AutoNation 90-Day Warranty: Coverage, Claims, and Exclusions

The AutoNation 90-day warranty is a complimentary limited warranty included with any used vehicle sold under the AutoNation Certified label. It covers repairs to most major mechanical, electrical, and technology systems for 90 days or 4,000 miles after purchase, whichever comes first, and it carries a $100 deductible per service visit. To qualify as AutoNation Certified, a used vehicle must be up to 10 years old with fewer than 150,000 miles.

Which Vehicles Come With It

AutoNation sorts its used inventory into three categories, and the 90-day warranty applies only to the middle one.

As-Is vehicles receive an inspection of up to 50 points and are sold without any warranty.
AutoNation Certified vehicles undergo an inspection of up to 125 points and include the 90-day, 4,000-mile warranty.
CPO or Manufacturer Certified vehicles pass the manufacturer’s own inspection and carry manufacturer-backed warranties, which vary by brand.

Separately, every used vehicle AutoNation sells, regardless of category, comes with a 5-day or 250-mile money-back guarantee.¹² AutoNation’s own documentation describes the complimentary 90-day warranty as nontransferable.³

What the Warranty Covers

Formally called a Comprehensive Limited Warranty, the coverage reaches across the vehicle’s major systems:

Engine, including internally lubricated parts, the block and heads, timing chain or belt, water pump, radiator, and a factory-installed turbocharger or supercharger.
Transmission, torque converter, transfer case, and drivetrain components such as axle shafts, drive shafts, CV joints, and universal joints.
Steering and suspension, including the power steering pump, electronic power-assisted steering, control arms, ball joints, struts, and tie rods.
Brakes, including the master cylinder, calipers, hydraulic lines, and the anti-lock brake module and sensors.
Electrical system, including the alternator, starter, fuel pump, ignition module, and wiring harnesses.
Air conditioning and heating, including compressor, condenser, evaporator, and heater core.
Factory-installed technology and safety equipment, including audio and navigation, reverse camera, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, collision warning, airbag modules, and seat belt assemblies.
Emissions components such as EGR and oxygen sensors, the EVAP canister, and variable camshaft timing phasers.
Fuel system parts including the tank, metal lines, and fuel injectors.⁴⁵

What the Warranty Does Not Cover

Routine maintenance is excluded. That means oil changes, tire rotations, filters, spark plugs, ignition wires, coolant, and other fluids.⁶ Wear items are also excluded: brake pads, rotors and drums, tires, windshield wipers, light bulbs, belts, and batteries.⁷

Appearance and structural parts fall outside the warranty too, including upholstery, paint, glass, body panels, molding, bumpers, wheels, wheel covers, and convertible top framework.⁸ Damage from accidents, collisions, negligence, misuse, lack of proper maintenance, or vehicle modifications is not covered. Pre-existing conditions are not covered.⁴

How To Make a Claim

You pay a $100 deductible per service visit for covered repairs.⁴ Before any work begins, you generally need to contact AutoNation for repair authorization. If a claim is not approved, you may owe a diagnostic fee, which varies by region.

One point of confusion worth flagging: the complimentary 90-day warranty is a separate product from AutoNation’s paid vehicle protection plans. Features associated with those paid plans, including the network of more than 70,000 licensed repair facilities nationwide and the mobile-service deductible waiver for the $200 out-of-network deductible, apply to the paid plans rather than the free 90-day coverage.⁷⁹ The specifics of any deductible depend on your individual contract.

Where Claims Tend To Go Wrong

Complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau give a sense of how claims actually play out. AutoNation’s BBB profile shows 425 complaints over the most recent three-year period, with 306 of them tied to service and repair issues. The company is not BBB-accredited.¹⁰

Some buyers reported being told that certain electrical components were not covered. In one case, a customer said management refused to approve headlight repairs, citing that the work was “not approved by the company.”¹¹ Other disputes involved third-party extended warranty providers denying claims by classifying mechanical problems as pre-existing conditions, and at least one customer reported a denial of a major engine repair because of undisclosed aftermarket modifications on a vehicle purchased from AutoNation.¹²

Several complaints also questioned whether the advertised 125-point inspection was actually performed before sale, with buyers alleging they found significant mechanical problems shortly after purchase. Read your warranty contract closely, and document any issues in writing within the coverage window so a dispute later has something to stand on.

If 90 Days Feels Short

AutoNation sells paid vehicle protection plans in five tiers, from an engine-only plan up through near-bumper-to-bumper Platinum coverage, with the paid plans transferable to subsequent owners.³ Pricing and term lengths are not published online; you get quotes at a dealership.¹³ Any maintenance or repair work performed by AutoNation itself carries a separate guarantee of 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes last.²

1
AutoNation. Frequently Asked Questions
2
AutoNation USA. Frequently Asked Questions
3
AutoNation. Warranty Plans
4
Ford.com. Blue Certified Comprehensive Limited Warranty
5
Dealer Inspire. Ford Blue Advantage Blue Certified Brochure
6
ConsumerAffairs. AutoNation Extended Warranty
7
AutoNation USA. AutoNation Vehicle Protection Plan
8
MarketWatch. AutoNation Extended Warranty Review
9
AutoNation Mobile Service. AutoNation Mobile Service
10
BBB. AutoNation Inc Complaints
11
BBB. AutoNation Inc Complaints
12
BBB. AutoNation Ford Fort Worth Complaints
13
MarketWatch. AutoNation Extended Warranty Review