Multi-Point Inspection Checklist
A free vehicle inspection checklist for auto shops. Mark 30 checks OK, Soon or Now, write down the tire and brake readings, and list the work you recommend with a price.
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View full pageWhat's on this checklist
- Your shop details and logo, the date, work order number and technician
- Customer and vehicle, with VIN, plate and mileage
- 30 checks in four groups (under the hood, under the car, outside and inside, tires and brakes), each with OK, Soon and Now boxes
- A battery test line: cold cranking amps tested and rated
- Readings for each wheel: tread depth, tire pressure found and set, and brake pad thickness
- "What we found and recommend": priority, item, estimated price and what the customer said
- Inspected-by and date lines
How to fill it in
- Add your shop details and logo, then save it as your master copy.
- Start one when the car comes in, and copy the work order number onto it.
- Go through each group and tick OK, Soon or Now. Leave the boxes empty for anything you didn't check.
- Write the readings for each wheel. Pressure found is what the tire had; pressure set is what you filled it to.
- List every Soon and Now item under "What we found and recommend", with a price.
- Go over it with the customer and write what they said: yes, later or no.
- Sign it, give the customer a copy, and keep the Soon items for their next visit.
OK, Soon and Now
Three levels are easier for a customer to read than a page of notes. Now means it needs work today, Soon means plan for it, and OK means it was checked and is fine. The levels are words, not colors, so the form reads the same from a black and white printer.
In the sample, the shop finds three Now items (front brakes, the check engine light and a cracked belt) and three Soon items (rear pads at 4 mm, a dirty cabin filter and a windshield chip). The Now items become the estimate and the belt approval on the work order. The Soon items go on the invoice under "Recommended for your next visit".
Questions
- Is this a state safety or emissions inspection form?
- No. It's the shop's own inspection, the kind many shops do with an oil change or a repair. State inspections have their own forms and rules. Check your state's motor vehicle or environmental agency.
- Should I charge for it?
- That's up to you. Many shops do a quick one free with every service, because it finds work the customer needs. Some charge for a full inspection, such as a pre-purchase check.
- Can I use it for fleet vehicles or a used car check?
- Yes. For a fleet, put the fleet manager in the customer box and the unit number with the plate. For a used car check, leave the price column empty if you aren't quoting the work.
- What do the tire readings mean?
- Tread depth is in 32nds of an inch, measured in the main grooves. Pressure found is what the tire had when the car came in. Pressure set is what you filled it to, from the sticker on the driver's door jamb.
- What's the battery test line for?
- A battery tester shows cold cranking amps (CCA). Write what the battery tested at and what it's rated for, which is printed on its label. A battery that tests well under its rating is one to watch.