Toyota Relax, a ground-breaking new Toyota warranty launched on 1 June 2021, gives Toyota owners 12 months/10,000 miles’ cover for their vehicle each time they have it serviced at an official Toyota centre. The warranty is automatically applied and there is no extra cost to the customer.

The service-activated Toyota warranty can continue until the vehicle reaches 10 years or has covered 100,000 miles. All Toyota models qualify as long the age and mileage criteria are met, including passenger cars and light commercial vans and pick-ups.

They do not have to have been purchased from a Toyota centre – second, third and even fourth-hand vehicles traded privately or from other outlets are eligible. Adding a manufacturer warranty will also add to the appeal of a vehicle on the pre-owned market.

The protection also applies to every type of powertrain, from market-leading hybrids and conventional petrol and diesel models to advanced new battery electric vehicles.

Here, we answer key questions about the new Toyota Relax warranty programme. If you require further information, please let us know in the comments below.

What is Toyota Relax, the new Toyota warranty?

From 1 June 2021, Toyota is changing its warranty programme. All new Toyota vehicles will be sold with a three-year/60,000-mile manufacturer’s warranty as standard. At the same time, Toyota Relax will be made available to all Toyota owners, when they have their vehicle serviced at an official Toyota centre.

How do I get Toyota Relax?

There are no complex formalities. The Relax warranty is automatically activated on the completion of a scheduled full or interim vehicle service at an official Toyota centre. By keeping to their vehicle’s service schedule, customers can extend their Relax warranty by an extra 12 months/10,000 miles, year after year, until the 10-year/100,000-mile limit is reached.

How does the new Toyota Relax warranty work?

The Relax warranty operates in the same way as the manufacturer’s warranties provided on new and approved used Toyota vehicles. Cover is automatic when the vehicle undergoes a scheduled full or interim service and effective from that date for 12 months or 10,000 miles – whichever is soonest. On vehicles that have service intervals every two years, the cover is for 24 months/20,000 miles.

There are no forms to sign to obtain the warranty cover and the customer does not have to keep or present any policy documents should they need to make a claim. The warranty status of their vehicle is recorded in the details of their vehicle held by the Toyota network and is noted on the service invoice raised by the centre.

This central record means that a vehicle’s warranty will be recognised at any official Toyota centre, should customers move or choose to have their car serviced at a different location.

Following completion of a service where their vehicle qualifies for the Relax warranty, customers will be sent a confirmation email by their centre (subject to them providing an email address for contact).

If a vehicle requires work to be done under warranty, the customer contacts their local Toyota centre in the first instance. They will be able to confirm the Relax warranty status on receiving details of the vehicle.

Which cars are eligible for the new Toyota warranty?

It’s a comprehensive programme that applies to all Toyota passenger cars, Toyota Professional light commercial vans and pick-ups and the latest Toyota GR performance models.

Likewise, there are no exclusions where powertrains are concerned, with the same level of cover provided for hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles and the Mirai hydrogen fuel cell saloon, as well as for models with petrol and diesel internal combustion engines.

Eligible vehicles range from cars just completing the period of their new vehicle warranty, to high-mileage models that have passed through multiple ownerships and have no prior Toyota service history.

What’s covered and what’s not covered by Toyota Relax?

This new Toyota warranty covers the same parts and labour as the three-year manufacturer’s warranty provided on new Toyota vehicles and the one-year manufacturer warranty that’s standard with approved used vehicles.

It does not include wear and tear items, bodywork, paint, interior trims and maintenance parts. A vehicle health check is part of the service package, which includes all mechanical and electronic parts, which helps potential problems to be detected at an early stage. Any existing defects present at the time of service are excluded from the warranty.

Full terms and conditions can be downloaded from toyota.co.uk (near the bottom of that article).

