How Good Is Fiat’s Warranty?

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A manufacturer warranty covers your vehicle for a set period of time, but these vary in coverage by make, as does vehicle reliability. Now, Fiat does not have the best reputation for reliability. In fact, Fiat ranks near or at the bottom of the industry in major surveys. That makes its standard 4-year/50,000-mile warranty a welcome feature. That quality issue is also a strong reason to consider buying an extended warranty for extra peace of mind. 

We’ll explore the warranty options offered by Fiat as well as the aftermarket. Don’t be surprised when you see Fiat extended warranties listed as Mopar® Protection Plans. Mopar began as Chrysler’s parts division (“MOtor PARts”) some 90 years ago, and the name continues for the FCA US parts and service division serving Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, and Jeep brands.

There are several solid choices among third-party extended warranties, giving you a wide array of coverage options and prices to find something that fits your needs and budget. You’ll be able to compare the Mopar Protection Plan products offered by Fiat dealers to the best extended warranty providers that we reviewed and ranked.

In this article:

Start Warranty Shopping Before You Buy A Car

Another reason to consider an extended warranty for a Fiat is that the brand has fewer than 380 dealers across the U.S. These are mostly grouped with Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brand dealers. The nearest Fiat dealer might be far enough away to make getting repairs inconvenient. A third-party warranty enables you to have covered repairs performed at more than 30,000 franchises and independent facilities nationwide.

Something else to keep in mind about third-party warranties is that you can buy one after you purchase your car, in some cases even after the original factory warranty expires. For example, you could live with a new Fiat for the original warranty period and then decide if you’re going to keep it and will need the added coverage.

Fiat Warranty Details

In our 2018 study of factory warranties, we ranked Fiat’s mid-pack out of 35 brands. However, the majority of warranties that ranked higher are from luxury brands, and Fiat has similar coverage to those. In fact, Fiat’s warranty ranked just below those of Mini and its parent company, BMW, so it’s in good company. 

For its current models, the Fiat bumper-to-bumper warranty lasts 4 years/50,000 miles, whichever comes first. This is an all-inclusive plan, including the powertrain. Many brands cover the powertrain separately and for a longer interval. 

The warranty booklet states that there is no list of covered parts since the only exception is tires and that the tires on Fiats are covered by their own manufacturer’s warranty.

Like most new car warranties, Fiat’s warranty excludes certain maintenance items. Yet, there’s a nice surprise here: Fiat’s warranty covers the following items for 12 months/12,000 miles, whichever comes first:

• Brakes (rotors, pads, linings, and drums)
• Wiper blades 
• Bulbs
• Clutch discs or modular clutch assembly (manual transmission) 
• Windshield and rear window
• Wheel alignment and wheel balancing

Some new car warranties do not even cover those parts at all. Other warranties that come with every new Fiat include the following: 

As with other carmakers’ corrosion warranties, Fiat does not cover surface corrosion that was caused by, for example, stone chips or scratches in the paint or other damage.

What’s Not Covered By Fiat’s Warranty?

All automakers’ warranties have some exceptions to coverage, usually relating to maintenance items, misuse, or abuse. Here are exclusions in the 2020 Fiat warranty:

Racing: The performance-enhanced Fiat 500 Abarth and 124 Spider Abarth might tempt some owners to try a club racing or track event, but keep in mind any damage caused by such activities is not covered. (Abarth is the performance division of Fiat.)

Alterations: Feel like customizing your Fiat? Just remember that only FCA US LLC/ Mopar accessories installed by an authorized Fiat dealer will be covered by the warranty. Aftermarket parts are not covered.

Rustproofing: Dealers once routinely offered rustproofing as an extra-cost add-on. Modern cars do not need it, and any damage caused by applying such “protection” products will not be covered by the Fiat warranty.

Incorrect refrigerant: Using the wrong refrigerant in your Fiat’s air conditioning system could cause damage that would not be covered by the warranty.

The Fiat factory warranty is transferable, so if you sell your Fiat before the warranty expires, 

the new owner gets whatever time and miles remain. 

Certified Pre-Owned Fiats Have Their Own Warranty

Like most auto brands, Fiat offers certified pre-owned (CPO) used vehicles. These are Fiat models less than 5 years old and with under 75,000 miles that have gone through a 125-point inspection by Fiat-trained dealer technicians. 

The standard warranty that comes with Fiat CPO models is not as good as warranties in other auto brands’ CPO programs, as we’ll explain. There are actually two warranties, each with very different coverage intervals. The Powertrain Limited Warranty applies to the engine, transmission, and other driveline parts and lasts for 7 years/100,000 miles from the original in-service date when the car was new.

