Get Free Repairs After Your Car Warranty Expires

Just like they are written following Murphy's Law, it seems that everytime a warranty expires, the product that's no longer covered develops a problem. In the worst cases, the product doesn't just need repaired, it needs completely replaced. And cars are no exception. Once your car warranty expires, you probably just hold your breath that nothing major will go wrong with it. Because, if it does, the cost to repair or replace your car will now come solely out of your pocket. But what if you could get free repairs after your car warranty expires? You possibly can!

Although they try to design and produce quality cars that are safe for you and your passengers, problems do crop up after the vehicles have been sold and are out on the road. Car manufacturers are required by law to issue "Recall Notices" when this happens. Typically, car recalls happen when a "safety-related defect" is discovered. Sometimes a car doesn't "comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards" and a recall is issued. Or, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can force car manufacturers to issue a recall when many certain cars fail to pass emission tests.

Once a recall notice is issued, a car dealer must make the necessary repairs to your car to erase the defect. And it doesn't cost you a dime in parts or repair costs.

One way to get free repairs after your car warranty expires is to keep up with recalls that pertain to your car. A division of the U.S. Department of Transportation, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides complete recall information for cars that were built in 1949 to the present year. You can log onto their website at www.recalls.gov/nhtsa.html for complete details.

Sometimes, even though the "regular" warranty on your car has expired, there might be a special "emissions warranty" still in effect. Parts on your car that are components of the emission system are under warranty for eight years or fifty to a hundred thousand miles. Check your owner's manual for a list of the parts and the details of the warranty on your car.

Another way you can get free repairs after you car warranty expires, is to keep a watch out for "Service Bulletins." These are different than recall notices. Car manufacturers give dealers service bulletins on a regular basis. These alert the dealers to problems the cars had at the factory. However, for whatever reason, the manufacturers have decided the repairs need to be made by the dealerships.

If you're experiencing a problem with your car after the warranty has expired, you can contact your car dealership and ask about a service bulletin that pertains to the problem. Or, you can log onto the Internet and search the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's web site at www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems. You'll need to know the make, model, and the year of your car to find the information that pertains to it.