New Car PDI Checklist PDF & Guide: Everything to Check Before Delivery
Taking delivery of a brand-new car is a moment of immense celebration, but rushing through the showroom handover without a structured Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) can leave you saddled with concealed accidental damages, in-transit paint touch-ups, odometer manipulation, or electronic component failures. Here is your master 155+ checkpoint PDI checklist guide.
Why PDI Must Be Done Before RTO Registration
Once a vehicle is registered with the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in your name, the car legally belongs to you under the Motor Vehicles Act. Dealerships cannot cancel the registration or swap the vehicle if you discover major transit repaints, engine oil leaks, or defective sensors post-handover. Inspecting the vehicle before registration gives you 100% legal leverage to refuse a damaged allotment.
Master 155+ Checkpoint Inspection Framework
- Exterior & Paintwork (35+ Points): Digital paint thickness measurement in microns across every metal panel; inspection under direct sunlight for swirl marks, buffer burns, transit scratches, and panel gap asymmetry.
- Glass & Tyre Date Codes (15+ Points): Verify that the manufacturing date codes on all four window glasses, front windshield, and rear glass match. Verify tyre DOT codes to confirm fresh factory manufacture.
- Engine Bay & Fluid Levels (25+ Points): Check engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer level, battery voltage, and scan for fluid sweat around hoses and gaskets.
- Electricals & In-Cabin Controls (40+ Points): Power windows, sunroof drains, seat ventilation, touchscreen infotainment, digital instrument cluster, 360-degree cameras, wireless charger, and climate control cooling delta.
- OBD-II Computer Diagnostic Scan (20+ Points): Connect scanner to ECU port to inspect CAN-bus health, verifying zero stored Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) in engine, transmission, ABS, or airbag modules.
- RTO Documents & Delivery Kit (20+ Points): Tax invoice, Form 20/21, insurance certificate, battery warranty card, PUC, spare key, tyre puncture kit, jack and toolkit.