The Maximum CareSM Limited Warranty is a comprehensive warranty covering most major vehicle systems, including more than 5,000 parts. However, it lasts just 3 months/3,000 miles following whatever portion of the original factory warranty remains. 

You have several options for extending the CPO warranty coverage from Mopar. You can extend the Maximum Care coverage, with choices ranging from 1 to 5 years and with mileage intervals of 12,000, 15,000, or unlimited miles per additional year. 

Or, you can choose one of three other plans that offer lesser coverage, but with the same time and mileage options: Powertrain Care PlusSM; Added CareSM, or Added Care PlusSM.

Do You Need An Extended Warranty For A Fiat?

Before answering that, it’s worth looking at Fiat reliability. Some people remember that Fiat had a poor reputation for quality back in the ’60s and ’70s. While today’s Fiats are no doubt better than their predecessors, the brand today occupies the bottom slot of the 2019 edition of the respected J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study. 

Repair Costs For Fiats

When considering if you would need an extended warranty for a Fiat, it pays to consider potential future repair costs. We pulled some samples for late-model Fiats from RepairPal. 

Mopar Protection Plans

All of FCA’s brands in the U.S. (Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram) offer extended vehicle service contracts from Mopar, the company’s service and parts division. Under the umbrella of Mopar Vehicle Protection plans, there are two choices, each with time and mileage options.

Added Care Plus plan covers more than 850 major components and systems, including:

• Audio and multimedia systems
• Air conditioning
• Brakes
• Driveline
• Engine
• Engine cooling and fuel systems
• Front and rear suspension
• Steering
• Transmission

Your other choice, the Maximum Care plan, provides comprehensive, “bumper-to-bumper” coverage for more than 5,000 components. Everything is covered, except:

• Maintenance services and items used in such services
• Glass and plastic lenses
• Body and paint items, including soft trim
• Wear items such as manual transmission clutch assembly, brake components, and engine belts
• Snow plows, winches and trailer hitches

Fiat Extended Warranty Time & Mileage Options

Once you choose your Mopar Protection Plan, you can select coverage for up to eight years. That would mean up to four years of additional coverage beyond the Fiat 4-year/50,000-mile factory warranty. You also select the mileage limit, from 60,000 to 150,000 (meaning 10,000 to 100,000 miles beyond the original Fiat warranty).

You can buy one of these plans at any time while your Fiat vehicle is still covered by its original warranty, but there may be a surcharge if you buy it after the first year or 12,000 miles of ownership. You can also set the deductible (the amount you pay toward each covered repair), choosing from $0, $100, or $200. A lower deductible increases the warranty purchase price, while a higher deductible reduces the upfront warranty price.

Other benefits to these plans include:

Key fob replacement: Includes up to three incidents and $600 total benefit. (The key fobs of late models cars usually integrate the remote-entry control, and so replacing one can cost hundreds of dollars.) 

Roadside Assistance and Towing: Similar to what the original Fiat warranty provides, this benefit reimburses you up to $100 per incident. It also provides a rental car allowance of $35 per day, plus up to $1,000 for trip interruption protection. (If a covered repair leaves you stranded 100 or more miles from your home, you’d be eligible to have up to $1,000 in lodging and meal reimbursed.)

Having an extended warranty on any vehicle can make it more appealing to buyers if you choose to sell it. Just remember, you’ll need to pay a one-time $50 transfer fee to put the Mopar Protection plan in the new buyer’s name.

Aftermarket Plans Offer Many Choices For Many Budgets

The Mopar Protection Plans offer “covers a lot” and “covers everything” choices, but aftermarket plans can offer more flexibility and are worth consideration. The top four picks in our survey of 12 aftermarket warranties allow you to buy extended coverage for a new or CPO Fiat at any time, including after original warranty coverage has expired.

If you really like your Fiat and plan to keep it for a long time, aftermarket warranties offer longer coverage options. For example, plans from CARCHEX can extend coverage up to 10 years and protect many cars up to 250,000 miles.

Also, to repeat a benefit of aftermarket plans, you’d be able to get covered repairs performed at any of approximately 30,000 repair facilities across the country, not just the 380 or so Fiat dealers. You’ll also find such plans include roadside assistance, rental car allowance, and trip interruption coverage that’s similar to the Mopar Protection plan benefits.

Contact any of our top picks below and get a free quote.

Best Extended Warranty Companies

Motor1 reviewed the top car warranty companies to find the best.Below are our top 3 picks.

Best Overall	Best Direct Provider	Most Popular
CARCHEX	Endurance	CarShield
★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆
Get Quote	Get Quote	Get Quote
(877) 253-0058	(877) 374-1840	(800) 563-2761

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