When you buy a new Toyota ute, SUV or car in Australia, you get a warranty with your vehicle. This means that within a given period, Toyota will pay for the cost of any defects or faults that arise and that you have not caused.
But what are you covered for by Toyota? What isn’t included in the warranty? And how long does the warranty period apply for? Read on.
What you’ll find in this guide:
- How long is Toyota’s warranty?
- Is a Toyota warranty transferrable?
- How do I keep my Toyota warranty?
- What defects are not covered under warranty?
- Do I have to service the car with Toyota?
- Is Toyota’s warranty better than rivals?
- What warranty applies to Toyota hybrid batteries?
- Are Toyota Genuine Accessories covered under warranty?
- Does commercial use of a Toyota affect the warranty?
- Which Toyota vehicles have a warranty?
- What items are specifically covered under warranty?
- Which components are not covered?
- Can Toyota’s warranty be extended?
How long is Toyota’s warranty in Australia?
New Toyota SUVs, utes and cars sold in Australia come with what the brand calls Toyota Warranty Advantage. This is a five year, unlimited kilometre warranty.
However, if you use the vehicle for commercial purposes, Toyota’s warranty is a more limited five years or 160,000km – whichever comes first.
Toyota implemented a five year warranty later than some rivals, instating the current warranty for vehicles delivered after 1 January 2019.
On the most basic level, the Toyota warranty means that any defect of any component on the car manufactured or supplied by Toyota that arises due to poor workmanship or poor materials will be rectified at Toyota’s cost.
If a defect arises that is covered under the Toyota warranty, Toyota may also cover expenses relating to the need to tow the vehicle for maintenance, and the cost of car hire during the intervening maintenance period.
Can I transfer my Toyota warranty to new owners?
Yes. If there is any time left on your Toyota warranty when you sell the car, the remainder of the warranty will transfer to the new owner. For example, if you sell your Toyota after four years, there would still be one year of warranty coverage remaining for the new owner.
Do you have to take any steps to keep your Toyota warranty?
Toyota says that the warranty remains valid if you operate, maintain and care for the car properly, in accordance with the instructions found in the Owner’s Manual, and the Warranty and Service Book.
However, there are many activities that can render the warranty invalid – these are covered in our next section.
What sort of defects and damage are not covered under the Toyota warranty?
Toyota says that their new vehicle warranty will not apply if the following occurs:
- Damage caused by modifications carried out at a non-Toyota repairer
- Failures in non-genuine parts and accessories or and damage and or failures caused by such failures
- Formal or informal competitive events, such as racing
- Off-road use where the vehicle was not designed for that purpose
- Water ingress from floods or deep-water fording
- Overloading (loading beyond permissible loads covered in the vehicle’s Owner’s Manual)
- Damage caused by improper adjustment, repair or tampering by a non-Toyota repairer
- Failures that Toyota reasonably considers result from your failure to operate, maintain and care for your Toyota properly, in accordance with the instructions in the Owner’s Manual and Warranty and Service Book (including failure to complete applicable scheduled servicing and maintenance)
- Failure or defect arising in any Toyota vehicle, Genuine Part or Accessory caused by fitment of a non-Toyota Genuine Part/Accessory or faulty workmanship by a non-authorised Toyota service technician
- Scratches or surface rust caused by normal wear and tear, including but not limited to stone or other chips in paint
Do I have to have the car serviced at a Toyota dealer to maintain the warranty?
No. Toyota does not require owners to have the vehicle serviced with a Toyota dealer to maintain the validity of the warranty, although it is recommended.
Toyota says that the “best way” to maintain the vehicle is through a Toyota dealer.
Is Toyota’s warranty better than competing brands?
Toyota’s five year, unlimited kilometre warranty is par for the course for new car warranties in Australia.
Five year warranties were once considered above and beyond, but this is now offered by Toyota rivals like Hyundai, Mazda, and Volkswagen.
Other rivals, like Kia, offer longer seven year, unlimited kilometre warranties, while Mitsubishi currently offer a ten year warranty on new vehicle purchases.
What warranty applies to Toyota hybrid batteries?
Toyota’s standard five year, unlimited kilometre warranty applies to its popular hybrid cars in Australia.
