RV Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) Checklist for Dealerships

Pre-delivery inspection is the last checkpoint before a brand-new unit becomes a customer's problem instead of the dealership's problem. Do it right and the customer drives away with a rig that works, no comeback next week, no warranty claim on something that should have been caught on the lot. Do it as a rushed signature on a form nobody actually read, and you are trading a few minutes of tech time today for a service bay appointment, an unhappy customer, and a hit to your CSI scores next month.

I have been the technician standing in a hot lot trying to get a unit through PDI before a delivery appointment that was scheduled too tight to begin with. This is the system-by-system checklist I use, plus the process pieces that keep it consistent across every technician on your team, not just your best one.

Exterior and Seals

Walk the full exterior before anything else. Check every compartment door for proper latch engagement, gasket seating, and alignment. Panel gaps that were fine at the factory sometimes shift during transport. Inspect every window and door seal for gaps or incomplete adhesion. Check exterior lighting: marker lights, tail lights, brake lights, turn signals, and backup lights if equipped. Verify the entry door seals fully and the deadbolt and step operate correctly. Check the exterior graphics and gelcoat or fiberglass finish for transport damage, since scuffs and scrapes picked up on the trip from the manufacturer are far easier to address before delivery than after the customer notices them at home.

Roof

Get on the roof on every single unit. Do not skip this because the unit is new. Check every seam and penetration: vent pipes, antenna base, air conditioner curbs, and the front and rear cap transitions. New sealant should be uniform, fully adhered, and free of gaps or voids left by a rushed factory application. Confirm the air conditioner shroud is seated and secured and that the roof membrane has no shipping damage from low clearances or debris. Operate every roof vent and confirm the crank mechanism moves smoothly and the vent lid seats and latches correctly.

Slide-Outs

Extend and retract every slide-out at least twice, not once. A single cycle can mask an intermittent issue that shows up on the second or third try, which is exactly the kind of thing a customer discovers a week after delivery. Listen for grinding, popping, or motor strain. Check that the slide seats evenly with no visible racking and that the wiper seals and any slide topper make full contact with no gaps. With the slide extended, check the interior floor transition for flex or misalignment, and confirm the slide-out room's interior trim and cabinetry are secure and undamaged from transit.

Propane System: Leak-Down Test and Appliances

This is not optional and it is not a step to rush. Perform a proper leak-down test on the propane system before lighting a single appliance. Pressurize the system, isolate it, and confirm the pressure holds over the manufacturer's specified test duration. If you carry a manometer, verify second-stage regulator output at approximately 11 inches water column. Follow the pressure test with an electronic combustible gas detector at every fitting and connection, tank to appliance, even after a passing pressure test, since a slow leak at a single fitting can still pass a system-level pressure check depending on test duration.

Once the system is confirmed leak-free, light and run every gas appliance: cooktop burners (check for even blue flame with minimal yellow tipping), oven, furnace, water heater on gas mode, and the refrigerator on gas mode. Confirm the LP detector is installed, mounted within 12 inches of the floor, and tests correctly using its test button.

12V/120V Electrical and Converter

On the 12V side, check resting battery voltage and confirm it is within the expected range for how the unit has been stored and charged. With shore power connected, verify converter output at the battery terminals falls within the expected charging profile for that converter, and check every 12V circuit: interior and exterior lighting, vent fans, slide and awning motors if 12V-operated, and USB or accessory outlets.

On the 120V side, inspect the shore power inlet and cord for any transport damage. Open the breaker panel and confirm breaker sizing matches the circuits they protect, with no loose connections. Test every outlet with a three-light circuit tester for open ground, reversed polarity, and open neutral, and test every GFCI outlet using both the built-in test button and your tester. If the unit has a generator, start it, let it warm up, and check output voltage under a real load such as the air conditioner.

Plumbing: Fresh, Grey, and Black

Fill the fresh water tank and pressurize the system using the onboard pump. Run every hot and cold fixture, flush every toilet, and run the shower, checking drain speed at each fixture as you go. Watch the pump for cycling once the system reaches pressure. A pump that will not shut off and hold pressure means a leak somewhere in the system, and you need to find it before delivery, not have the customer find it in their driveway.

Check under every sink and around every fixture connection while water is running. Verify tank level monitor accuracy for fresh, grey, and black by comparing sensor readings to actual fill level. Confirm low-point drains and any winterization valves are fully closed and not weeping. Check that the black tank flush, if equipped, operates and that all drain valve handles move freely and seal fully when closed.

Water Heater

Run the water heater on every mode it supports (gas, electric, or both on a dual-element unit) and confirm hot water delivery at multiple fixtures, not just the closest one to the tank. Check the temperature and pressure relief valve for proper seating and confirm the discharge tube routes to the exterior. Inspect the burner compartment and exhaust for obstruction and confirm the access door and screen are secure.

