When you purchase a new set of brake pads with a lifetime guarantee, the guarantee is on just that – the brake pads themselves. In most cases, it only means that the manufacturer or shop that sold you the warranty will give you the new brake pads free of charge when you bring them your worn out set.

“If you drive a Chevrolet, you know that any GM-brand dealer will take care of warranty repairs without paperwork, deductibles or exclusions. The same goes for Cadillac, GMC and Buick owners. The warranty is in force no matter who owns the vehicle, so there’s no need to transfer coverage.

A lifetime warranty is usually a warranty against defects in materials and workmanship that has no time limit to make a claim, rather than a warranty that the product will perform for the lifetime of the buyer. If a product has been discontinued and is no longer available, the warranty may last a limited period longer.

When your warranty company refuses to honor the terms of a warranty, you may have a claim for breach of contract. The amount allowed in small claims varies from state to state, but for most products, you can sue in small claims court.

Breach of warranty is the violation of an express or implied contract of warranty, and thus it is a breach of contract. In other words, it occurs when the warrantor fails to provide the assurance warranted. A seller can expressly or implicitly assure the buyer about the quality or title of an item sold.

(2) The measure of damages for breach of warranty is the difference at the time and place of acceptance between the value of the goodsaccepted and the value they would have had if they had been as warranted, unless special circumstances show proximate damages of a different amount.

When a Breach of Warranty Occurs Give them a reasonable chance to make necessary repairs or replace the defective product. Thirty days to accomplish this is usually considered reasonable. If they fail to do so, it’s time to think about filing in small claims court.