However, the specific component of the hybrid battery can be covered for up to ten years with unlimited kilometres, but there are extra steps you have to take to secure this additional hybrid battery warranty.
At the five year mark, the vehicle must be presented to a Toyota dealer for an Annual Hybrid Health Check. This check extends the hybrid battery warranty by 12 months, up to a grand total of ten years from the date of registration.
Note that the extendable hybrid battery warranty is not available for vehicles used for a commercial purpose, such as taxis, hire vehicles or ride share.
This extra hybrid battery coverage applies to all Toyota hybrids sold in Australia, including:
- Yaris Hybrid
- Corolla Hybrid
- Camry Hybrid
- Yaris Cross Hybrid
- C-HR Hybrid
- RAV4 Hybrid
- Prius and Prius V
Are Toyota genuine accessories covered under warranty?
Yes. Toyota Genuine Parts and Toyota Genuine Accessories fitted to a Toyota purchased on or after 1 January 2019 are covered by the new car warranty.
Or, if there is less than two years remaining on the new car warranty, then the Toyota Genuine Parts or Toyota Genuine Accessories carry their own warranty of two years after installation – whichever is greater.
For Toyota Genuine Accessories or Toyota Genuine Parts that are purchased from a Toyota dealer but are not fitted by that Toyota dealer, a standard warranty of two years from the date of purchase applies.
However, note that failure or defect arising in any Toyota Genuine Part or Toyota Genuine Accessory caused by fitment of a non-Toyota Genuine Part/Accessory, or faulty workmanship by a non-authorised Toyota service technician, will not be covered under warranty.
Does using a Toyota for commercial use affect the warranty?
Yes. If you use a Toyota vehicle for commercial purposes, the warranty is five years or 160,000 kilometres – whichever comes first.
This limitation works out to an average of 32,000km per year in kilometres travelled. That compares to five years and unlimited kilometres for Toyotas used for private purposes.
Commercial use means things like using a car as a taxi, hire vehicle, rideshare vehicle, or courier vehicle.
Which Toyota vehicles have a warranty in Australia?
All vehicles Toyota sells in Australia have a warranty of five years with unlimited kilometres, or the first of five years or 160,000km if the vehicle is used for commercial purposes. These warranties include:
- Yaris hatch
- Yaris GR hot hatch
- Corolla hatch and Corolla sedan
- Camry sedan
- Prius and Prius V
- 86 coupe
- GR Supra coupe
- Yaris Cross small SUV
- C-HR small SUV
- RAV4 midsize SUV
- Kluger large SUV
- Fortuner 4×4
- Land Cruiser 200 Series 4×4
- Land Cruiser Prado 4×4
- HiLux ute
- Land Cruiser 70 Series
- Granvia van
- HiAce van
- Coaster bus
What items are specifically covered by the Toyota warranty?
Toyota’s warranty specifically covers the following components:
- Engine / hybrid system
- Driveline
- Vehicle (bumper to bumper)
- Hybrid vehicle battery
- Perforation (rust through panel) – seven years of coverage
- Utility deck panels (paint or surface rust) – one year or 20,000km of coverage
- Auxiliary 12-volt battery – two years of coverage
- Fitted genuine parts and accessories
- Towing and loan vehicle
Which components are not covered under Toyota’s warranty?
The Toyota five year warranty specifically does not cover tyres.
Can Toyota’s warranty be extended?
Some Toyota components can have their warranty coverage extended if you follow the instructions in the Owner’s Manual, as well as the instructions in the Warranty and Service Book:
- Engine / hybrid system: extendable to seven years and unlimited kilometres
- Driveline: extendable to seven years and unlimited kilometres
- Towing and loan vehicle: extendable to seven years and unlimited kilometres
- Hybrid battery: extendable to ten years and unlimited kilometres with annual hybrid health checks at and after five years have elapsed
- Perforation: review with dealer
Disclaimer: This information was obtained in March 2021 from the Toyota Australia website. While all steps have been taken to ensure this information is accurate and current, we do not guarantee it. Chasing Cars accepts no liability for this information and recommends you obtain legal advice specific to your individual circumstances before entering into any contracts for the purchase of property or obtaining of finance.
