Evans Halshaw Extended Warranty – Gearbox Bearing Claim Advice Needed

Markb06

Hi,

Apologies if this is in the wrong place. 

I’m looking for some proper advice on how to approach this. Not the usual “warranties aren’t worth it” comments, please.

I’ve got a 2019 Ford Focus bought from Evans Halshaw in March 2025 with around 59,900 miles on it. I also took out their 36-month extended warranty at the time. The car’s now on about 64,500 miles.

A few weeks ago, I noticed a whining noise between 30–40 mph. Evans Halshaw have looked at it and said it’s likely a gearbox bearing issue. They’ve removed the gearbox and confirmed it needs a transmission bearing. I’ve been quoted around £1,800 in total, roughly £1,000 for parts and labour, plus another £800 or so for the gearbox removal and inspection.

The service advisor said he’ll “ask the question” about warranty cover. The extended warranty paperwork clearly lists gearbox bearings as covered. The car was last serviced by Evans Halshaw in February, and I’ve since had a new oil and filter done there again in October out of my own pocket. I also have a service plan in place to keep maintenance up to date.

I’ve only had the car just over 7 months and driven about 4,600 miles in that time. It’s been properly maintained and the fault was reported as soon as I noticed it.

My concern is that they might try to label it as wear and tear, which I don’t think is fair given the short ownership and low mileage.

So I’m hoping for advice from people who’ve actually dealt with Evans Halshaw warranty claims, especially:

Has anyone had a gearbox or transmission repair successfully approved under their extended warranty?

If they reject it, what’s the best process to appeal through Evans Halshaw directly or the Motor Ombudsman?

If I have to pay for the repair upfront (to get the car back) and then win the appeal, am I entitled to recover the full cost and any small interest from a short-term loan I’ve taken to cover it?

I’m not looking to bash the warranty. I just want some straight, constructive advice from people who’ve been through the same process.

Thanks in advance.

jimjames

There isn't anything in a service that would impact the gearbox assuming it's not an automatic so that shouldn't have an impact. Most gearboxes are sealed for life so aren't part of the service regime unless it's something like a DSG. It would certainly sound like it should be covered although 60k miles in 6 years isn't really low mileage as it's 10k pa on average.