Pre-Delivery Inspections

Have you ever wondered what an RV dealership has to do once a new RV arrives at the lot? They do a “Pre-Delivery Inspection”. So, what is a Pre-Delivery Inspection?

Well, unbeknownst to most customers it’s really normal for a camper to leave the manufacturer not completely ready for the customer. Frequently campers come in with incorrect wiring, waterlines reversed (cold going to hot), trim not secured properly, bad soldering, or just plain missing items. This is why the manufacturer of every travel trailer, 5th wheel and motor coach pay the dealer to have their technicians do an inspection before the unit is delivered to the customer. This inspection is called a Pre-Delivery Inspection. Also known as a “PDI”.

Every technician has a different routine for performing their inspections. When I was completing these inspections it would take me an average of about 4 hours to complete an inspection on a single camper. Here is a general list of what a technician will inspect and fix a part of a PDI.

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Exterior Checklist

• Tire pressure
• Torque lug nuts to specified torque
• Connect RV to 110 power cord
• Install propane tanks and battery
• Test the power converter to ensure it’s charging the battery properly.
• Test the running lights of the trailer including: marker lights, brake lights, and turn signals.
• Test the exterior lights on the camper: the porch light, awning lights, front cap lights, and front-end work lights.
• The technician will lube the all the locks on the camper. This includes: compartment doors, outside kitchen door, and entrance door locks. This helps them operate much smoother.
• Inspect seals on the sides of the camper. This includes: corners, all protrusions, above windows, doors, etc. Installing silicone where needed.
• On the roof, inspect all protrusions. Ensure roof caulk is installed properly. The technician will repair if needed.
• Inspect roof for any abrasions or installation problems. Repairing where needed.
• Inspect water inlets and gate valves.
• Under the camper the tech will look for any obvious flaws. Shut all the valves including gate valves, low point drains and freshwater tank.
• While under under the camper the technician will lube and operate the stabilizer jacks to ensure they work smoothly.
• The technician will open and inspect the back side of the refrigerator and the water heater and install the water heater drain plug.
• Fill all the water tanks to be sure the monitor system is working properly.
• If the RV is a motorized unit the RV technician will test all fluids, inspect the engine compartment, and engine battery.
• Service techs also run the generator (if there is one) and check the the oil levels.

Interior Checklist

The technician will test all of the systems of your RV including.

• Gas pressure test. This will ensure there are no gas leaks.
• Operate the stove top and oven.
• Operate the furnace to ensure the furnace and the thermostat work properly.
• Operate the refrigerator on gas and electric.
• Test the air conditioner(s), and inspect the air filter.
• Water system test. This means filling the water system with water including the water heater to inspect for leaks and check water pressure.
• The technician will also check all the faucets and shower to ensure that they are working properly (hot is hot, etc.)
• Inspect the monitor system and tanks. Including gate valves.
• Operate water heater on gas and electric.
• Depending on the time of year, drain the water system and winterize if necessary.
• The service technician will also inspect the flooring to ensure that there are no issues with the floor, linoleum, or carpet.
• The RV tech will inspect the walls and all the trim to be sure the baton tape and strips are secured properly over the seams, on the walls, cabinetry, and ceiling.
• Inspect all cabinetry to ensure that all cabinet doors and drawers work smoothly and stay latched.
• Inspect all wood trim to ensure it is attached properly and is not damaged. They will also fill with wood putty any holes.
• Often there are putty holes that were missed during manufacturing and the service techs will putty those as well.
• Operate and inspect the slide rooms to be sure they are properly installed and that the seals are working correctly.
• Test all the 110 Outlets and interior lights with a voltage meter.
• Operate the radio and DVD player.
• Test all the TVs that the camper came with.
• The technician will also check all curtains and decoration items to make sure that they are working and don’t have any tears or anything else wrong with them.
• One of the last things the service technician will do is sit in each room and look around the room to see if there’s anything that isn’t as it should be.

Finishing Touches

Once the service technician is finished with a camper most RV dealers have a cleaning crew that will come through and clean the inside of the camper wiping out the drawers removing building debris. The crew will also wash the windows and usually mop the floor.

Finally, once all the checks are complete the camper is washed and brought to the show the area for the customer.

Happy Camping!