Ceramic Coating & PPF Guide: Compare
Ceramic Coating Warranties Explained
Coating offers often lead with a number of years, and many buyers read that number as a guarantee. It usually isn't. The years describe how long a product is rated to last with proper care, and any warranty is a separate written promise with its own conditions.
This guide explains the difference, who can stand behind a coating, what the fine print usually covers and excludes, and what federal warranty law says about labels like full and limited, and about lifetime claims.
The short answer
A ceramic coating warranty is a written promise, from the coating maker, the installer or both, that covers specific failures such as the coating losing its hydrophobic behavior early, as long as you follow the maintenance rules. Most exclude rock chips, scratches, water spot etching, accidents and improper washing. The rated years on the bottle are not a warranty by themselves. Always ask for the written document before you pay.
Key points
- Rated durability (1, 3 or 5 years) describes a product with proper care; a warranty is a separate written document with conditions.
- A warranty can come from the manufacturer, the installer, or both, and each covers different things.
- Nearly every coating warranty excludes physical damage: chips, scratches, dings and etching from droppings or minerals.
- Maintenance requirements, such as pH-neutral washing and periodic inspections, are the most common reason claims are denied.
- Under federal law, a lifetime claim must say whose lifetime it measures, and a full warranty can't demand a registration card.
Years vs warranty
Rated Years Are Not the Same as a Warranty
When a coating is sold as a 1-year, 3-year or 5-year product, that figure is the manufacturer's rated durability under good conditions and proper maintenance. IGL's data sheet for Ecocoat Kenzo, for example, says improvements in water slip, chemical resistance and durability allow the coating to last up to 5 years. Up to is the important part: it is a ceiling, not a floor.
A warranty is something else: a written statement of what will be done, by whom, if the product fails in a defined way within a defined time. It names covered failures, exclusions, your obligations and how to make a claim. If you cannot read those things on paper, you do not have a warranty, you have a sales claim.
IGL itself advises buyers to be wary of exaggerated longevity claims and notes that real-world conditions, maintenance and exposure affect a coating's durability. That is a good frame for reading any coating offer.
Who backs it
Manufacturer Warranty vs Installer Warranty
- Manufacturer warranty
- Issued by the company that makes the coating. It typically concerns the product itself: whether the coating performs as described when applied correctly and maintained. Some makers only issue warranties through trained or certified installers, and some require registration of the installation. Terms vary by product, so read the actual document for your coating.
- Installer warranty
- Issued by the shop. It may cover workmanship, such as high spots or missed panels found soon after pickup, and the shop's own promises about follow-up. It is only as good as the business behind it, and it often has stricter maintenance rules than a manufacturer's.
- Third-party or dealer plans
- Sometimes sold with a new car as a protection plan. These are service contracts with their own terms and claim processes, not the coating maker's warranty. Read who administers it and what it pays for. Dealer protection packages
At The Auto Show, the years quoted for IGL Kenzo, Quartz+ and EZ are each product's rated durability with proper maintenance. Warranty terms, where they apply, come from IGL; ask us for the current document for your coating.
Coverage
What Coating Warranties Usually Cover
Coverage is typically narrow and tied to the coating's chemistry. The most common covered problem is premature loss of the coating's protective properties: the paint stops beading or sheeting water well before the rated time, even though it has been washed and maintained as instructed.
Some documents also mention gloss loss, oxidation or UV fading of the paint under the coating. Read these lines carefully. Often the remedy is reapplying or topping up the coating on the affected panels, not repainting the car, and there may be a requirement that the shop inspect it first.
Workmanship issues, such as a streak or high spot that shows up in the first days, are usually handled by the installer rather than the manufacturer. A good shop will tell you how long you have to report those and what they will do.
Exclusions
What Is Almost Always Excluded
- Rock chips, scratches, swirls, door dings and any physical impact. A coating is not impact protection.
- Etching from bird droppings, bug splatter, tree sap and acid rain left on the paint too long.
- Water spots and mineral etching, especially from sprinklers and well water left to dry in the sun.
- Damage from brush-style automatic washes, harsh degreasers, strong acids or alkaline cleaners.
- Collision damage, repaints and body repairs (the repaired panel no longer has the original coating).
- Defects in the paint itself, such as clear coat failure, that existed before or developed under the coating.
- Missed maintenance or inspections required by the document.
Your side
The Maintenance Rules That Keep a Warranty Valid
Most claims that get denied fail on maintenance, not chemistry. The rules usually start with how you wash. IGL's data sheets for Kenzo, Quartz+ and EZ say coated surfaces should be cleaned with cleaners in the pH range of 3 to 9, and that strong acids or alkalis should be avoided. During the 3 to 5 day cure, the sheets say not to wash with harsh shampoos, all-purpose cleaners or anything containing caustic soda; plain water is fine if needed.
