Tires and wheels
Tires are one of the most important safety checks on any RV. Check pressure with a gauge when the tires are cold, before driving, and set them to the pressure on the RV's tire placard or in your owner's manual. Do not forget inner dual tires on motorhomes.
Look at the sidewalls for cracks, bulges or cuts. RV tires often age out before the tread wears down because they sit for long periods. The four-digit DOT date code on the sidewall shows the week and year the tire was made. If your tires are old or show cracking, have them inspected.
Check that lug nuts are present and look for rust streaks around them, which can mean they are loose. Feel wheel hubs on trailers after a short drive; one that is much hotter than the others can signal a bearing or brake problem.
Hitch and towing connections
For travel trailers and fifth wheels, and for anything towed behind a motorhome, the connection between vehicles must be right every time.
- Coupler fully latched and locked on the ball, or fifth wheel jaws locked on the king pin
- Safety chains crossed under the tongue and attached, with some slack but not dragging
- Breakaway cable attached to the tow vehicle, not to the safety chains or hitch ball
- Electrical plug connected and lights tested
- Brake controller set and tested at low speed
- Tongue jack fully raised and stabilizer jacks up
- Weight distribution or sway control set up per the manufacturer's instructions
Lights and brakes
With a helper, test running lights, brake lights, turn signals, hazard lights and backup lights. On motorhomes, check that the brakes feel normal before leaving the campsite. On trailers, a quick low-speed test of the trailer brakes with the controller's manual lever confirms they are working.
Propane and appliances
Follow your owner's manual for propane during travel. Many owners close the propane tanks while driving and before refueling. Make sure the propane leak detector works and that all appliance burners and pilots are off before fueling.
If you smell propane at any time, do not light anything, do not operate electrical switches, and do not start the engine or generator. Get everyone out and away from the RV and call for help from a safe distance. Do not try to find or fix a propane leak yourself.
Secure the refrigerator door, turn off the water heater if your manual calls for it, and make sure nothing will fall on burners or vents.
Outside walk-around
Walk slowly around the RV right before leaving. This is when most forgotten items get caught.
- Slide-outs fully retracted and locked if your model uses locks.
- Entry steps retracted.
- Awning rolled up and secured.
- TV antenna or satellite dish down.
- Leveling jacks up and blocks picked up.
- Water, sewer and power lines disconnected and stored.
- Every compartment door closed and locked.
- Wheel chocks removed and stored.
- Roof vents closed and nothing left on the roof.
Roof, seals and batteries
Before a trip, and regularly during the season, look at roof seams, vents, skylights and around the edges for cracked or missing sealant. Water leaks are one of the most common and costly RV problems, and they often start at a small gap. Only go on the roof if your RV's roof is designed for it and you can do so safely; otherwise have a technician check it.
Check that house batteries are charged and terminals are clean and tight, and that battery disconnects are set correctly. If you have a generator, run it under some load periodically as your manual recommends. For solar and inverter systems, confirm the charge controller shows normal readings.
Tanks, water and weight
Dump and flush holding tanks before leaving if you can, and decide whether to travel with fresh water based on weight and your destination. Check that interior items are stowed, cabinets are latched and the refrigerator is secured. Stay within your RV's weight ratings; overloaded RVs are harder to stop and harder on tires.
If your pre-trip check turns up a problem, such as a slide that will not move, a soft spot on the roof or a generator that will not start, a mobile RV technician can often come to where the RV is parked. See mobile RV repair or RV roof and seal repair.