Ram Extended Warranty: Reviewed by Experts (2024 Guide) (2024)

If you’re worried about paying for mechanical issues after your car’s factory warranty expires, it’s worth looking into long-term protection. There are three Ram extended warranty options to choose from, but is the peace of mind worth the price?

In this article, we at the MarketWatch Guides team break down what coverage is included in a Ram extended warranty, common problems Ram trucks encounter as they age and the coverage you may already have on your vehicle. We’ll also explain why coverage from one of the best third-party warranty companies may be a smart choice for your vehicle and budget.

Learn more about our methodology and editorial guidelines.

Ram Extended Warranty Coverage

The Ram extended warranty covers repairs and replacements of defective parts after a truck’s factory warranty expires. Coverage plans are managed by Mopar®, the parts and service sector of Stellantis (formerly called Fiat Chrysler Automobiles**). Mopar also offers warranties for brands like Jeep^® and Dodge. Ram owners have two primary Mopar Vehicle Protection plans (MVP) to choose from: Maximum Care℠ and Added Care Plus.

Ram Extended Warranty Plans

Compare each Ram warranty plan below:

Both warranty plans guarantee that covered repairs will be made with genuine Mopar parts, and buyers can choose a $0, $100 or $200 deductible. Warranty lengths are also customizable. Customers can choose terms between five and eight years and 60,000 to 150,000 miles (up to 125,000 miles for the Maximum Care plan). Ram offers a plan length of 7 years/unlimited miles, as well.

Be aware that you can only purchase a Ram extended warranty before the factory warranty of 3 years/36,000 miles expires.

The Ram extended warranty is standard in its coverage options. Customers have a range of term lengths to choose from, but the warranty doesn’t outperform offerings from many other automakers. One real perk of a Mopar plan, though, is that you can have covered repairs done at Chrysler, Fiat®, Dodge, Jeep and Ram repair facilities.

Powertrain Care Plus: Limited Availability

Maximum Care and Added Care Plus are advertised by Mopar. Certain dealerships may still offer the Powertrain Care℠, Powertrain Care Plus℠ and Added Care plans through Mopar, however. If your Ram dealership offers any Powertrain Care plans, drivers can expect extended coverage for their engine, transmission and 400+ components with term limits that range from 5 years/85,000 miles to 8 years/125,000 miles.

Ram Roadside Assistance

FCA/Stellantis will cover you up to $100 per occurrence when you need towing service, a battery jump-start, lockout service or fuel delivery. You can get Ram roadside assistance on your vehicle for up to 60,000 or 100,000 miles depending on the model and fuel type you have.

Additional Ram Extended Warranty Benefits

Besides component coverage, Mopar vehicle service contracts include an array of perks for customers. Most of these are intended to make the repair process easier, while some just add peace of mind:

• First-day rental: FCA will reimburse you $45 if you have to rent a car or get a taxi after dropping your car off at the shop for a covered mechanical issue.
• Car rental reimbursem*nt: In the event a repair takes multiple days, contract holders can receive $45 per day for up to five days for rental cars or taxi services (maximum of $225).
• Trip interruption protection: A Ram extended warranty will pay up to $1,000 for meals, car rentals and lodging expenses if you’re more than 100 miles from home when you experience a covered breakdown.
• Key fob repair and replacement: FCA will repair or replace key fobs up to three times during your warranty period — even if you don’t have the key anymore.
• Transferability: For a $50 fee, warranty contracts can be transferred to subsequent owners.

With the Maximum Care plan, the towing allowance, roadside assistance and trip interruption benefits expire at 100,000 miles.

What’s Not Covered by the Ram Extended Warranty?

Although the plans are comprehensive, not everything is covered under the Ram extended warranty. Here are some exclusions outlined in Mopar’s service contracts:

• Body paint
• Window glass
• Headlights and other bulbs
• Catalytic converters
• Damage due to collisions (your collision insurance will cover you after an accident)
• Damage from environmental events like hail storms, tornados, fires or tree sap (your comprehensive insurance will cover this type of damage)
• Neglect or abuse by the vehicle owner
• Damage from improper repairs

Ram Extended Warranty Cost

The cost of a Ram extended warranty depends on your vehicle’s model, year and mileage, as well as the coverage limits and deductible amount you choose. Like most automakers, Ram does not advertise its extended coverage prices. However, this can work in your favor. If you call around to get quotes from multiple Ram dealerships in your area, dealers may try to match your offers.

During our research, we found that Ram owners paid between $1,900 and $4,100 for extended coverage. Several buyers also noted the possibility of getting discount codes to lower the price of a Ram extended warranty.

Finally, the cost of a Ram extended warranty depends on your vehicle’s model, year and mileage, as well as the coverage limits and deductible amount you choose. To see how much you’d pay, you can get a free quote online based on your vehicle and mileage.

Below are a few example quotes for a 2023 Ram Pickup 1500 or 2500 with a $100 deductible plan from Chrysler-Factory-Warranty.com, which sells Mopar plans through an authorized dealership. You’ll notice it’s cheaper to buy a plan within 12,000 miles than it is to buy one between 12,001 and 36,000 miles.

It’s generally a good idea to get quotes from the dealer and a few independent warranty companies to make sure your dealer is giving you a fair price and isn’t adding unreasonable markups or fees to the cost of the contract.

