Motorhome Departure Guidelines & Pre-Journey Suggestions

Planning a motorhome journey? Wish to be sure you don’t neglect something? Observe my motorhome departure guidelines for all of the pre-trip checks it’s essential make to a motorhome, campervan or RV to make certain you set off on the fitting… foot.

Don’t neglect to obtain your FREE PDF motorhome departure guidelines under

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Motorhome Departure Guidelines- why you want one!

As soon as upon a time, I left my passport facedown on a printer… after which began a motorhome journey. We received about 5 hours down the street earlier than discovering my mistake.

You may think about my ex-husband’s absolute pleasure (!) and the completely happy environment within the camper once we needed to flip round to get it… after which drive again once more. Yep, 10+ hours wasted. Not my best second. *doh*

Having a motorhome departure guidelines would have helped with this enormously. Which is why I then created one. Don’t neglect to seize your copy under.

Motorhome trip- what checks to do

There are two kinds of checks it’s essential do in your motorhome or campervan earlier than leaving for a visit:

• the pre-trip checks to ensure your automobile is protected and road-worthy and you’ve got every little thing you want (a yearly motorhome habitation test can also be a good suggestion)
• the departure checks which have to occur on the day of departure, to ensure every little thing is away, no lockers are going to fly open as you drive and also you haven’t left a vent open to catch on a low-hanging tree.

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Motorhome Journey- Pre Journey Checks

Making ready your automobile on your journey is important- whether or not you’re going for an evening down the street or a motorhome tour of Europe. When you’ve ever hung out damaged down on the facet of the street, you’ll admire how a little bit time now can prevent lots of time later. (Sadly, I’m not guaranteeing you’ll NEVER break down, however doing these checks can definitely assist!)

It doesn’t matter whether or not you’re a full motorhome newbie or had one for years- if it’s been stood for some time, it’s necessary to work by means of these checks earlier than you go. Don’t do it on the morning of departure- enable at the least a day or two, simply in case you discover one thing which wants fixing.

RELATED: Planning a winter motorhome journey? Learn this too for further checks/ security recommendation.

Paperwork checks

• Is your automobile street authorized? Do you have got a legitimate MOT?
• Is your motorhome insurance coverage in date and are you coated for the place you’re going (particularly if going to Europe)
• Is your driving licence/ passport in date? 
• When you’ve SORN’d your automobile over winter or a interval of disuse, bear in mind to un-SORN it. 
• Test your breakdown cowl is present in case you have it- and preserve the small print at hand within the cab.
• If travelling abroad with a pet, be sure you have the suitable paperwork.

Bear in mind to take all of the important paperwork with you, alongside along with your passports if going abroad.

Outdoors Jobs

It doesn’t make any distinction whether or not you begin with the within or the surface, or in what order you do these, so work by means of them nonetheless you see match. 

Engine Checks:

• Oil ranges
• brake fluid ranges
• display wash
• Advert Blue ranges if wanted
• test visible situation of engine bay- any clearly free or broken hoses?
• take away particles and leaves from drainage holes
• Flip ignition on- are there any warning lights?
• Test all automobile indicators, reverse and brake lights are working, inc tow bar if towing

Tyre & Wheel Checks:

• Strain (seek the advice of your handbook. May very well be wherever between 40-80 psi)
• Situation (any signal of bulging, cracks or flat spots?)
• Brake pads, discs and put on. If doubtful, get them checked and altered by knowledgeable.
• Be sure your tyres have ‘CP’, which suggests they’re appropriate for campers. ‘Regular’ automotive tyres aren’t sturdy sufficient.

RELATED: Going to France throughout winter? You may want winter tyres/ snow chains. Learn this to search out out

Fuel Locker:

• Test the degrees of the fuel bottle(s). Refill in case you have a refillable fuel system, exchange in case you have exchangeable
• Activate the system (you may have to prime it (utilizing surge button) and/ or press the anti-crash button if it’s reset)
• Pay attention and scent for any signal of leaks- come again in a couple of minutes to recheck. Bear in mind LPG sinks, so get low to the bottom
• Test hoses for any apparent indicators of injury or loosening

Spare Wheel:

• When you’ve got a spare wheel, get it out and examine its visible situation.
• If saved in a cage underneath the van, lubricate the cage so it doesn’t seize. 
• When you’ve got a tyre restore package, test it’s in date and good situation.

Storage/ Outdoors lockers:

• When you’ve got a storage/ outdoors lockers, visually examine them for indicators or damp or leaks. 
• That is additionally a very good time to have a filter and take away something you THOUGHT you’d use, however haven’t.

Different Out of doors jobs:

• Take away fridge vents or different vents you’ve placed on for winter
• Test the situation on windscreen wipers- exchange if crucial
• Apply a coat of Rainex to the windscreen
• Wash and wax the motorhome and clear off roof particles
• Fill your recent water tank if potential (bear in mind to shut any drain factors you opened to drain the system for winter!) Then test for leaks underneath the van. 
• When you carry a motorhome generator, you’ll have to service it and test it begins up.
• When you’ve got an exterior motorhome storage field, ensure that it’s closed and locked.

Inside jobs

Once more, there’s no explicit order to those. I love to do the tank cleansing/ in a single day jobs first, then transfer on to electrical stuff, but it surely’s utterly as much as you.

