Pre-trip RV inspection

Before every departure, without exception

These five take a few minutes and prevent the failures that end trips on the first day. None of them require tools beyond a tyre gauge.

Tyres deserve particular emphasis. RV tyres frequently fail from age and from under-inflation rather than from tread wear, and a tyre that looks fine can be years past its service life. The date code on the sidewall tells you its age; the placard tells you the correct pressure for your loaded weight.

• Tyre pressure on every tyre including the spare, checked cold, against the placard — not against the number on the tyre
• Tyre age from the sidewall date code, and a look for sidewall cracking
• All slides fully retracted and their seals seated, with nothing trapped
• All jacks and stabilizers fully up, and the system reporting travel-ready
• Steps retracted, antenna down, hatches and compartment doors latched, and the shore cord stowed

Roof and seals — scale this to how long since you last looked

Roof sealant is a consumable and it fails gradually at penetrations rather than suddenly in the middle. A pre-trip look is worth doing whenever the RV has been stored, has been under trees, or has taken hail.

If the roof is not rated to walk on, or if you have ever found a soft spot, inspect from a ladder at the edge rather than going up. A roof with wet decking will not reliably hold you.

• Sealant at every roof penetration — vents, air conditioner, refrigerator vent, antenna, skylights
• The air-conditioner mounting gasket, which compresses over time and is a common leak path
• Slide-out top wipers and bulb seals for cracking, gaps and permanent compression
• Window and door frame sealant on the sidewalls

Systems that fail quietly in storage

Things that worked when you parked frequently do not work when you return, and the pattern is predictable. Batteries self-discharge and sulphate, fuel degrades, and insects nest in exactly the vents that matter.

The furnace and water heater exterior vents are worth a look from outside specifically because mud daubers and wasps build in them during the months those appliances are unused. Looking is an owner task; clearing a combustion path is not.

• Battery state of charge, and terminals clean and tight
• Run the generator under a real load for long enough to reach operating temperature
• Look at the furnace and water heater exterior vents for nests or obstruction
• Confirm the water heater bypass is in the run position if the RV was winterised
• Test the propane, carbon-monoxide and smoke alarms, and check their expiry dates

What to have a technician check before a long trip

Some pre-trip items are genuinely not owner tasks, and a pre-departure service visit is much cheaper than the same failure four hundred miles from home.

Propane system integrity, brake and bearing service on towables, and the combustion appliances after a long layup are the three that most reward a professional look before a big trip rather than after a breakdown.

• A propane leak test on the system, not just at the tank
• Wheel bearings and brakes on a towable, on the manufacturer’s service interval
• Combustion appliances — furnace and water heater — after any extended layup
• Any fault code that appeared last season and was never resolved

Common questions

How old is too old for an RV tyre?

Age matters independently of tread, because the rubber degrades whether or not the RV is driven. Manufacturers publish their own service-life guidance and it varies, so use the figure for your specific tyres rather than a general rule — but the date code on the sidewall is the number to look at, and a tyre with plenty of tread can still be past it.

Do I really need to check tyre pressure every trip?

Yes, and cold — before driving, not at a fuel stop. RV tyres run at much higher pressures than car tyres and a significant loss is not visible by eye. Under-inflation is the leading contributor to the blowouts that cause real damage, and the check takes a couple of minutes.

What is the most commonly missed pre-trip item?

The air-conditioner mounting gasket on the roof. It compresses over years, it is invisible from inside, and it sits over a large opening in the roof. It causes leaks that owners then spend a long time attributing to vents or seams.

How far ahead should I book a pre-trip service?

Further than feels necessary, because everyone else wants theirs at the same time. Spring is the peak for pre-season service and reported wait times at dealerships can run to weeks. Booking before the season rather than at the start of it is the practical difference between leaving on time and not.