Extended warranty....Endurance refusing to pay

General Discussion
41

1 star

Very frustrating experience with Endurance. We purchased their Platinum vehicle service contract expecting transmission protection. When our 2020 Ford Explorer transmission failed, Endurance directed us to Consumer Care Direct (CCD) to handle the claim.

The process became increasingly difficult as they requested more information and additional inspection of the transmission. Endurance/CCD required our repair shop to open and completely disassemble what had been a factory-sealed automatic transmission. After the transmission was taken apart, they denied the claim based on damaged internal clutch material.

Our repair shop explained in writing that the burned clutch material was not the root cause. Their findings stated that an internal hydraulic/application failure caused loss of clutch pressure, slippage, extreme heat, burned clutches and steel plates, contamination, and complete transmission failure. The clutch damage was consequential damage from the underlying transmission failure.

Despite that explanation, Endurance/CCD focused on the excluded clutch material and did not address the documented cause. Their required teardown also left us with a disassembled transmission that cannot simply be returned to service, forcing us to face the cost of replacement while the claim remains denied.

The claims team repeatedly writes, “What can we do to help?” In our experience, this was window dressing. We contacted them, explained the situation, and provided the requested information, but the people answering the phone could not change anything or meaningfully address the claim.

I would genuinely like to know whether anyone has posted that Endurance asked them to make contact, they did so, and the problem was actually resolved. Our experience was that the invitation did not lead to meaningful help.

We are now dealing with repair costs, rental-car expenses, and an unusable vehicle after paying for a service contract that was supposed to provide protection. The claims process has been slow, stressful, and unreasonable. Carefully review the exclusions and claims process before purchasing.

42

Yup!

Their commercials, just like the commercials for the other extended warranty companies, state that you “will never have to pay for a COVERED repair”. People seem to ignore the key word, “covered”, and assume (incorrectly) that any mechanical/electrical/electronic issue will be covered for them.

The devil is in the details, and too many people fail to find out the details as to what is actually “covered”.

43

This is why I would NEVER consider buying a 3rd-party extended auto warranty

44

Easiest solution: don’t buy an extended warranty. Problems like this are common.

45

I’ve never ever bought one and never will

46

Just got a letter from them today. I might be a fool but i have standards.

47

I got an unsolicited offer for a Dodge extended warranty when my van reached the end of the factory warranty. The cost per year was about $1,300. Over the years on all my cars, I have had to replace water pumps and alternators, which might have been covered. Other wise everything else was routine maintenance which is not covered. The finances just do not make sense. If I bank what I would pay in premiums, I could even cover maintenance. For me the extended warranties are a non starter

48

Six years ago I traded my 2015 Elantra for a 2010 Accord. Difference $ between the two less than $4,000.

My dealer rep said the bank “wouldn’t finance such a small amount”, and I was walked over to another desk in the showroom, where I was convinced to add two programs - a bumper-to-bumper supplemental warranty similar to Endurance’s, and a lifetime tire and oil program, totalling $6,000 - on top of the $4,000 the Accord would have cost me to drive it away with the dealer’s 1 year warranty.

Words to the wise: Threaten to walk if the above happens to you, otherwise, have the cash ready to pay the balance for the vehicle you are trying to get into.