Although the warranty cover is uniform, different types of vehicle owner will have a different customer experience:

New Toyota vehicles

Customers with new vehicles will have a three-year/60,000-mile manufacturer’s warranty in place, or, for Toyotas ordered prior to 1 June 2021, a five-year/100,000-mile warranty. At the final scheduled service prior to the completion of the warranty period, their vehicle will automatically benefit from the Relax 12-month/10,000-mile warranty. For vehicles with a two-year service schedule, a 24-month/20,000-mile warranty will automatically be activated. The warranty will be renewed at each successive service at an official Toyota centre, until the 10 years/100,000 miles limit is reached.

Approved used Toyota vehicles

Customers with approved used vehicles purchased from the Toyota network will have a 12-month warranty with unlimited mileage, plus one year’s AA roadside assistance cover providing breakdown and recovery services at the customer’s home or roadside. At the final scheduled service prior to the end of the warranty, a 12-month/10,000-mile or 24-month/20,000-mile Relax warranty will be automatically provided for their vehicle.

Used Toyota vehicles

Customers with used vehicles purchased outside the Toyota network enjoy the same Relax benefit. If their car is a Toyota less than five years old, its original manufacturer’s warranty will still be effective; five years on from the date of its first registration, it automatically qualifies for the Toyota Relax warranty, when serviced at a Toyota centre.

‘Lapsed’ and new customers

Lapsed and new customers who have previously chosen to have their vehicle serviced outside the Toyota network can also take advantage of Relax. There is no requirement for a vehicle to have a history of servicing at an official centre in order to qualify for the warranty; it will be applied from the date the vehicle is serviced at a Toyota centre, instantly increasing the value of their car.

If owners are concerned about potentially having to pay for significant repairs when bringing their vehicle to a centre for service for the first time, Toyota’s Drive Now, Pay Later scheme is available to spread costs over a suitable period of time (terms and conditions apply, see toyota.co.uk for details).

Toyota customers with service plans

Customers who have a service plan for their vehicle face no additional costs or changes to the terms of their plan. The Relax warranty will be an additional, added-value benefit when they next have their vehicle serviced.

Toyota warranty and hybrid vehicles

For customers with hybrid vehicles, the Hybrid Health Check forms part of the scheduled servicing. The Relax warranty includes cover for the hybrid battery and components for up to 10 years/100,000 miles. After this time, customers can still extend the cover for up to 15 years with a stand-alone scheduled Hybrid Health Check.

What happens if I take my car to a different Toyota centre for service? How do I prove there is an active Toyota warranty on my vehicle from another centre?

All Toyota centres will be able to access all active Relax contracts. Any necessary warranty work can also be undertaken at any official Toyota dealer.

If I bought a used Toyota, how can I find out if there is an active warranty on it?

Centres will be able to confirm this and can advise on the details and terms of the cover.

How is Toyota Relax cover activated?

If the vehicle is eligible, warranty activation is processed automatically by Toyota. The customer doesn’t have do anything.

What does the Toyota warranty cover?

The Relax warranty provides the same cover as the manufacturer’s warranty. Likewise, it does not cover wear and tear items. Full terms and conditions are provided at toyota.co.uk/relax. Local centres will also provide information.

What is the process for making a warranty claim?

If a vehicle requires work under warranty, customers should contact their local centre for advice and make a booking for the necessary repairs to be made.

I have purchased a vehicle with a three-year manufacturer’s warranty. When does it become eligible for Toyota Relax?

Vehicles purchased on or after 1 June 2021 are covered by a manufacturer’s warranty for three years. The Toyota Relax benefits can be enjoyed following a service when the warranty expires.

I have a three-year-old Toyota with an active five-year warranty. Will Toyota Relax affect this cover?

The vehicle will still be covered by the original warranty period, with no impact from the introduction of Toyota Relax. Once the warranty period expires, the benefits of Toyota Relax can be enjoyed, following a service.

I recently purchased a used car from a Toyota centre. When will it be eligible for Toyota Relax?

