Workshop guides
The vehicle inspection checklist every workshop should run
A free printable multi-point inspection sheet covering brakes, tyres, fluids, steering, lights and underbody. Run the same sequence on every car and your advisories stop depending on which technician happened to pick up the job.
Why consistency beats thoroughness
Most shops already inspect well. What they lack is a fixed order and a recorded measurement. When every job follows the same eight sections and every amber line carries a number in millimetres, three things change: technicians stop skipping steps under time pressure, advisors can quote from the sheet without walking to the bay, and customers approve more work because they can see the evidence rather than take your word for it.
1. Road test and first impressions
Two minutes behind the wheel catches faults no static check will. Do it before the car goes on the lift, while the customer's complaint is still fresh.
- Cold start behaviour and idle quality
- Warning lamps present at start-up and after
- Braking feel, pull, judder and pedal travel
- Steering wander, vibration or knocking over bumps
- Gear selection and clutch or transmission slip
- Unusual noise at 30, 60 and 90 km/h
2. Under the bonnet: fluids and battery
Fluid condition tells you more about how a car has been treated than the service book.
- Engine oil level, colour and contamination
- Coolant level, colour and cap or hose condition
- Brake fluid level and moisture percentage
- Power steering and transmission fluid where fitted
- Screen wash topped up
- Battery voltage, cranking test and terminal corrosion
- Drive belt cracking, glazing and tension
- Air filter and cabin filter condition
- Visible leaks at gaskets, hoses and clamps
3. Tyres and wheels
Record actual millimetres, not a pass or fail. Tread numbers over time are the strongest reason a customer books the next visit.
- Tread depth at inner, centre and outer on all four tyres
- Pressures set to placard, including spare
- Uneven wear patterns indicating alignment or suspension faults
- Sidewall damage, bulges, cracking and age code
- Wheel nut torque to spec
- Wheel bearing play and noise
4. Brakes
Measure pad and disc thickness so the next visit can be predicted, not guessed.
- Front and rear pad thickness in millimetres
- Disc thickness, lipping, scoring and heat cracking
- Caliper slide pins and piston operation
- Flexible hoses for perishing and chafing
- Hard lines for corrosion
- Handbrake or electronic park brake travel and hold
5. Steering and suspension
On the lift with the wheels free, shake down every joint before dropping it back.
- Track rod ends and ball joints for play
- Bushes for splitting and displacement
- Shock absorbers for leaks and bounce test result
- Springs for breaks and corrosion
- Anti-roll bar links and drop links
- CV boots and driveshaft joints
6. Lights, glass and wipers
Cheap items that fail roadworthy tests and are easy for the customer to say yes to.
- Headlights, main beam, fog and aim
- Indicators, hazards, brake lights and reverse lights
- Number plate and interior lighting
- Windscreen chips and cracks in the swept area
- Wiper blade condition and washer jet aim
- Mirrors secure and undamaged
7. Underbody and exhaust
The part the customer never sees, which is exactly why photographs matter here.
- Exhaust joints, mountings and blow points
- Catalytic converter and heat shield security
- Sump, gearbox and differential for weeping
- Subframe and sill corrosion
- Undertray fasteners present
8. Grade, photograph and quote
An inspection only makes money when the customer can see it. Grade every line, attach a photo to anything red, and turn the reds into an estimate before the car leaves.
- Green: within spec, no action
- Amber: monitor, advise at next service, note the measurement
- Red: unsafe or failed, quote now
- Photo attached to every amber and red line
- Estimate sent to the customer for approval
- Next service date and mileage recorded
How to print or save this as a PDF
Use the Print checklist button above, then choose "Save as PDF" as the destination. The navigation is hidden automatically, so you get a clean sheet with tick boxes you can clip to the job card.
Run it digitally instead
In ShopTop, inspection findings become job card lines, photos attach to the work order and the reds turn into an estimate the customer approves from their phone.