A good inspection checklist is short enough that technicians run it on every car, and specific enough that every finding comes with a measurement. The lists below are the ones we give every new shop as a starting point. Take them, then cut them down to what your workshop actually has time to check; a 30-point list that gets skipped is worth less than a 20-point list that gets done.
Grade every item the same way
Use one scale across every checklist, so the customer learns it once:
| Grade | What it means | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| Passed | Checked and fine | Nothing, but it still shows the customer you looked |
| Needs attention | Wearing, not urgent yet | Recommend it, and check again next visit |
| Failed | Needs work now, often a safety item | Quote it, and explain why it can't wait |
| N/A | Not fitted or not checked | Nothing |
Resist grading everything needs attention. When every line is amber, the customer can't tell which one matters, and the lines that do matter get declined along with the rest.
The courtesy check: every car, every visit
The everyday walkaround, whatever the car came in for. Photograph anything you flag.
Under the hood
- Engine oil level and condition
- Coolant level and condition
- Brake fluid level and condition
- Power steering fluid
- Transmission fluid
- Washer fluid
- Engine air filter
- Drive belts and hoses
- Battery, terminals and mounting
- Visible leaks in the engine bay
Brakes
- Front pads and discs
- Rear pads, discs or drums
- Lines, hoses and fluid condition
- Parking brake operation
Underside
- Shock absorbers and struts
- Springs, mounts and bushings
- Steering rack, track rods and ball joints
- CV joints, boots and drive shafts
- Exhaust system and mountings
- Fuel lines and tank
- Corrosion on sills, subframe and floor
Tires
- Front tread depth and wear pattern
- Rear tread depth and wear pattern
- Pressures set, including the spare
- Wheels, valves and wheel nut torque
Around the vehicle
- Exterior lights and indicators
- Windshield, glass and mirrors
- Wiper blades and washer jets
- Horn, seat belts and warning lights
- Air conditioning and cabin air filter
Focused checks
When the courtesy check flags an area, or the customer books in for it, a focused check gives you the numbers to back up the recommendation.
Brakes
Pad thickness front and rear, disc thickness and surface condition, calipers and slide pins, flexible hoses and steel lines, brake fluid moisture content, the master cylinder and servo, parking brake travel, ABS sensors, and a road test for pedal feel, pull, judder and noise.
Write the actual measurements into the note on each line. Remaining pad and disc thickness in millimeters is what turns worn brakes from an opinion into an approved job.
Suspension and steering
Shock absorbers and struts, springs and seats, top mounts, control arms, ball joints, anti-roll bar links and bushings, the steering rack and its boots, track rod ends, wheel bearings, power steering leaks and ride height, then a road test for noise, wander and vibration. Best done on a lift with the wheels both loaded and unloaded.
Note which corner each fault is on. A customer approving one strut wants to know which one.
Tires and wheels
Each corner separately: tread depth and condition, then the spare or repair kit, pressures against the manufacturer's placard, the wear pattern, tire age from the date code and any sidewall cracking, rims and hubs, valves and TPMS sensors, and wheel nut torque.
Record tread depth per corner. The wear pattern is where an alignment recommendation earns its keep.
Air conditioning and climate
Vent outlet temperature, high and low side pressures, compressor and clutch engagement, condenser condition, the cabin air filter, the blower on every speed, a leak test, the controls and blend flaps, and any odor from the evaporator or a blocked drain.
A measured vent temperature is what separates a recharge that gets approved from one that gets postponed.
Battery, charging and starting
Resting voltage and state of charge, a load or conductance test, terminals and mounting, battery age and specification, charging voltage under load, the alternator belt and pulley, starter operation, earth straps and main cables, a parasitic drain check, and the warning lights.
Worth running on every car in the first cold weeks of winter. A printed battery test result explains the recommendation better than anything you can say.
Pre-purchase inspection
For someone buying a used car, the report is the product, so photograph everything, including what passed. Cover the documents (VIN and registration match), service history, odometer plausibility, bodywork and paint, signs of accident repair, corrosion, glass and lights, the interior and its equipment, a cold start, leaks and oil condition, the cooling system, transmission and clutch, drivetrain, brakes, suspension, tires including the spare, exhaust and emissions equipment, a diagnostic scan for stored and pending codes, electrics and driver assistance, and a road test. Finish with a plain summary of the condition and the work it needs.
Photos that explain the finding
- One finding, one photo at least. A worn pad with a gauge against it says more than a paragraph.
- Show the measurement. Tread depth gauge in the groove, the multimeter reading, the thermometer in the vent.
- Context, then close-up. One shot that shows where on the car it is, one that shows the problem.
- Clean it first. Grime hides cracks and makes everything look worse than it is, which the customer will notice.
Reporting findings to the customer
Send the results as a list the customer can go through line by line, with the photos next to each finding, and let them choose for each one: fix it now, or put it off. Seeing the evidence and making the choice themselves is what lets a customer say yes to the urgent work without feeling pushed into it.
Whatever they put off, keep. A deferred finding is the first thing to mention at the next visit, and the most honest reason to get in touch before then.
One thing to watch: whatever the technician writes on a line usually goes to the customer. Keep instructions for technicians somewhere else, or the customer ends up reading "measure and flag under 3 mm" on their report.
Running this in software
These seven checklists ship as ready-made templates in GarageFlow's digital vehicle inspections. Every line takes a grade, notes and photos, and the customer requests or defers each finding from a link.