Cleansing:

• Rinse out your water tanks and sanitise in a single day (Use one thing like Puriclean, which you utilize by filling your tank at the least midway, including the powder (or tab) and leaving to sit down for just a few hours, ideally in a single day. Then rinse THOROUGHLY (we rinse at the least twice)
• Gray Waste tank. The exact same- fill and rinse. You may fill both by way of a devoted entry hatch or pour water with the cleansing answer in down a sink (or each sinks, so it will get into the pipes.) Fenwicks waste tank cleaner is properly really useful and simple to make use of.
• Clear rest room cassette. Fill with water, add answer and depart to soak in a single day. Thetford Cassette cleaner is an efficient choice.
• Test and wipe down all lockers and cabinets. You’re in search of rodents and bugs, but additionally indicators of damp, cracks, injury or anything ‘not proper’.
• You’ll in all probability need to do a full clear of sofas, seats and carpets. I like to recommend doing this final, after every little thing else, however should you’re washing down seats enable loads of time to attempt. 

Inside Programs:

• Test your motorhome leisure battery– unplug your van from mains energy and use some home equipment to ensure the battery(s) is holding cost. 
• Activate 12v inside lights (and test the one for outdoor the hab door)
• Swap on fridge on each mains and fuel if possible- does it get chilly? Wipe down fridge too
• Flip in your camper heating– does it get heat (you are able to do this even with out water in your system)
• Activate fuel and light-weight all burners, grill and oven. When you’ve got an electrical hob or microwave, test that too when you reconnect energy
• When you’ve got water out there, fill tank and activate sizzling water system and test it will get sizzling. 
• When you’ve got a photo voltaic panel fitted, guarantee it’s working and the battery is charging (even when it’s only a tiny quantity on a cloudy day)
• Test your fuse field for any indicators of injury or blown fuses or every other signal which could trigger a motorhome fireplace.
• Test security appliances- fireplace blanket and extinguisher- are they in date?
• Take a look at and alter batteries in smoke alarm and CO2 detectors
• Test your motorhome TV is working in case you have one
• Test your emergency kit- spare bulbs, fuses, torch, batteries, spare glasses and the contents of your first support package.
• When you’ve got web in your motorhome, test it’s nonetheless working. Generally, SIM playing cards have an expiration date, particularly should you’ve not used it for month.

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Pre-trip checks (day of departure)

Now, your automobile is prepped, every little thing is packed (and hopefully rattle free!) and also you’re able to go! When you’re something like me, you’re in an excited rush to go away and simply get out on the street.

That is in all probability the purpose the place I remind you that I left my passport within the printer… Study from our (my!) errors. Take the time to work by means of your pre-departure checks for the van, your self and your own home earlier than you allow.

These are the identical departure checks to do whether or not you’re leaving a home or leaving a campsite. (Some may not make sense, however I’ve included all of them anyway, simply in case!)

Exterior Checks:

• Are all exteriors lockers/ storage closed and locked
• Fuel bottles full, turned off (if not wanted for heating**) and locked
• Have you ever put your awning and outside furnishings away (together with retractable steps!)
• Is the canine/ children/ partner on board? (If not, depart shortly. They received’t discover… ?)
• Have you ever unhooked your electrical cable/ water/ waste?
• Is your motorhome generator shut down and saved away?
• Is your TV/ satellite tv for pc aerial down?
• Is your windscreen clear and thermal display away?
• Is your bike rack/ rear storage safe?
• If in Europe, have you ever fitted the pink/ white board correctly?
• When you’re towing along with your motorhome, is your trailer hooked up and locks/ clamps eliminated?
• Are you on chocks/ electrical legs? 

** In lots of trendy motorhomes, it’s potential to make use of the fuel while driving with the intention to present heating to passengers sitting behind the cab. We’ve accomplished this for our daughter on a number of journeys and it makes use of a LOT of fuel, however at the least she was heat. 

Nevertheless, you possibly can solely do that in case you have the suitable hoses and anti-crash security cutoff fitted. Many vans have it as standard- if not, you will get knowledgeable to suit it for you. When you don’t have this, ensure that your fuel is off once you’re driving. 

Inside Checks:

• Make a sizzling drink for the road- then depart the hob to chill
• Are your vents/ hatches/ sunroof closed? Together with within the rest room??
• Are your motorhome home windows locked?
• Is the habitation door closed and locked?
• Is every little thing within the kitchen put away and rattle-proof?
• How concerning the oven shelf/ hob/ microwave plate?
• Is the fridge door closed and safe?
• Test the toilet for something loose- together with if the bathroom is closed
• Double-check the bed room, wardrobe or wherever the youngsters have been (and doubtlessly left drinks!)
• Are the youngsters/ canine belted into their seats and safe?
• Put away the TV
• Are all cabinets and lockers closed and locked?
• Test your dashcam/ rearview digicam and mirrors
• Put your route into your motorhome sat-nav and get particulars at hand of your first cease
• Bear in mind to place your sizzling drink someplace protected within the entrance, together with simple to eat snacks
• Put something on cost on the inverter which wants charging as you drive (laptops, digicam/drone batteries and so on)
• Put telephones/ iPads/ headphones on cost
• Double-check the canine/ children once more…
• DO YOU HAVE ALL YOUR PAPERWORK? Together with your passport…
• Then relax- you’re able to set off. 

Motorhome Pre-Journey checks video

Watch the video of the motorhome pre-trip checks:

Final replace on 2025-11-21 / Affiliate hyperlinks / Pictures from Amazon Product Promoting API

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