Track days are fun. Tons of fun. Enough fun to drive sales of sports cars specifically engineered to go around race tracks. It’s what makes the marketing material for these cars appeal to the gearhead. Fun on a track, fun on a curvy back road. But before you go out and track your car, read the fine print on your warranty. Because not all car warranties are created equal, even if track use is part of the car’s intended purpose.

For example, the 2023 Toyota GR86 is marketed as an affordable sports car, that’s also great on a race track. Toyota even throws in a free track day with every new one! But strangely, the warranty on a new GR86 won’t be honored if the car suffers mechanical damage at a track day. Toyota isn’t the only manufacturer to take this stance either. If you’re looking to track your car, here’s what you should know about your warranty first, because even something as simple as swapping out OEM tires for stickier rubber could void it.

Related: What You Need To Know Before Your First Track Day

Toyota GR86 Engines Have A Fatal Design Flaw Not Covered By Warranty

There have been at least two highly-publicized instances of Toyota GR86 owners suffering catastrophic engine failure in their cars, where track day use/autocross use was a part of the equation. In the first instance, owner Blake Alvarado was denied warranty coverage when his engine blew up a few days after auto crossing it, when the dealership found pictures of him competing on track. Toyota faced a ton of backlash for denying the warranty and later backtracked on their decision, eventually covering the cost of replacing the engine for the owner.

In a more recent instance, another owner suffered a full engine failure on warm up laps at a local track day event. He was also denied warranty coverage on the grounds that the car was on a race track and was thus out of the scope of warranty. There’s been no update for this owner as yet, and he may be out-of-pocket for over $13,000 for a new engine!

Notably, there have been other mentions of the Toyota GR86/Subaru BRZ engine having a potential design flaw. It’s commonly known as the RTV issue, referring to the sealant material used in Subaru gaskets, which can flake off and enter the lubrication system, leading to full engine failure. Neither Toyota nor Subaru have addressed the issue yet, through any statements, warranty amendments, or recall.

Related: 10 Glaring Problems With Toyota No One Talks About

Toyota GR Warranty Covers Track Day Use… With Exceptions

2023 Toyota GR Corolla Circuit Edition, A Powerful 3-Cylinder Hot hatch
Toyota

Funny enough, the Toyota GR Yaris sold internationally does come with a warranty that isn’t limited to just road usage. The standard warranty of 5-years/100,000 miles says that the usage of the car for track days or similar events does not invalidate the warranty. Further, any potential failure at a track day is not specifically excluded, and any defect will be fixed under the warranty. The exclusion in this case is for modifications or usage of non-approved performance enhancements, neglect or misuse.

In America, the Toyota GR86 has a basic warranty of 36-months/36,000-miles which covers any defects in materials or workmanship of any Toyota part, while the powertrain warranty of 60-months/60,000-miles covers the engine, transmission and transaxles.

In both cases, the cars were new, low-mileage, and inside the warranty period, with no obvious signs of over-revving, “money shifts”, or abuse. But the warranty also explicitly states that it does not cover failure or damage resulting directly from abuse or negligence, or misuse — specifying racing or overloading.

Thankfully, with the much-awaited 2023 Toyota GR Corolla, the company seems to have taken a more reasonable stance. Given the hot hatch’s pedigree, Toyota says it will cover responsible driving at track days, specifying that taking part in instructional track events organized by Toyota would not void the warranty. At the moment, it’s unclear whether this extends to non-company organized track day events as well.

Related: Why The Toyota GR Corolla Production Increase Should Worry The 2023 Honda Civic Type R

Racing Will Void Your Car’s Warranty, But Track Days May Not

Chevrolet Corvette C8 Z06 Front View 2023
Chevrolet

What most manufacturers do state clearly in their warranties, whether it’s a sports car from Porsche or supercar from Ferrari, is that racing is a strict no-no. Any sort of competitive race at a racetrack, autocross track, or time-trial seems to fall in this risky no-warranty coverage zone. This is a fair rule in a warranty, as racing generally holds a much higher risk of damage or failure given the nature of the sport, not to mention that there are other vehicles involved, sometimes in close proximity.

On the other hand, manufacturers of high-performance cars aimed at track day enthusiasts will usually honor the warranty for all kinds of track day events, if a defect in the materials or workmanship causes failure or damage.

The caveat here is usually that these high-dollar cars must be inspected pre-track day by a certified technician to the company’s standards, and be cleared for track use. Similarly, inspections must be carried out post-track use to ensure wear is within spec and won’t cause unforeseen damage down the line. Companies like McLaren, for example, will even send technicians out to oversee your time on track and provide mechanical support. All at a cost, of course.

Related: Ranking The Most Important Features Of A Great Track Day Car

Which New Car Warranties Cover Track Driving?

Hyundai i30 N
Via: Hyundai

Fortunately, you don’t have to spring for a new McLaren for the privilege of getting a car with a track-friendly warranty package. Chevrolet offers track day warranty coverage for certain Camaro and Corvette models, such as those that come from factory with track-ready chassis, suspension and brakes. The Corvette C7 and Corvette C8 appear to be covered, as well as Camaro SS, ZL1 and any 1LE-pack model. Ford says any Mustang, whether it’s an EcoBoost model, or a GT, is covered under the standard warranty even with race track use, as long as the vehicle wasn’t being raced. Hyundai offers a full warranty coverage on the Hyundai i20 N and i30 N, even when the usage extends to the race track, which is a big win for the Koreans.

On the other hand, the insane Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye, purpose-built for drag racing, can’t actually be drag raced within the warranty. Dodge goes a step further to clarify that even defects found as a result of participating in timed drag events won’t be covered. Bummer. Even Porsche warranties don’t cover race track usage all the time, but do allow for track-usage exceptions to be decided on a case-to-case basis.

Related: Hyundai’s New ADAS Will Make You Look Like A Pro On Your Next Track Day

Precautions Before You Take Your Car To A Track

Car's Brake Pads Replacement
Via Brembo

The best advice anyone can give you before a track day, in whatever car you have, is to do your homework. This includes reading the fine print of your car’s warranty, speaking to the dealership, preparing your car, and preventative maintenance in the way of oil inspections, brake pad inspections and a general tightening of bolts that may have shaken loose over the course of regular driving.

It pays to pay special attention to the fine print of your car’s warranty with respect to tires. Most warranties are void the moment stock tires are swapped out for racing slicks, or even high-performance tires, considering how much higher loads the tires will then subject the entire car to, from its suspension to cooling system. And in the worst case of failure/damage at a race track, maybe take a page from the book of track day enthusiasts from before social media and YouTube, and don’t post videos from the track!