Chevrolet Certified Pre-Owned: How GM Certified (CarBravo) Works

Chevy certified pre-owned vehicles are now sold through CarBravo, GM's certified used program for Chevrolet, Buick and GMC. A CarBravo-labeled vehicle gets a multi-point inspection, completed safety recalls, a 12-month/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty that starts after any remaining factory coverage, and a 10-day/500-mile exchange.

By CarWhere Research · Updated November 3, 2026

GM certified used tiers at a glance

GM certified used vehicle labels and the limited warranty each carries
Label	Warranty	When it starts
CarBravo	12-month/12,000-mile Bumper-to-Bumper Limited Warranty	After any remaining original factory warranty expires
BravoBudget	30-day/1,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty	At purchase

CarBravo disclosure, read November 3, 2026. “Whichever comes first” applies to time and mileage. Non-GM vehicles sold in California get a separate vehicle service contract instead.

What you get with a CarBravo vehicle

Multi-point inspection by a GM Certified Service technician (engine, transmission, tires and more) and a vehicle history review.
All open safety recalls completed before the vehicle is listed or sold — GM still recommends checking recall status yourself.
A free vehicle history report.
Roadside assistance and courtesy transportation for the duration of the CarBravo limited warranty.
A 10-day/500-mile vehicle exchange for another CarBravo vehicle.
Trials: 1 month of OnStar safety services and 3 months of SiriusXM; GM Rewards points at participating dealers.

Before you buy, run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup and our Chevy years-to-avoid pages (Silverado, Tahoe, Equinox, Traverse and more) for model-year problem patterns.

How the warranty stacks with Chevy factory coverage

New Chevrolets carry a 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain limited warranty. A two-year-old certified Chevy with 24,000 miles still has the rest of that factory coverage; the CarBravo 12-month/12,000-mile coverage then picks up when the factory bumper-to-bumper warranty ends.

Example: coverage on a CarBravo-certified Chevrolet bought at 2 years and 24,000 miles
Coverage	Ends at (whichever first)
Factory bumper-to-bumper (3 yr / 36,000 mi)	3 years from original sale or 36,000 miles
CarBravo bumper-to-bumper (12 mo / 12,000 mi)	12 months or 12,000 miles after the factory coverage ends
Factory powertrain (5 yr / 60,000 mi)	5 years from original sale or 60,000 miles

Illustrative example; confirm original in-service date and terms in the warranty booklet for the vehicle.

Is Chevy certified pre-owned worth it?

The certification premium buys a dealer inspection, completed recalls and a year of extra coverage. Whether that is worth the extra money depends on the gap to comparable non-certified cars — see is certified pre-owned worth it? and CarWhere's CPO premium study. Cadillac shoppers should read Cadillac certified pre-owned, which works differently.

Looking at a certified Chevy? Check the factory build too

Certification covers condition and warranty, not whether the truck or SUV has the packages the listing claims. Check the exact factory options of the vehicle before you buy. Enter the VIN on the Chevrolet build sheet page: the availability check is free, and you pay $9.99 only if build data exists. You get the factory-ordered option (RPO) codes on record for that VIN.

Chevrolet build sheet by VIN

Free availability check first · $9.99 one-time only if build data exists for the VIN · shows the factory-ordered option (RPO) codes on record, not every code on the glovebox label · no subscription

FAQ

What is Chevy certified pre-owned?

Chevrolet’s certified used vehicles are sold through CarBravo, GM’s certified used program — chevrolet.com’s Certified Used Vehicles page points shoppers there. CarBravo vehicles are inspected by GM Certified Service technicians, have open safety recalls completed before sale, and come with a GM-backed limited warranty.

What warranty does a GM certified (CarBravo) vehicle get?

Per CarBravo’s current disclosure (updated February 2026), a vehicle labeled CarBravo gets a 12-month/12,000-mile Bumper-to-Bumper Limited Warranty that begins when any remaining original factory warranty expires. Vehicles labeled BravoBudget get a 30-day/1,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty instead.

What is the difference between CarBravo and BravoBudget?

Both are sold by GM dealers under the CarBravo brand. CarBravo-labeled vehicles get the 12-month/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper coverage; BravoBudget-labeled vehicles — typically older or higher-mileage — get a 30-day/1,000-mile powertrain warranty. GM says warranty coverage is based on the vehicle’s age and mileage, so check the label on the specific car.

Can I return a GM certified used car?

CarBravo offers a vehicle exchange: bring the vehicle back within 10 days or 500 miles and exchange it for another CarBravo vehicle, per carbravo.com. It is an exchange, not a cash refund; see the participating dealer for conditions.

Is GMC certified pre-owned the same program?

Yes. Chevrolet, Buick and GMC certified used vehicles are all sold under GM’s CarBravo program. Cadillac runs its own Certified Pre-Owned program with a 172-point inspection and a 1-year/unlimited-mile limited warranty after the factory warranty ends.

Sources

Chevrolet — Certified Used Vehicles (chevrolet.com) — points to CarBravo; recall policy
CarBravo — home (carbravo.com) — standard limited warranty, 10-day/500-mile exchange, inspection, 3,800 service centers
CarBravo — Ownership benefits (carbravo.com) — warranty disclosure (updated Feb 2026), roadside, courtesy transportation, vehicle history report, trials
Cadillac — Certified Pre-Owned (cadillac.com) — for the Cadillac comparison

Program terms are from chevrolet.com and carbravo.com, read on November 3, 2026; CarBravo's warranty disclosure is labeled as updated February 2026. Terms can change — the warranty booklet and dealer paperwork for the specific vehicle govern.