What is Kia 7-year warranty and how does it work?

All new Kia cars come with Kia industry-leading 7-year/100,000-mile warranty. But what is Kia vehicle warranty, how does it work, and what is covered?

First off, what is warranty?

Warranty is a term issued to you in your contract with a manufacturer that promises to replace or repair an item within a specific period of time. So when you purchase a Kia car from new, you're guaranteed that an Approved Kia repairer, such as Chapelhouse, will repair your car to the manufacturer's standard up to seven years after its registration date.  

The Kia 7-year warranty period comes as standard on every new Kia car, be it petrol, diesel, Mild Hybrid, Hybrid Electric (HEV), Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), or a fully -electric vehicle (EV). 

Kia cars are built according to the highest automotive industry manufacturing standards. It's this exceptional quality that gives Kia the confidence to offer the longest new car level of cover in Europe. 

The 7-year warranty plan was introduced back in 2006 to give all Kia customers assurance that if something does go wrong on your car that's down to manufacturer or material defect, your car will be repaired to the highest standard free of charge.  

With Kia you get 7 years of driving pleasure, 7 years of fun, 7 years of adventure, excitement, and exhilaration. Not to mention 7 years of lower running costs and 7 years peace of mind.

What is covered by Kia's warranty plan? 

The 7-year warranty plan only applies if your Kia car was originally bought from an authorised Kia dealer, and the warranty begins on the date the car was first registered. 

Kia covers the components of a new Kia car for unlimited mileage up to 36 months, and then 100,000 miles between 37 months and 84 months. 

However, there are a handful of exceptions to this general rule: 

• 12V and 48V batteries are covered for 24 months
• The eCall battery for emergency SOS alerts is covered for 36 months 
• Air conditioning refrigerant charge is covered for 24 months
• Wheel balance and steering alignment are covered for the first 1,000 miles or one month
• Cracks in the exterior glass are covered for the first 1,000 miles or three months 
• Audio and navigation units are covered for 36 months or 60,000 miles 
• Paint is covered for 60 months or 100,000, though there are some specific exclusions to this too 

If you use your Kia vehicle as a taxi or a private hire car, you will have to register it as a taxi in accordance with Kia procedures. If not, the car will only be covered for 60,000 miles instead of the standard 100,000.

What is not covered by Kia's warranty plan?

Any damage caused to your Kia car that is beyond the manufacturer's control will be exempt from the 7-year warranty.  These could include: 

• Misuse of the car, such as driving over kerbs, overloading the car's capacity and using the car for competitive driving 
• Events such as theft, collision, or fire damage 
• Cars categorised as 'insurance write-off' or 'total loss' Alteration, modification or tampering  
• Paint damage or corrosion caused by stone chippings or scratches  

You must also keep your Kia maintained regularly to the manufacturer's standard throughout your ownership for any warranty claims to be upheld. Servicing that isn't completed within the time or mileage recommendation as stated in the owner's manual will disqualify a warranty claim. As will the use of fuel, oil or lubricants that aren't recommended in the manual. 

Tyres are also not covered by the Kia 7-year warranty. You can find the full list of Kia warranty terms and exclusions here. 

Do I need to have my Kia serviced by a Kia Dealer or Kia Authorised Repairer?

Put simply: no. However, Kia highly recommends it. 

Nobody knows Kia cars better than Kia trained technicians, like those we have here in our service workshops at Chapelhouse. Not only are they Kia experts, but they'll only use genuine Kia parts and lubricants. 

Using an independent repairer won't harm your Kia warranty as long as you ensure that only genuine Kia parts, or parts of an equivalent quality, are used. The garage carrying out your service must also be VAT registered and carry out all repairs to the standard set out in the owner's manual. All part numbers should be detailed on the service invoice and be kept safe.

What about my electric or hybrid vehicle?

Kia covers components of hybrid and electric cars for an unlimited mileage up to 36 months, and then up to 100,000 miles between 37 and 84 months. On your EV, these aspects will specifically covered: 

• Electric motor 
• Gear drive unit 
• Battery pack
• Electric power control unit 
• On board charger 

For Mild Hybrid, Hybrid Electric and Plug-in Hybrid cars: 

• Battery pack 
• Hybrid starter and generator
• Hybrid power control unit
• Auto transmission and traction motor 

When it comes to Lithium-ion Polymer batteries for your EV or PHEV, these will be covered for 84 months or 100,000 miles - whichever comes first.

What happens with Kia warranty on Used cars, and is it transferable?

Yes! Kia warranty is fully transferable, and the balance of the 7 years will be passed on to the next owner of the car. It is vitally important that all Kia cars, whether bought from new or used, are kept in their best condition for as long as possible.  

At Chapelhouse Kia, all our used Kia stock comes with the balance of the 7-year warranty. That means if the used Kia was registered three years ago, there will be four years of warranty left to run on the vehicle. 

You can click here to view all the pre-owned Kia cars we have in stock across the Chapelhouse Group, including Kia Approved Used.