Finally, keep in mind that if you purchase a Ram extended warranty at a dealership and add the cost into your vehicle financing, you’ll end up paying interest on it. This means you’ll pay more for your coverage over time.

Is A Ram Extended Warranty Worth It?

Even though extended auto warranties seem like a smart investment on paper, they aren’t the best choice for every driver. To decide whether a Ram extended warranty is right for you, the first thing you should assess is your vehicle’s reliability.

Are Ram Trucks Reliable?

Ram ranked just below the industry average in J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study℠, which measures the number of mechanical issues car owners experience after three years of ownership. Ram owners reported 201 issues per 100 vehicles, compared to the industry average of 190 across 30 automotive brands.

Additionally, the auto repair estimation site RepairPal reports that Rams usually cost more to fix than other brands. In terms of reliability, it ranks 23rd out of 32 car brands — lower than any other truck manufacturer studied.

Our review team reached out to Stellantis for a comment on these scores and received the following response:

“We routinely monitor third-party evaluations for the benefit of our customers. Some — including J.D. Power — have published customer data that reflect deep-rooted satisfaction with the Ram brand. We carefully consider all such feedback as we continue to pursue the optimal ownership experience for our customers.”

Ram Vehicle Repair Costs

RepairPal estimates the average repair and maintenance cost for Ram models is $858 per year, which is more than $200 over the industry average of $652. Here are some common repairs Ram owners have reported and what they cost:

If your factory warranty has already expired and you don’t have Ram extended warrantycoverage, you’ll be responsible for paying any repair costs out of pocket as they arise. If you can comfortably fit unexpected breakdowns into your budget, you probably don’t need the extra protection. But if you’d rather finance vehicle repairs over time, an extended warranty may be a smart purchase.

Ram Factory Warranty

If you’re looking at an extended warranty for your Ram truck, you should check to see if you have any existing coverage left on the vehicle. New cars from Ram dealerships come with the following factory warranty protection:

• Basic Limited Warranty: Ram’s bumper-to-bumper coverage lasts for 3 years/36,000 miles and covers everything from body panels to the electrical system.
• Powertrain Limited Warranty: FCA/Stellantis covers the engine, transmission and drive system for 5 years/60,000 miles on gas-powered vehicles, and 5 years/100,000 miles on diesel engines.

Ram CPO Warranty

FCA/Stellantis also maintains a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program for vehicles that meet certain conditions. CPO vehicles must have under 75,000 miles on the odometer, be less than five model years old and have a clean title. They also can’t have any frame damage or aftermarket accessories that compromise safety, operation or vehicle emissions.

In addition, CPO vehicles must pass a 125-point inspection performed by a Stellantis-certified mechanic. If a vehicle earns the seal of approval, the buyer will get a Maximum Care Limited Warranty that covers over 5,000 components for up to 5 years/100,000 miles.

Best Extended Warranty for Ram

Even though Mopar protection plans offer a comprehensive level of coverage, there are options outside the Ram extended warranty that may be a better fit for you. Independent warranty providers are typically able to offer similar levels of coverage at cheaper rates than automakers.

Here are some advantages of choosing coverage from a reputable extended car warranty company, according to our research team:

• You choose when to buy: Many dealerships require that you buy extended coverage before the factory warranty expires. Third-party providers offer service contracts for vehicles at any age.
• More service locations: It’s fairly common for a manufacturer’s extended warranty to limit service to dealerships. Independent providers like Endurance allow customers to visit thousands of repair facilities, including localized shops and larger service centers.
• Longer coverage: The Ram extended warranty ends at 125,000 or 150,000 miles, but some providers offer contracts that extend up to 250,000 miles.

On the other hand, when you choose a third-party warranty company you are not guaranteed factory-trained technicians or the use of genuine parts for repairs. The right choice is going to depend on what’s most important to you.

Getting the best rate on extended coverage is like getting the best car insurance rate — you’ll need to compare prices from multiple providers to find what works for you.

Top Ram Extended Warranty Recommendations

Our top recommendations for Ram extended warranties include Endurance, Olive^® and CarShield.

• Endurance: Endurance offers five standard warranty options plus a plan that combines warranty coverage with regular maintenance like oil changes and even brake pads. Endurance offers plans in all 50 states and has been in business since 2006.
• Olive: Olive is a newer extended warranty company that does things a bit differently. You can compare three levels of protection and get coverage right on its website. Having reviewed all major warranty providers, we found Olive provides the best online experience for quotes and claims overall.
• CarShield: CarShield is the most popular warranty company with a 4.2-star rating on Trustpilot from over 47,000 customers. The company offers unlimited plans and simple pricing: you make a monthly payment as long as you want coverage.

On July 31, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission announced that CarShield must pay $10 million to settle charges that its advertisem*nts and telemarketing for vehicle service contracts are deceptive and misleading, and that many consumers found that repairs were not covered. The company said in a statement that its marketing now offers consumers more details about the car repairs typically covered and notes that customers can visit its website, where they can look at full plans before buying. The MarketWatch Guides team is reviewing this information and will reevaluate all CarShield rankings.

Ram Extended Warranties: The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, you have many choices for extended coverage on your Ram. If you’re outside the window to get the factory warranty plan, you can still find third-party coverage from many companies. Compare multiple quotes to find the best option.

Ram Extended Warranty Coverage: FAQ

Below are a few frequently asked questions about the Ram extended warranty.