Pre-delivery Inspection (PDI) Checklists & PDF Reports

In this article

• What is a PDI Checklist?
• Risks of Inefficient Pre-delivery Inspections
• Basic PDI Car Checks
• SafetyCulture (formerly iAuditor) PDI Checklist App
• Featured Pre-delivery Inspection (PDI) Checklists

What is a PDI Checklist?

A PDI checklist is a tool used by vehicle inspectors to assess vehicles’ operating conditions and compliance with safety regulatory standards before selling to customers. Using a PDI checklist can help proactively repair identified issues, lessen vehicles that come back to the dealership with problems, prevent costly recalls, and gain a high reputation of consistent quality for the dealership.

Risks of Inefficient Pre-delivery Inspections

Striking the right balance between efficiency and satisfactory work has been a challenge in doing pre-delivery inspections. Vehicle inspectors either waste too much time and energy using paper-based PDI checklists or conduct pre-delivery inspections based on fallible human memory. Here are risks that dealers expose themselves to when they perform inefficient PDI inspection:

Recurring Issues

Technicians might miss common issues that should have been detected during an effective pre delivery inspection. Defective vehicles returned to the dealership entail repairs or modifications that could have been accomplished prior to delivery and spending costly man-hours of duplicated work.

Missed Delivery Commitments

Dealers inevitably struggle with delays in the delivery schedule as sold vehicles in the service bay increase. Expect low customer satisfaction when business processes such as customer service and logistics slow down due to inefficient inspections.

Automotive Recalls

At least 24 people have died and hundreds more have been injured because of airbag inflators that hurl shrapnel into drivers and passengers. Automakers have recalled 50.36 million inflators and replaced 27.2 million of them as part of the largest series of automotive recalls in U.S. history, involving as many as 70 million to be recalled by the end of 2020. Pre-delivery inspections can help find major recall issues before a single unit is sold or delivered.

Basic PDI Car Checks

Pre-delivery inspection is a crucial task because it helps secure the safety of your customers. It is performed to prevent car manufacturing product recalls and accidents due to factory defects or damage. The following are the basic checks performed during the pre-delivery inspection of a light vehicle.

Engine Compartment

• The engine should not produce any growling sounds
• All fluids such as washer, coolant, brake, power steering, transmission, and oil are free from leaks and at their normal levels
• Hood latch should be lubricated to ensure smooth operation
• The battery is tested and fully operational

Underside

• There are no visual defects such as tears or holes on hoses, electrical lines, exhaust systems, and suspension components
• Brakes should be tested and checked for damage indicators such as brake lights on, squeaking noises, vibration, and soft brake pedal

Interior

• The steering wheel should be aligned
• Locks, latches, and hinges are lubricated and functional
• Fuses are installed for electronic accessories
• No evident damage on car seats
• Seat belt, wheel covers, wheel locks, and airbags are installed properly

Exterior

• All lighting should be checked if operational
• Headlights are aligned
• Tire pressure is set to manufacturer-suggested specifications, including the spare tires
• All mirrors should be fixed and clear
• Windshield wipers and washer fluid level are examined
• Paint condition and emblems are damage free

PDI also includes checking of owner’s manual, service passport, warranty booklet, and guides before handing vehicle over to customers. It is also necessary to perform the recommended 10-kilometer road test both on city roads and the highway to check overall car performance.