Buying a certified pre-owned vehicle is a great way to have the sticker price of a used car but with all of the same confidence you have when purchasing a new car. You’re guaranteed to receive a car that has undergone a comprehensive inspection to ensure that everything is as it should be and the vehicle is ready to sell.

Compared to buying a used car off of the street, it instills a lot of confidence in the vehicle that you’re buying. We’re about to go into the Dodge certified pre-owned warranty, their inspection process, and other perks you get when you buy a Dodge CPO.

TLDR; We love the length of the powertrain warranty. It’s one of the best in the industry. They also provide some useful perks that every automobile owner will appreciate. We dislike the short bumper-to-bumper warranty, though. The $100 deductible for repairs under warranty is also unreasonable, as many manufacturers do not charge a deductible.

Dodge’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Information

To qualify for the inspection process and become a Dodge certified pre-owned vehicle, the automobile must be less than 5 model years old. It also must have less than 75,000 miles.

If a vehicle meets the criteria, then it can be part of the program. After inspection, they are sold with the Dodge certified pre-owned warranty. This warranty covers a variety of issues that stem from manufacturer defects (accidents are not covered). 

What does Dodge’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Cover?

Dodge has an interesting philosophy when it comes to their CPO warranty. They want to cover the powertrain for quite some time, but the bumper-to-bumper coverage is extremely short. Let’s take a look:

Bumper-To-Bumper Warranty:

• Lasts for three years or 3,000 miles (whichever comes first)
• Covers almost every component in and out of the vehicle
• Includes electrical issues
• Transferable to a private party

Powertrain Warranty

• Lasts for seven years or 100,000 miles (whichever comes first)
• Covers drivetrain, engine, and transmission
• Transferable to a private party

One major downside to both warranties is that there is a $100 deductible for covered repairs. Such a deductible is unusual in the industry; most manufacturer warranties have no deductible. Over the life of a vehicle, those $100 deductibles can undoubtedly add up. There’s a lot to know about why warranties are so often sold, and the fees are part of it.

How long does Dodge’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Last?

The Dodge certified pre-owned bumper-to-bumper warranty lasts either 3,000 miles or three years, while the powertrain warranty lasts 100,000 miles or seven years.

Our most significant critique of the Dodge certified pre-owned warranty is easily the short length of the bumper-to-bumper warranty. We think 3,000 miles is absurdly low, and someone who drives a relatively average amount could rack that up in just a few months. Think about how often you get an oil change – that’s how long the warranty lasts.

The powertrain warranty even beats the new Dodge vehicles’ warranty by two years (they include a 5-year warranty).

It’s interesting how there’s such a stark contrast between the two Dodge warranties offered in the CPO program. While we’re uncertain about their motivations or philosophy, we do appreciate the extended powertrain warranty. Purchasing a third-party vehicle service contract to “extend” the bumper-to-bumper warranty is not a bad idea when it comes to Dodge CPO vehicles.

Dodge’s Certified Pre-Owned Inspection

Dodge has a 125-point inspection that certifies that the vehicle is in roadworthy condition. They’ll lose money if they approve a car that breaks down a few miles down the road since every CPO vehicle comes with a warranty.

What’s on the inspection list? You can read the full list on their official website, but we’ll go over a few highlights:

• Under the hood checks, such as hood release, throttle linkage system, and charging system operation
• Operational checks, such as the airbag system, seat belts, mirror adjustment, and door locks
• Road test, such as ease of starting, cold-idle quality, and gear selector operation
• Steering performance, such as power steering, alignment, and tracking performance
• Equipment operation, such as cruise control and overdrive
• Powertrain performance, such as acceleration performance, steady throttle performance, and downshifting performance
• Braking performance, such as vehicle tracking, antilock brake systems, and overall stopping performance.
• Post-road test, such as hot restart performance, fluid levels check, and fluid leaks
• Maintenance standards, such as inspecting tire sidewall condition, exhaust system, and brake lining
• Appearance standards, covering both the interior and exterior, ensuring that the overall appearance is as close to new as possible
• Detailing standards, including cleaning and touching up the interior and exterior

As you can see, it’s quite a thorough list. However, it’s on par with the inspections performed by other vehicle manufacturers in their certified pre-owned programs. All of the manufacturers try to one-up each other with their inspection list, and over the years, this practice has resulted in most of them being quite similar.

Before you visit the car dealership, make sure you know our tips for first-time car buyers.

Other Dodge Certified Pre-Owned Perks

Many car manufacturers like to throw in extra bonuses with their CPO vehicles, and Dodge isn’t any different. Buying a Dodge with a CPO warranty provides the following perks:

• 24-hour roadside assistance (flat tire, battery jump, towing, gas delivery, lockout service), up to $100 per occurrence
• If your car or truck undergoes repairs for covered issues, you’ll receive a rental car coverage of $35 per day, up to $175.
• As a nice bonus, all Dodge certified pre-owned vehicles include a three-month trial to SiriusXM satellite radio. 

We don’t think the Dodge certified pre-owned warranty is industry-leading by any stretch of the imagination, but the transferability and extended powertrain warranty are certainly highlights. As long as you’re getting a good out-the-door price on it, a pre-owned Dodge is a decent way to go. The inspection alone is why we always suggest going for a certified pre-owned vehicle over a random used car, when at all possible.