Ram Extended Warranty

No vehicle is invincible, not even a Ram truck. That’s why a Ram extended warranty could be a good option to help you cover repair costs later in your vehicle’s life.

You can get a Ram extended warranty from the manufacturer, or you can get one from a number of third-party warranty companies. We’ve reviewed the best extended car warranty providers nationwide so you can easily find which providers are dependable and which should be avoided.

To get the best deal on a Ram extended warranty, you’ll want to get multiple quotes. You can start comparing prices from our top recommended third-party providers below.

An extended car warranty refers to mechanical breakdown coverage offered by a vehicle manufacturer. However, this term is often mistakenly used to describe coverage from third-party companies. Independent providers offer similar protection through vehicle service contracts, but we’ve used the terms interchangeably in this article for convenience.

Is a Ram Extended Warranty Worth It?

The Ram extended warranty offers two main coverage options, and repairs can be made at a handful of different dealerships, which is more than some other manufacturer extended warranties offer. However, Ram’s extended warranty is still more restrictive than a third-party plan.

What Does Ram Extended Warranty Cover?

A Ram extended warranty covers your vehicle for repairs after mechanical breakdowns for up to 8 years/150,000 miles, whichever comes first. You can get a bumper-to-bumper plan for over 5,000 components or stated-component Ram extended warranty coverage.

The Ram extended warranty is technically called a Mopar® Vehicle Protection Plan. Mopar is the parts manufacturer for the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) family, which includes Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat and Alfa Romeo vehicles.

Mopar offers two main types of coverage plans: Maximum Care and Added Care Plus. These plans can apply to new or used vehicles. Here’s what the plans cover:

• Maximum Care: Exclusionary bumper-to-bumper plan that covers over 5,000 components on all major systems of the truck
• Added Care Plus: Stated-component plan includes over 800 parts in the powertrain, suspension, electrical, air conditioning, brake system, and more

Depending on your dealership, you may also have access to Added Care, which covers over 600 components, or Powertrain Care Plus, which covers fewer components.

New vehicles are eligible for coverage until they reach 3 years/36,000 miles, but a surcharge may apply after 1 year/12,000 miles. The maximum term for new vehicle plans is 8 years/150,000 miles. Trucks up to 10 model years old are eligible for used-vehicle protection plans. The maximum term for used vehicles is 5 years/unlimited miles.

What’s Not Included Under a Ram Extended Warranty?

The Maximum Care Ram extended warranty is comprehensive and covers most car repairs, but it doesn’t cover everything.

Here are a few examples of what’s not covered under a Ram extended warranty:

• Normal wear and tear
• Wear items like brake pads
• Regular maintenance services
• Cosmetic damage
• Unauthorized repairs
• Alignments and other adjustments
• Various emissions components
• Damage from lack of maintenance or misuse

The Ram extended warranty is only valid at Ram dealerships or dealerships of other FCA brands.

Additional Perks of an Extended Warranty from Ram

Ram extended service contracts from Mopar come with the following added benefits:

• Rental car coverage through the dealership
• Trip interruption coverage up to $1,000
• Roadside assistance
• Key fob replacement up to $600 (only included in Maximum Care plan)

Do You Need Ram Extended Warranty Coverage?

When considering whether to purchase a Ram extended warranty, it helps to look at the average cost of vehicle repairs. Ram performed below average in J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study^SM, which tracked the frequency of repairs in three-year-old vehicles.

Also, according to RepairPal, Ram drivers spend about $868 per year on repairs and maintenance. That’s a bit higher than the industry average of $652 per year. However, this is just an average, so some Ram trucks will be more expensive or less expensive to fix. For example, here are RepairPal’s estimated annual repair costs for a few popular Ram trucks:

• Ram 1500: $691 per year
• Ram 2500: $1,070 per year
• Ram 3500: $1,279 per year

And here are a few repair costs associated with the Ram 2500, according to RepairPal:

• Control arm replacement: $1,434 to $1,468
• Parking brake shoe replacement: $368 to $427
• Track bar replacement: $337 to $356
• Trailing arm replacement: $747 to $780

As mileage increases, so do repair costs. A Ram extended warranty can bear the burden of expensive repairs so your budget doesn’t take as big of a hit if your truck breaks down.

Ram Factory Warranty

Ram’s basic limited warranty lasts for 3 years/36,000 miles. This warranty covers almost any component on your vehicle, except for a short list of exclusions. Ram’s powertrain warranty lasts for 5 years/60,000 miles, or 5 years/100,000 miles for diesel engines. This warranty covers the engine, transmission, drivetrain, water pump, and a few other basic components.

Certified pre-owned (CPO) Ram vehicles come with a 7-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, plus a 3-month/3,000-mile Maximum Care warranty.

Ram Car Extended Warranty: Conclusion

While a Mopar extended warranty may be a good choice for your vehicle, it’s definitely worth checking out third-party options to cover repairs on your Ram. Third-party warranties are often more affordable than dealer-backed plans, and they can offer longer coverage terms, too. Many leading providers can cover vehicles for up to 200,000 or 250,000 miles.

Another advantage of third-party providers is that drivers can typically choose between four or five levels of coverage. Each level comes at a different price point, so you’ll have a better chance of finding the ideal plan for your budget.

One of the downsides to Mopar’s Ram extended warranty is that you can only go to FCA dealerships for repairs. There are about 2,500 of these dealerships across the U.S., but if you live in an area without a dealer around for miles, it can make a vehicle breakdown that much more of a headache.

On the other hand, third-party companies generally allow drivers to go to any of over 30,000 licensed repair facilities. This means you can stick with your favorite mechanic down the block and easily find a shop while traveling.

Here’s an overview of how a Ram extended warranty from Mopar stacks up against coverage from one of our top recommended third-party providers, CARCHEX. You can read more about the provider in our complete CARCHEX review.

Ram Extended Warranty: FAQ