Ram claims America’s best full-size truck powertrain warranty — but make sure to read the fine print.
Buying a new full-size truck is an incredibly expensive proposition these days, no matter which brand you go to. With how many years and miles owners put on their trucks, too, out-of-warranty repairs can make that investment a nightmare in the long term. Ram is aiming to do something about that with its latest announcement extending its limited powertrain warranty coverage to 10 years/100,000 miles across most of its 2026-and-newer lineup. Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis calls it “a stronger and longer commitment to our customers”, but as with any new vehicle coverage, it’s important to dig into the fine print. Let’s do that here, and take a look at how Ram’s new warranty coverage compares to the competition.
First, let’s get the caveat out of the way
Ram’s premise with today’s announcement is sound: Buyers are forking over more and more money for new trucks and keeping their trucks longer, with Kuniskis noting 80% of new truck loans exceed the five-year mark. Taking that a step further, while 5- and 6- year loans are common in the car space, 84-month (7-year) loans are gaining traction, and you could reasonably argue it’s only downhill from here.
Ram’s 10-year/100,000-mile (whichever comes first) powertrain warranty could be a godsend then — not to mention pull in buyers on the fence — but there is an important note: This coverage only applies to the truck’s original owner.
The extended coverage does not follow the vehicle, so if the first owner sells the truck before that time or mileage is up, it will not transfer to subsequent owners. In that case, coverage reverts to the existing scheme: 5 years/60,000 miles for gas trucks, or 5 years/100,000 miles for Cummins diesel-equipped trucks.
For owners who actually keep their trucks, that technicality won’t be an issue. With this announcement, Ram also technically gets to claim the title of best powertrain warranty in the industry (again, provided you don’t sell your truck early), and they get a selling point to bring folks into the dealership, not to mention conquest their Detroit rivals and other truck companies.
Ram’s 10-year/100,000-mile warranty covers the broad majority of its lineup, including the Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups, as well as 3500/4500/5500 Chassis Cab models, the Ram 1500 RHO and Ram 2500 Power Wagon and the ProMaster van. Per Ram’s official statement, its limited powertrain contract covers repairs to the engine, transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, differentials, and axles for that extended period.
The new warranty does not extend to its full battery-electric vehicles (so, no extended warranty for the ProMaster EV or the forthcoming Ram 1500 REV), and the offer only covers retail purchases or leases to individuals or businesses. Fleet purchasers do not get the extended warranty coverage.
This offer also applies to U.S. customers. At least for now, it doesn’t seem Ram is offering similar powertrain coverage in Canada.
How does Ram’s full-size truck coverage compare to the competition?
It’s certainly worth noting all of the Big Three, Toyota and Nissan offer the same bumper-to-bumper (or “new vehicle limited warranty”) coverage: 3 years/36,000 miles. That pertains to components outside the drivetrain, like electronics and software or comfort features.
Here’s how the rest of Ram’s coverage stacks up:
| Warranty Coverage Type | Ram | Ford | General Motors | Nissan | Toyota |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Vehicle Limited (Bumper-to-Bumper) | 3 yrs / 36K mi | 3 yrs / 36K mi | 3 yrs / 36K mi | 3 yrs / 36K mi | 3 yrs / 36K mi |
| Powertrain Limited | 10 yrs / 100K mi1 If more than one owner: 5 years / 60K mi (gas) 5 yrs / 100K mi (diesel) | 5 yrs / 60K mi | 5 yrs / 60K mi | 5 yrs / 60K mi | 5 yrs / 60K mi |
| Corrosion (Rust-through) | 5 yrs / Unlimited mi | 3 yrs / Unlimited mi | 3 yrs / Unlimited mi | 3 yrs / Unlimited mi | 5 yrs / Unlimited mi |
| EV/Battery Coverage | 8 yrs / 100K mi | 8 yrs / 100K mi | 8 yrs / 100K mi | N/A (no EV trucks) | N/A (no EV trucks)2 |
