Audi matches other premium German brands in offering a standard three-year manufacturer warranty.
That applies to every Audi model from the compact A1 hatchback to the heavyweight Q7 SUV. This level of coverage is average for the industry – if you want a car with a longer warranty, check out cars from brands like Kia, MG or Toyota.
We'll walk you through Audi's warranty coverage in this guide, looking the kinds of parts that are covered and what the exclusions are.
Audi three-year warranty overview
- Applies to all Audi car models
- Lasts for three years or 60,000 miles – whichever comes first
- Doesn't cover parts that are considered wear-and-tear
- Doesn't cover damage caused by accidents, misuse or neglect
- Automatically transfers between owners for as long as the cover remains valid
- High-voltage EV and hybrid batteries are covered under separate warranties
- Audi offers an extended warranty at an extra cost
How long is Audi's manufacturer warranty?
Audi provides factory warranty cover for all its vehicles for three years or 60,000 miles – whichever comes first. The 60,000-mile distance limit only applies in the third year of warranty coverage. Audi counts the warranty start date from the vehicle's delivery to its first owner, or its date of registration – whichever comes first. You can find the exact registration date using the DVLA's vehicle information checker.
This period is for the vehicle's main manufacturer warranty, covering most mechanical and electrical parts. Audi guarantees its cars against perforation (internal rust) separately for 12 years, as well as separate coverage periods for the high-voltage batteries in its EVs and plug-in hybrids.
What does Audi's three-year warranty cover?
The Audi manufacturer warranty covers any part that fails as a result of 'defects in material, manufacture or workmanship'. In other words, it'll only approve a warranty claim if the failure can be reasonably considered to be Audi's fault. Any failures that arise from accidents, misuse or neglect – i.e. caused by external sources – won't be covered under warranty.
Any parts that are considered wear-and-tear are not covered, as these will be expected to be replaced periodically to keep the car running properly. Examples of wear-and-tear items include shock absorbers and brake pads.
Audi gives examples of key parts and components that are covered under its warranty:
- Engine
- Fuel system
- Cooling system
- Exhaust system
- Gearbox
- Final drive and transmission shafts
- Steering
- Brakes
- Electric and hybrid drive components
- Electrical system
- Convenience electronics
- Air conditioning system
- Safety systems
What does Audi's three-year warranty not cover?
A detailed list of exclusions can be found in Audi's warranty terms and conditions. The brand includes a non-exhaustive list of wear-and-tear items that aren't covered:
- Brake linings and disc pads
- Brake discs and drums
- Clutch release bearings
- Clutch pressure plates and centre plates (DSG automatic clutches are covered for the full warranty offered with the vehicle)
- Tyres
- Wiper blades (wiper rubbers have no warranty owing to their conditions of use)
- Seat and backrest covers
- Floor coverings
- Spark plugs
- Batteries for key fobs and alarms
- Light bulbs (Xenon/gas discharge bulbs and LEDs are covered for the full warranty duration of the vehicle)
- Shock absorbers
Beyond wear-and-tear items, Audi's warranty won't cover you if you've failed to service the car in line with recommended intervals. Typical service intervals for Audi models are every year or 9,300 miles – alternating between an oil change service and a more thorough major service. You should keep all maintenance receipts and paperwork as proof that you've serviced your Audi on time.
Like other car warranties, Audi stipulates that you contact your local Audi service centre as soon as you notice a problem with your car. This is because continuing to drive the car when it has a known fault could potentially lead to a more serious failure. Your claim will be rejected if the failure comes as a result of a problem that went unfixed.
Any modifications to your Audi beyond its original factory specifications will also see your warranty claim rejected – even if the part that failed is unrelated. You also may not tamper with the car's digital systems such as its on-board odometer or VIN information. This doesn't apply to original Audi-approved accessories that were fitted when the car was new, or by an Audi dealer or service centre after the car was sold.
Audi will also void your warranty if the failure is caused by "damage or defects caused by improper handling or misuse". This is somewhat vague, but it gives 'racing' as an example, so you might want to check with your local Audi centre before taking your car to any track-based performance driving events.
Audi warranty limited coverage items
Parts replaced under warranty
Any parts replaced by Audi under warranty are covered for the remainder of the original vehicle's warranty.
