A tire warranty can be thought of as somewhat of a guarantee from a manufacturer. When you buy a set of tires, for example, your warranty may state it protects your tires for 40,000 miles or 4 years, or some other time or distance. Basically, the manufacturer is implying, “Our tire is high enough quality that you should be able to use it for this period of time or this amount of miles before you need to get a new one, under normal driving conditions.”
But what does “protect” really mean when it comes to tire warranties? What do warranties cover? Can a warranty be voided?
This article will tell you everything that you need to know about tire warranties and what they may and may not cover. Tire warranties differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, but we’ll briefly review the different types of warranties and the benefits of each.
Co je to záruka na pneumatiky?
Tire warranties typically cover the tread wear that your tire suffers under normal road use. As you drive, the rubber tread of your tire will wear down. If it wears down too much, the tire can no longer be used safely, as the tread is too thin. The point where it becomes dangerous may be indicated by a small rubber notch called a “tread indicator bar” in the groove of your tire tread. A tire tread almost always should be no lower than 2/32 of an inch deep.
Tire warranties are called limited warranties. This means that the warranty is active for a period of time or a specific amount of miles and will cover only the amount of time you have left in that period. So, what does this mean?
If the tire tread wears down to the tread indicator před the time period or mileage that your warranty indicates, you may be able to get a reimbursement for your tire. However, this reimbursement won’t be the full price you bought your tire for. Rather, it will be the percentage of the amount equal to the time or miles you have left of your warranty.
As an example, let’s say you have a 60,000-mile warranty. Your treads have worn down to the point that it’s meeting the tread indicator at 50,000 miles. This means your tire lasted 83% of its expected warranty life. If you can provide proof that you were the original purchaser to the manufacturer, you might receive a reimbursement credit equal to 17% of the tire’s value. This reimbursement will usually go directly toward purchasing a replacement tire.
If you buy from a third-party seller, such as Tire Agent, your tire will still be covered under manufacturer warranties, as long as you can provide proof of purchase. Tire Agent can help you out with the warranty claim process.
Manufacturers’ warranties vary, but in general, they all have these four requirements in common:
- Nákup: You must be the original purchaser of the tires. Tire warranties don’t transfer when you sell your vehicle.
- Instalace: Tires must be installed by a licensed automotive repair facility (Tire Agent can help you find a qualified tire installer near you, and we can ship direct to them).
- Údržba: The customer (that’s you) must get tire rotations every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, which will be specified by the manufacturer. Keep your receipts!
- Hloubka dezénu: The tire must be worn down to 2/32nds of the tread.
- Tread Life/Mileage Warranty — This warranty is what we covered above. It will cover a certain period of time or number of miles before the tire tread wears down. Also, this only covers driving under normal road conditions.
- Záruka na nebezpečí silničního provozu –Covers a certain percentage of the cost to replace a tire if the damage is caused through non-negligent driving. This may cover punctures from a nail or road debris, but won’t always cover enough of the tire’s cost to be worth it.
- Manufacturer Defect Warranty –Most warranties have a clause stating that if there’s proof that your tire has some sort of manufacturing defect, they’ll replace the tire outright.
- Roadside Assistance Tire Warranty – Some tire manufacturers will package a roadside assistance service with their warranty. This may just cover flat tires or tire damage. But it can also cover any service that you need when stranded on the road.
- A noticeable difference in tread depth across one or more tires on an axle
- Uneven wear patterns on side walls (the part of the sidewall between tread shoulder and bead)
- Deformation or cracks at bead areas due to overinflation, underinflation, and pinching during mounting or dismounting
- Tires installed improperly (if they’re not mounted correctly)
- Tires damaged by road hazards (like nails or other sharp objects on the road)
- Tires damaged by improper maintenance (not rotating them regularly, not keeping them at proper inflation levels)
- Tires damaged by normal wear and tear (tread on tires wears down over time)
- Contacting the dealer where you bought the tires. If you bought them online, contact the company that sold them to you; if they’re from a tire store or shop, contact that shop.
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Do Bumper-To-Bumper Warranties Cover Tires?
