BMW Warranty Check By VIN: How To Verify Your Vehicle's Coverage

Buying a used BMW and want to confirm it still has warranty coverage before purchasing? Did you recently purchase a pre-owned BMW and need to check the warranty status? Using your BMW’s unique 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), you can easily look up important warranty details in just a few minutes.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll outline the quick and simple steps to check your BMW warranty coverage by VIN. You’ll learn how long different BMW warranty types last, how to find your VIN, and where to check your warranty status both online and at your local BMW dealer. Let’s get started!

Why Check BMW Warranty Coverage?

There are a few key reasons you’ll want to verify the warranty status on a BMW before buying it or if you already own it:

Protect Yourself Before Buying a Used BMW: One of the main reasons to check is so you don’t get stuck paying for expensive repairs that should be covered. By confirming the warranty details upfront, you’ll have peace of mind knowing which components are protected.
See What’s Still Covered if You Already Own It: If you recently bought a used BMW from a private party or dealer, you’ll want to verify which warranty plans are still active. This allows you to take full advantage of any remaining coverage.
Avoid Unexpected Repair Bills: BMW maintenance and repairs can be costly without a warranty. Knowing your coverage status lets you plan ahead and budget for upcoming maintenance.
Resale Value: Down the road when you go to sell your BMW, you can provide the warranty details to future buyers. Remaining coverage adds resale value.

Without the warranty coverage, many BMW owners end up paying thousands of dollars for expensive transmission, engine, electrical, and emissions repairs. Checking the warranty by VIN provides assurance that costly components like the engine, drivetrain, steering, emissions systems, and electronics are protected.

Length of BMW Factory Warranty Coverage

Before checking your specific VIN, it helps to understand the different BMW factory warranty options and their standard length of coverage:

New Vehicle Limited Warranty: This bumper-to-bumper warranty covers all components except normal wear parts like brake pads and wiper blades. It lasts for 4 years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Rust Perforation and Corrosion Warranty: Covers any sheet metal that rusts through from the inside out for up to 12 years with unlimited mileage.
Federal Emissions Warranty: Certain emissions components are covered for 2 years or 24,000 miles and up to 8 years or 80,000 miles for more expensive parts.
Certified Pre-Owned Warranty: BMW CPO models less than 6 years old get an additional 1 year with unlimited miles when bought at a BMW dealer.
BMW Maintenance Program: Covers scheduled maintenance services for the first 3 years or 36,000 miles.

In addition to the factory warranties, you can purchase extra coverage with BMW’s extended warranty plans:

BMW Extended Vehicle Protection: Adds up to 6 more years or 100,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage.
BMW Inspection Service: Covers oil changes and inspections for 1 year after the initial 4 year/50,000 mile warranty.
BMW Maintenance Program Upgrade: Extends scheduled maintenance to 6 years and 100,000 miles.

Having a general idea of the different BMW warranty options will help you understand what coverage should still be active when you check by VIN. Next let’s go over how to find your unique VIN.

Locating Your BMW’s Unique VIN

Your BMW’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a unique 17-character alphanumeric code assigned to your vehicle. This number is stamped in several locations and serves as your BMW’s fingerprint. It’s what allows BMW and its dealers to decode the vehicle’s history, specifications, and warranty details.

Here are the main locations to find your BMW’s VIN:

Driver’s Side Dashboard: When sitting in the driver’s seat, look at the corner where the dashboard meets the windshield. You’ll notice the VIN is printed on a metallic plate and is visible through the windshield.
Driver’s Door Jamb: Open the driver’s door and look around the door jamb for a sticker with the VIN.
Vehicle Registration: Your VIN is listed on your vehicle registration and title documents.
Insurance Documents: Insurance cards also have the VIN printed on them.

Some other less common spots to find the VIN include:

Front radiator support
Engine block
Trunk lid or latch

When selling or buying a used BMW, double check that the VINs match on both the physical vehicle and all documentation for validation.

Now that you know where to find your BMW VIN, let’s go over the steps to look up the warranty details.

Checking BMW Warranty Online by VIN

The quickest and easiest way to check the warranty coverage on your BMW is to use the official BMW USA website. Just follow these simple steps:

Go to https://www.bmwusa.com/
Enter your 17-digit VIN and click “Search VIN”.
The site will display your vehicle’s production date, model, chassis, powertrain, and other details.
Scroll down to the “Warranty” section. This will list:
- Start date of your original 4 year/50,000 mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty
- Expiration date when the original warranty ends
- Current mileage registered on your vehicle
- Specific BMW warranty plans that are still active
You can print or save this page for your records.