Parts replaced that aren't warranty items
Any parts Audi fits to your vehicle that aren't a warranty claim are covered for two years with no mileage limit. This usually means any repair work that you're paying for – for example, a door mirror with accident damage.
Audi-approved accessories
Audi-approved accessories that were ordered and fitted to your car by Audi when it was new are covered for three years with no mileage limit. Any official accessories fitted by an Audi dealer or service centre after your car has been purchased are covered for two years. Certain items such as dashcams may have a shorter warranty – your Audi retailer can give specific details.
Paintwork
The paintwork on your Audi is covered for three years with no mileage limit. Warranty claims will only be approved for paint faults that happen due to material or workmanship issues. Your claim won't be accepted for any paint problems caused by external factors such as weather, neglect, vandalism or damage like chips and scratches.
Is Audi's three-year warranty transferable?
Yes. Audi's manufacturer warranty automatically transfers to the car's new owner whenever it's sold. This only applies as long as the conditions of the warranty have been stuck to through the car's lifetime. That means the car's been serviced on time, is unmodified, is less than three years old, and has covered less than 60,000 miles.
The only exception is the five-year warranty against battery capacity degradation in plug-in-hybrid models. This only applies to the car's first owner and doesn't transfer once the car is sold.
Many nearly new Audis for sale at Motorpoint still have a good chunk of their original manufacturer warranty cover remaining. Each separate Motorpoint vehicle listing shows how much warranty cover remains on individual cars. Any Motorpoint vehicles outside their original manufacturer's warranty include a free three-month warranty.
How long is Audi's hybrid and EV battery warranty?
Audi has a growing selection of hybrid and fully electric cars. These models use high-voltage battery packs with their own warranty cover. The brand also separates out battery warranty claims that are caused by manufacturing defects, against claims that come as a result of battery capacity degradation.
All Audi plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have their battery packs covered against manufacturing defects for eight years or 100,000 miles. PHEV batteries are warrantied to retain at least 70% of their original capacity for five years of 100,000 miles. Note that the capacity warranty on PHEV batteries only applies to the first owner, and doesn't transfer if the car is sold.
For Audi's EVs, their battery packs are also covered against manufacturing defects for eight years or 100,000 miles. However, they are also covered against capacity fade for the full eight-year, 100,000-mile period – again with the 70% original capacity cutoff figure.
There are currently no self-charging hybrids in Audi's lineup. Any 12V batteries, 48V batteries or batteries used in mild-hybrid models are warrantied for three years or 60,000 miles, matching the main vehicle warranty. Audi doesn't warranty these batteries for capacity fade.
It's worth mentioning that the battery packs in today's EVs are expected to last much longer than their warranty periods. Most are expected to last the lifetime of the car they're fitted to. You can help your battery pack last as long as possible by keeping charge levels below 80% for normal driving, and only using the full 100-0% range for long-distance journeys.
What is Audi's anti-perforation (rust) warranty?
Audi's anti-perforation (rust) warranty lasts for 12 years with no mileage limit. This covers any rust that forms in the car's structure that perforates from inside the car to the outside world. That means only rust that's been caused by manufacturing or material defects will be covered.
Any rust that forms on the vehicle's surface will be considered as external rust caused by environmental factors and won't be covered under warranty. This also extends to rust that forms as a result of unrepaired accident damage – for example, a parking scratch that exposes the car's bare metal surface.
Can you extend Audi's three-year warranty?
Yes. Audi offers a selection of extended warranty products with varying levels of cover. Its Essentials package is the most affordable but only covers the main mechanical parts including the engine, gearbox, EV and hybrid drive parts, and final drive or transmission shafts. Standard cover broadens the extended warranty to include mostly the same parts as the original new-car warranty, or you can upgrade to Plus which adds cover against water ingress and for factory-fitted LPG systems – although the brand doesn't offer any LPG cars in the UK.
Once your original manufacturer warranty cover runs out, you're not restricted to only getting extended cover from Audi, however. Third-party providers offer a range of extended warranty agreements that might be more affordable – including Motorpoint's own extended warranty package.
Does Audi's three-year warranty apply to all models?
Yes. All Audi models are covered by the brand's warranty provided they're less than three years old with fewer than 60,000 miles on the clock.
That includes cars like the compact Audi Q2 SUV, the imposing Audi A6 or the sporty Audi TT – all of which benefit from full manufacturer cover.