Used cars purchased through the centre network are covered by a 12 months/unlimited mileage warranty. Toyota Relax benefits can be enjoyed when the car is brought in for its next scheduled service.

I already have an extended warranty. Can I swap onto Relax?

Yes, you can cancel a Toyota extended warranty policy and receive a pro-rata refund, provided you haven’t made a claim. Once that is cancelled, you’ll then need to have a service to activate Relax. It may be better to wait until your next service is due! If you purchased an extended warranty through a Toyota centre, the terms and conditions for cancellation may be different.

Can I purchase Toyota Relax cover?

No, the warranty is automatically activated following the completion of a full or interim service.

Does Relax apply to light commercial vehicles and business vehicles?

Yes, it applies to all Toyota vehicles.

Is a Hybrid Health Check still available to extend my Toyota vehicle’s hybrid battery cover?

The Hybrid Health Check is included as part of the service on vehicles less than 10 years old or having less than 100,000 miles on the clock. When a Toyota Relax warranty contract is activated, it will include the hybrid battery cover. When the vehicle is no longer eligible for Relax, warranty cover on the hybrid battery and components can be extended through a stand-alone Hybrid Health Check, up to the vehicle reaching 15 years from the date of first registration.

My vehicle’s service schedule is every two years? How does this affect the Relax warranty?

Where scheduled maintenance is every two years, a Relax contract will automatically be activated and cover the vehicle for two years/20,000 miles until the next service is due.

Will I receive confirmation that my vehicle is covered by Toyota Relax?

Centres will advise customers if their vehicle is eligible for Toyota Relax. When a service has been completed and the warranty contract has been active, customers will receive a follow-up email. Further questions arising can be answered by the centre.

Does the introduction of Toyota Relax affect the service plan I’ve purchased for my vehicle?

Customers with a service plan now get more for their money when their vehicle is eligible for a Relax warranty, receiving an extra year’s warranty for their vehicle when it is serviced, up to 10 years or 100,000 miles.

If my vehicle is nine years and 364 days old on the day of service, will a Toyota Relax contract be activated and will it expire the next day?

A full contract will be activated every time an eligible vehicle is serviced. In this example the vehicle will be covered until one day before the 11th anniversary of its first date of registration.

Can I transfer the Toyota Relax warranty to a new owner if I sell my vehicle?

If a vehicle is sold, the new owner inherits the benefits and can continue to extend the warranty by maintaining it at a Toyota centre. The warranty cover applies only to the serviced vehicle and cannot be transferred to another vehicle.

Will the Toyota Relax warranty cover expire if I am late booking my vehicle’s next service?

The vehicle must be serviced before the Relax warranty expires to activate a new contract and maintain the cover. Local centres can provide further advice and help book your next service.

I own a GR Yaris with a GR Yaris Track Warranty. If I drive my car on track, will this affect my Toyota Relax cover?

Driving the GR Yaris on track would not invalidate the warranty, but terms and conditions still apply. The vehicle can be covered by both the track and Toyota Relax warranties.

The warranty cover on my approved used Toyota includes one year’s AA roadside assistance cover. Is this available with Toyota Relax?

Roadside cover is not included in the Toyota or Lexus Relax warranty but can be purchased separately if required. The warranty is exceptional value, being provided at no extra cost to the customer beyond the menu pricing of their vehicle’s service.

Are there other benefits to using Toyota centres?

In addition to the Relax warranty, servicing at a Toyota centre provides other significant benefits to customers. Work is carried out by qualified Toyota technicians, using Toyota-approved parts to ensure optimum performance.

Workshop teams are fully equipped and trained work on all the technologies featured in Toyota vehicles, including electrified powertrains and advanced handling and safety systems. Pricing is transparent with a service menu price guarantee for the scheduled servicing requirements for each model.

Toyota customer-focused approach includes an online service booking facility at the customer’s preferred centre. Centres will also make servicing as convenient as possible, with collection and delivery, courtesy cars and while-you-wait servicing options.

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