Checking online is quick, convenient, and the best way to get up-to-date information on your BMW warranty coverage right from BMW headquarters. Everything provided comes straight from the BMW databases and is more accurate than a dealer manually looking up your VIN.

Verifying BMW Warranty at Local Dealer

You can also check your BMW warranty status by calling your local BMW dealership and providing the VIN. Here’s the process:

Locate your nearest BMW dealer and call the service department. Let them know you’d like to check if your BMW is still under warranty.
Provide the service advisor with your 17-digit VIN. They will input this into their system to pull up the warranty details.
The dealer will check their central BMW warranty database and let you know:
- If the original 4 year/50,000 mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty is still active
- Expiration date of the original warranty
- Any extended warranty plans you may have purchased
- Remaining time/miles for certified pre-owned coverage
Request a printout for your records and future reference.

Some buyers feel more comfortable having their local BMW dealership verify the warranty in person rather than checking online. Connecting with a service advisor allows you to get clarification on any warranty specifics. You can also ask them to run a full vehicle history report for further peace of mind.

Keep in mind that dealerships charge a small fee (usually around $50) to look up and provide a print out of your BMW warranty status. Checking online using the steps above allows you to avoid this cost.

What’s Covered Under BMW Warranty Plans?

Now that you know how to check your BMW warranty by VIN, you’re probably wondering what exactly is covered under the different warranty plans.

Here’s an overview of what main components are included:

New Vehicle Limited Warranty

Covers any factory defects for 4 years/50,000 miles on all parts except:

Normal wear items: wiper blades, brake pads, clutch linings
Adjustments: wheel alignment, tire balancing
12V battery
Paint, trim, and rust protection

Certified Pre-Owned Warranty

Extends bumper-to-bumper coverage for 1 additional year with unlimited miles on CPO models. Same exclusions apply.

Rust Perforation and Corrosion Warranty

Protects against rust that perforates any original body panel or structure. Lasts for 12 years with unlimited miles. Does not cover cosmetic surface corrosion.

Federal Emissions Warranty

Major emissions components covered for 8 years/80,000 miles including catalytic converter, engine control module, and on board diagnostics.

BMW Maintenance Program

Covers all scheduled maintenance outlined in the service manual for 3 years/36,000 miles including:

Oil and filter changes
Brake fluid flush
Spark plug replacement
Vehicle check and standard scopes

The BMW Maintenance Program Upgrade extends this coverage to 6 years/100,00 miles.

BMW Extended Vehicle Protection Plans

These add additional years of bumper-to-bumper coverage beyond the original 4 year/50,000 mile warranty. Covered components are the same as the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.

Term options are 1 year/75,000 miles up to 6 years/100,000 miles after the original warranty expires. Deductibles and plan costs vary.

Tips for Checking BMW CPO Warranty

For Certified Pre-Owned BMW models, the process to check warranty details is mostly the same. Here are some tips specific to CPO warranty verification:

Confirm the car is a Certified Pre-Owned BMW. It will have CPO branding and the dealer inspection checklist.
The original New Vehicle Limited Warranty must be active. CPO adds 1 year after it expires.
Check both the original warranty expiration and the extra CPO coverage end date.
BMW CPO warranty is only valid at franchised BMW dealers, not independent shops.
BMW CPO models must pass a rigorous inspection and have no prior engine, transmission, or frame damage.

Purchasing a BMW CPO provides peace of mind with the extended 1 year unlimited mileage warranty coverage. Just be diligent in checking the warranty details of any CPO vehicle.

Check Your BMW Warranty Status Today

Having a clear picture of your BMW’s warranty coverage is important for all owners, especially when buying used. The last thing you want is expensive repair bills for components that should be covered.

Using the simple steps above, you can check your BMW warranty online or with your local dealer using the VIN. This allows you to verify your coverage status, understand what’s included, and gives you confidence that hidden issues won’t end up costing you down the road.

So don’t delay – look up your BMW warranty by VIN today for peace of mind! Driving a BMW is all about performance and excitement, not worrying about warranties. Follow our guide and spend more time enjoying the shear driving pleasure of The Ultimate Driving MachineTM.