People are keeping their cars longer than ever. The average age of a vehicle on American roads is 12.8 years, up from 12.5 years in 2023, and Ram wants to make that ownership experience a bit better. It’s launching a new 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty for the 2026 Ram lineup in the United States, including the new Hemi-powered Ram 1500.
It’s a limited powertrain warranty only applicable to the original owner, so if you buy one used, don’t expect Ram to honor it. It will cover the engine, transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, differentials, and axles. The previous powertrain warranty covered just five years or 60,000 miles.
The new warranty excludes full electric vehicles like the Ram ProMaster EV, but it will cover the combustion-powered 2026 Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Ram 3500, Ram ProMaster vans, and Ram chassis cabs. It’s available for retail purchases and leases, and it could extend beyond the 2026 model year.
According to Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis, the new warranty is designed to show people that “Ram is making a stronger and longer commitment” to its customers. With buyers able to finance cars for six, seven, or even eight years and keeping them for over a decade on average, a longer warranty period could improve the ownership experience later in the vehicle’s life.
“They keep it for 12 years because everything’s gotten more expensive,” Kuniskis said.
A major mechanical failure in a car’s sixth or seventh year, when an owner might still owe on the note, could push a customer to a different brand, and that’s dangerous in the truck segment. Loyalty rates among truck owners are high—70 to 80 percent, according to Kuniskis.
“Once you lose them, good luck getting them back,” he said.
A longer warranty helps differentiate Ram from other truck brands. Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota all offer five-year, 60,000-mile limited powertrain warranties for their full-size pickups. When money is tighter than ever for buyers, having a warranty you can count on for longer could be the deciding factor.
Sources: Ram, S&P Global Mobility