Furnace

Run the furnace through at least two full cycles. Listen for a clean ignition sequence: fan pre-purge, ignitor, gas valve opening, and steady burn, with no delayed ignition or repeated ignition attempts. Confirm return air is unobstructed and that ducted units deliver warm air to every register. Check the exterior exhaust and intake for any shipping debris or obstruction.

Air Conditioning

Run every air conditioning unit for a minimum of ten minutes each. Measure supply and return air temperature to confirm an adequate split, and listen for unusual noise or vibration that could indicate a mounting or fan issue introduced during transport. Confirm the thermostat controls the correct unit in multi-zone configurations, since miswired zone control is a real and common PDI catch on units with more than one air conditioner.

Awning

Extend and retract the awning fully, checking the fabric for shipping creases that have not relaxed, proper tension, and smooth operation of the arms. If it is motorized, confirm the motor runs smoothly in both directions and that any wind sensor or automatic retraction feature, if equipped, is functioning. Check the awning rail and end caps for secure mounting.

Chassis and Running Gear

For towables, check tire pressure and condition on every tire including the spare, torque lug nuts to specification, and confirm wheel bearings show no play and no unusual noise when spun. Inspect the hitch or coupler, safety chains, and breakaway switch, and confirm the breakaway system actually applies the brakes when tested. Check leveling jacks or stabilizers for smooth operation. For motorized units, check all fluid levels, confirm the leveling system cycles correctly, and verify the chassis battery and house battery systems are isolated and charging correctly.

Interior and Safety Devices

Test the smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector, and LP detector, and confirm manufacture dates are current rather than sitting on the shelf since before assembly. Verify the fire extinguisher is charged, in the green zone, and properly mounted. Operate the emergency egress window and confirm it opens fully without tools. Walk every cabinet, drawer, and piece of furniture hardware to confirm nothing loosened in transit, and check all entertainment and appliance systems (television, stereo, microwave, refrigerator on both AC and gas modes) for basic function.

Documentation and the Delivery Walkthrough

A PDI that is not documented might as well not have happened if a dispute comes up later. Record what was tested, what passed, and what was corrected before delivery, ideally with photos attached to each system, the same way you would document a customer-facing inspection. Pull the VIN tag data (VIN, GVWR, CCC, axle count, tire specifications) into the record so the delivery paperwork matches the actual unit rather than the order sheet. Then use that same documentation as the backbone of the delivery walkthrough: showing the customer that the awning, slide-outs, water heater, and furnace all work in front of them, using your PDI findings as the script, turns the walkthrough from a rushed feature tour into a demonstration of thoroughness that reduces the odds of a comeback call.

Running This Checklist Consistently Across Every Tech

A checklist only protects the dealership if every technician runs it the same way, every time, regardless of how busy the lot is or how close the delivery appointment is. A few things make that consistency realistic instead of aspirational.

• Use one standardized digital template, not a paper form or a spreadsheet that varies by tech. When every technician works from the same structured list of inspection points, a manager can spot-check completed PDIs and immediately see what was actually tested, not just a signature at the bottom of a page.
• Build the checklist so it cannot be signed off with gaps. If a technician can complete a PDI in the system without addressing every point, some technicians will find that shortcut on a busy Friday. A template that requires a status on every item is the difference between a checklist and a formality.
• Review a sample of completed PDIs regularly, not just when something goes wrong. Spot-checking completed inspections against the photos and notes attached tells you quickly whether a tech is actually testing every system or just clicking through.
• Keep the record with the unit, not with the individual technician. If a customer calls back with an issue, whoever picks up the phone should be able to pull the PDI record for that specific unit immediately, see what was tested, and know whether the issue was present at delivery or developed afterward.

This is exactly the gap that purpose-built dealership inspection software is meant to close. WanderWise RV Reports handles this with custom templates and team collaboration with smart locking, so two technicians can work the same unit without overwriting each other's findings, and every completed PDI is stored against the unit with photos and a timestamped record you can pull up the moment a customer calls. If you want the full list of inspection points a template like this should include, from appended tags and the propane system through slide-out and motorhome-specific components, our inspection points reference lays out the complete structure by system.

PDI is not the fun part of the delivery process. It does not get mentioned when a customer posts a glowing review, and it rarely gets credit when everything goes right. But it is the difference between a delivery day that builds trust and one that starts the customer relationship with a comeback appointment. Run it the same way, on every unit, every time, and it will quietly protect your CSI scores and your service department's schedule far more than any amount of damage control after the fact.