Some warranties also require periodic inspections or maintenance visits. If yours does, put the dates in your calendar on the day you pick up the car and keep the receipts. A dated record of hand washes, products used and inspections is your best evidence if you ever need to make a claim.
Keep the paperwork
Save the invoice, the product name, the install date and any registration confirmation in one place, with photos of the car at pickup.
Wash the way the document says
Hand wash with a pH-neutral shampoo, avoid brush washes and dry with clean microfiber. Keep a simple log or receipts.
Book required inspections on time
If yearly inspections are a condition, missing one can void the coverage even if everything else was done right.
Report problems early
If beading drops off sharply on one panel, take photos and contact the installer right away rather than waiting for it to spread.
The law
What Federal Warranty Law Says
The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act sets basic rules for written warranties on consumer products. The Federal Trade Commission's guide to the law explains that a written warranty is either full or limited. A full warranty has to meet several standards: it must be free, cover any later owner during the warranty period, and offer a replacement or refund if repairs fail. If any of those conditions isn't met, the warranty is limited, and most coating warranties fall into that category.
The FTC also says that if a warranty is advertised as lifetime, the ad should tell you which life it means: the product, the car or the original buyer. It notes that requiring customers to return a registration card is not allowed in a full warranty, and that a warranty generally can't require you to use a specific brand of product or service to keep coverage unless that item is provided free. These are general rules; the specific document controls the details.
Before you pay
Questions to Ask About Any Coating Warranty
- Who issues the warranty: the manufacturer, the shop, or both? Can I see the document now?
- Is it full or limited, and how long does it run from the install date?
- What exactly counts as a failure, and how is that measured?
- What maintenance and inspections are required, and what do they cost?
- Does coverage transfer if I sell the car?
- What is the remedy: reapplication, partial refund, or something else?
- How do I make a claim, and how quickly do I need to report a problem?
Ask Us for the Paperwork First
Before you book a coating, we'll walk you through which IGL product fits, its rated durability, the care it needs and any IGL warranty terms that apply. Read it at home before you decide.
Common questions
Does a ceramic coating warranty cover rock chips?
Almost never. Coating warranties are written around the coating's chemical performance, such as water beading and resistance to fading, not physical damage. Rock chips, scratches and dings are standard exclusions because a thin coating cannot stop an impact. If chips are your worry, paint protection film on the front end is the product designed for that.
Can a car wash void my ceramic coating warranty?
It can. Many documents exclude damage from brush-style automatic washes and harsh chemicals, and some require hand washing with pH-neutral products. IGL's data sheets recommend cleaners in the pH 3 to 9 range and warn against strong acids and alkalis. Check your document's washing rules before using any automatic wash.
Is a ceramic coating warranty transferable if I sell the car?
It depends entirely on the document. Some transfer to the next owner, sometimes with a form or fee; others end when you sell. Under federal law, a warranty labeled full must cover later owners during the warranty period, which is one reason most coating warranties are labeled limited. Ask before you buy if resale matters to you.
What should I do if my coating stops beading early?
First, wash and decontaminate the panel. Road film and mineral buildup can mask a healthy coating. If beading is still weak, photograph it, gather your wash records and contact the installer. They can inspect it, check whether a topper or decontamination restores it, and start any warranty process that applies.
Why are lifetime coating warranties a red flag?
Coatings wear with washing, UV and heat, so a lifetime claim deserves close reading. The FTC says lifetime warranties should state whose life they measure. Some such offers only stay valid with paid yearly reapplications or inspections. Read the conditions and add up those costs before you compare prices.
Keep reading
Sources
- Businessperson's Guide to Federal Warranty Law, Federal Trade Commission (https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/businesspersons-guide-federal-warranty-law), accessed October 2026
- Technical Data Sheet: IGL Coatings Ecocoat Kenzo (material no. 154303), IGL Coatings (https://iglcoatings.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/tds_ecocoat_kenzo_154303.pdf), accessed October 2026
- Technical Data Sheet: IGL Coatings Ecocoat Quartz+ (material no. 154310), IGL Coatings (https://iglcoatings.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/tds_ecocoat_quartz_154310.pdf), accessed October 2026
- Technical Data Sheet: IGL Coatings Ecocoat EZ (material no. 154325), IGL Coatings (https://iglcoatings.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/tds_ecocoat_ez_154325.pdf), accessed October 2026
- Why Choose IGL Kenzo for Cars, IGL Coatings blog (https://blog.iglcoatings.com/choose-igl-kenzo-for-cars/), accessed October 2026
Prices on this page are The Auto Show’s published starting prices and are confirmed after we inspect the vehicle. Product ratings and warranty terms come from the manufacturers.