days of purchase, you’ll receive a full refund. Beyond the first 60 days, any refunded amount will be prorated according to either the remaining contract term or your car’s current mileage.

What are the alternatives to Honda Care?

There are currently dozens of third-party providers offering alternative extended warranty services – CARCHEX, Endurance, CarShield, autopom!, and Protect My Car, to name a few. We’ve done our research, and we believe there are several inclusive, cost-effective options for extended warranty coverage.

How much will a third-party vehicle service contract cost?

In most cases, a third-party extended warranty is a cheaper alternative to a manufacturer’s extended service contract.