Are tires included in a warranty when you buy a new car or a certified used car? No, the bumper-to-bumper warranty that you may get when buying a car from a dealership does not typically cover tires. This is because tires are guaranteed to wear down over time and need replacement. Bumper-to-bumper warranties will cover miscellaneous components of the vehicle that are less likely to wear down and fail.
What Types of Tire Warranties Are There?
We talked about how most tire manufacturers offer limited warranties before, but there’s actually a bit more about the different types of warranties that are offered. These warranties differ in what they cover as well as who they are offered by.
Warranties can be handy for saving money on buying new tires, but what about voiding a warranty?
What Voids a Tire Warranty?
Many warranties have clauses that involve certain actions that could result in your warranty being unable to be claimed. Some warranties require proof that your tires were regularly rotated. Other warranties may be voided if the tire is under- or over-inflated. Finally, tires may have their warranties voided if you take them off-road or in conditions that are not normal use (driving on the road). Watch out for voiding conditions in your tire warranty to avoid unexpected costs.
To learn more about what differentiates good and bad tire warranties, consider checking out our article on the best tire warranties for trucks, SUVs, and cars.
You can’t put a price on safety, and that’s why you should ensure your tires are in good shape. Tire warranties offer protection against defects in materials or workmanship that cause damage to your tires. But what exactly does a warranty cover? How do you file a claim? We’ll cover everything from tire warranties and road hazard guarantees to how long they last.
Na co se vztahuje vaše záruka?
If a defect in materials or workmanship causes a tire to fail prematurely, the tire warranty should cover the replacement cost of that tire. Your warranty may also cover damage caused by road hazards, improper installation, and underinflation.
Tire warranties generally do not cover normal wear and tear. Defects are not always easy to identify, but there are some indications that could help you determine if your tires have any problems:
Who is covered under your warranty?
If you have a tire warranty, it usually covers the original owner and any additional registered drivers. It also covers one or more family members who live at the same address as the original owner.
The road hazard coverage typically applies to all tread damage caused by objects like nails and glass that pierce the tread of your tires, but it won’t cover punctures caused by things like thorns or small rocks that may not penetrate completely through the sidewall (and thus cause internal damage).
How long does your warranty last?
The length of your warranty depends on the tire manufacturer. Some manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty, while others offer a one-year or two-year warranty. In general, tires with lower price tags tend to have shorter warranties, so be sure to check what’s included before buying any new tires.
Your plan might include a road hazard guarantee.
Road hazard warranties are a type of extended service plan that covers damaged tires. If you have a road hazard warranty, you can file a claim if your tire becomes unserviceable because of damage caused by road hazards such as potholes and nails.
In some cases, the road hazard warranty might cover other types of damage to your car that aren’t related to driving conditions. For example, some plans may include coverage for flat tires while others will not; it depends on the specific policy you bought and whether or not it includes this coverage.
What can void your warranty?
Unlike most car warranties, tire warranties have a list of things that can void your warranty. This means that if you do any of the following, your tires will no longer be covered by the manufacturer:
How to file a claim under your warranty
You can file a claim under your warranty by:
When you buy tires, you should also purchase a tire protection plan, so you are prepared for the inevitable.
There is no such thing as a perfect car, and tires are no exception. Even the best tire can have issues with wear and tear, or even damage from accidents or road hazards like potholes. You might think that if the tire itself has an issue, it will just go flat, and you’ll need to change it—but there’s more to it than that!
There are two ways to protect yourself from this situation: buy a warranty for your tires or buy some extra protection for your new set of wheels. A warranty will cover replacement costs for a certain number of miles (or years) down the line if you do end up needing new tires due to defects in manufacturing; meanwhile, protection plans generally cover only one repair per year—and sometimes even less than one repair per year depending on who you’re buying from.
We hope that this article has helped you understand the importance of purchasing a tire warranty when you buy tires. Not only does it protect your investment, it can also save you thousands in the event that something goes wrong with your tires and they need to be replaced. A good warranty plan will help ensure that your car’s wheels are safe and secure at all times, but not all plans are created equal—so we recommend doing some research before making a decision!
Další zdroje
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