Ensure safety and quality for vehicles with digital and PDF vehicle inspection forms and checklist.
This vehicle inspection checklist template can be used by an authorized inspector to identify defects and mechanical issues for most vehicles. Begin by capturing general information of the vehicle including and take a photo of the general condition of the vehicle.
With this comprehensive vehicle checklist form, you can inspect the following aspects of any vehicle:
After accomplishing your checklist, you can then create a report in PDF or weblink formats for easy sharing and storing.
Powered by
A vehicle inspection form is a document detailing a vehicle’s condition, primarily to ensure its operability. This document is used both in verifying a vehicle’s roadworthiness and as a guide for drivers, mechanics, and safety officers in performing regular vehicle inspections.
Road safety is a major concern for everyone on the road, as unexpected vehicle accidents and issues can result in injuries, fatalities, and significant property damage. To help mitigate risks, having and using a vehicle inspection checklist has become important before, during, and after a vehicle is used.
With a vehicle inspection checklist suited to your needs, you not only reduce the risk of accidents but also:
Having a dedicated vehicle inspection form for assessments can also make it easier to track and record changes and issues, as everything will be documented in one place. With a digital checklist, you can store all findings in the cloud, making it easy to access anytime and anywhere.
A vehicle inspection checklist is used to evaluate a vehicle’s working condition, and sometimes for a Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR). The basic aspects of a car that needs to be inspected and included in your vehicle inspection checklist include:
However, there are also some areas or items in the vehicle that should be inspected daily, below are some areas that should be included in a vehicle inspection checklist:
Use an oil dipstick to determine where the level is at, and if you should refill. Ensuring that engine oil is at the right level mitigates the risk of overheating which can result in costly repairs. It’s also one of the effective ways to maintain your engine and keep it engine healthy.
Check tires visually before use and see if they are properly inflated because incorrect tire inflation may cause excessive wear or damage to the part. Also, look out for any signs of damage and unusual wear. Checking these daily does not only ensure safety on the road but also prolongs the life of your vehicle.
Check if the headlights, tail lights, and signal lights are all in proper working condition. This is crucial as some of these lights ensure the vehicle’s visibility to other drivers and these are especially important in situations with low visibility.
Confirm if horn works as it helps avoid collisions or other forms of accidents by making other drivers and pedestrians aware that a vehicle is nearby. If the horn isn’t functioning properly, try to investigate further since it can be a case of a bum horn or a poor ground connection.
Ensure that there is enough water in the wiper system and check the blades regularly to keep windshield glass free of obstruction. Wiper blades do wear over time so if blades are cracked, worn, or otherwise damaged they should be repaired or replaced as necessary.
Make sure that vehicle documents are stored safely in the glovebox so they are easily retrievable whenever needed. Ensure that your license plate is clean, not obscured nor obstructed—this is to avoid license plates being deemed illegible and needing to be replaced altogether.
Examine engine noises as these are a great early indicator of potential bigger issues in a vehicle. Some of the common causes of abnormal engine noises include improper timing, incorrect octane, or lean air/fuel ratio. If knocking or tapping is noticed from a cold start then it could be an indicator of a serious defect.
Scan the vehicle’s vicinity and check whether there are any leaks in or around it. The color and location of the leak can help diagnose the problem.
To identify mechanical issues or defects and ensure that vehicles are in good working condition, here’s a quick guide on how to use a comprehensive vehicle inspection form for regular assessments:
Here is a sample vehicle inspection form in use for reference:
This checklist for vehicle inspection is printable and can be used in both PDF and digital formats.
A vehicle inspection checklist is crucial for maintaining safety standards, identifying potential issues, and ensuring compliance with legal requirements. By enumerating all the items to check, this form helps ensure that inspectors won’t miss any necessary areas that need assessment. It also helps prevent accidents, breakdowns, and costly repairs.
Vehicle inspection checklists are used by various individuals and organizations, including drivers, vehicle owners, mechanics, fleet managers, and regulatory authorities.
While a vehicle inspection can be both quick and short, as well as extensive and time-consuming, a multi-point inspection exclusively refers to a thorough and comprehensive assessment of a vehicle’s condition. For example, since a daily vehicle inspection checklist is designed to be used every day, it is acceptable to cover only a few key areas; most of them concerning safety. Multi-point inspections, however, assess the vehicle in its entirety. This can be quite time-consuming which is why they are fewer and farther between.
Consider going digital with your vehicle inspection checklist. One such digital platform you can use is SafetyCulture, a mobile-ready operations, auditing, and checklist platform. With its smart forms, offline support, and real-time data, this is the perfect tool for conducting vehicle inspections.
As an operations platform, SafetyCulture also allows you to do the following:
A heavy vehicle inspection checklist can be used to inspect commercial vehicles for roadworthiness prior to long haul commercial trips. Regular heavy vehicle inspections can prepare your business for regulatory inspections. Conduct a walk-around of the truck making sure to inspect the general condition of the vehicle, exterior, in-cab and engine compartment.
Inspection template Powered byA company vehicle pre commissioning checklist can be used before purchasing a vehicle for work. Capture registration and photos of the vehicle intended to be purchased. Ensure the vehicle is fit for purpose and all registration, permits and licences have been sought. Check that relevant safety and training practices are in progress. You can modify this template for your workplace and pre-approval requirements.
Inspection template Powered byVehicle inspectors and vehicle maintenance personnel can use this daily vehicle inspection checklist or car inspection checklist to assess the condition of a vehicle’s exterior and interior components to ensure its safe usage and preserve the quality of performance.
Inspection template Powered byThis weekly vehicle inspection checklist can be used by vehicle inspectors to inspect the vehicle’s condition.
Roselin Manawis is a content writer and researcher for SafetyCulture. She has experience in news writing and content marketing across different fields of discipline. Her background in Communication Arts enables her to leverage multimedia and improve the quality of her work. She also contributed as a research assistant for an international study and as a co-author for two books in 2020. With her informative articles, she aims to ignite digital transformation in workplaces around the world.
A heavy vehicle inspection checklist can be used to inspect commercial vehicles for roadworthiness prior to long haul commercial trips. Regular heavy vehicle inspections can prepare your business for regulatory inspections. Conduct a walk-around of the truck making sure to inspect the general condition of the vehicle, exterior, in-cab and engine compartment.
A company vehicle pre commissioning checklist can be used before purchasing a vehicle for work. Capture registration and photos of the vehicle intended to be purchased. Ensure the vehicle is fit for purpose and all registration, permits and licences have been sought. Check that relevant safety and training practices are in progress. You can modify this template for your workplace and pre-approval requirements.
Vehicle inspectors and vehicle maintenance personnel can use this daily vehicle inspection checklist or car inspection checklist to assess the condition of a vehicle’s exterior and interior components to ensure its safe usage and preserve the quality of performance.
This weekly vehicle inspection checklist can be used by vehicle inspectors to inspect the vehicle’s condition.
