Check
Sign in
All checklists

Light Trucks

Full-Size Cargo Van Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

A guided, do-it-yourself pre-purchase inspection checklist for used full-size cargo vans, current and older: Ford Transit and E-Series, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (all years), Ram ProMaster, Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana and Nissan NV. No mechanic needed: each check tells you what to look for and what counts as a fail, from the engine, transmission, brakes and tires to the cargo area, roof, doors, shelving and upfits, plus known problems by make. Not for small vans such as the Ford Transit Connect or Ram ProMaster City, or for cutaway box trucks.

Buy this checklist

$29.00

90 days of access. Inspect and compare up to 12 items of this type.

Secure payment by card. No account needed: you create a password after paying.

Need a mechanic to inspect it?

Tell us where the vehicle or machine is. We'll put you in touch with a local mechanic or professional inspector, even if you are far away.

Find a local inspector →

What you get

  • No mechanic needed. Most checks need only your eyes, a flashlight and a tire gauge; a few optional deeper checks go further if you have the tools or bring in a mechanic.
  • A guided checklist written for this kind of purchase: every question says what to look for and what counts as a fail. Ready to use the moment you pay.
  • Inspect on your phone: answers save as you go, with photos and notes on any question.
  • Send it to a mechanic, supervisor, colleague, or employee by text or email. They need no account.
  • A report that puts the problems first, with photos, times and location.
  • Inspect and compare up to 12 vehicles, machines or trailers of the same type with one purchase, side by side, before you decide.

Known problems, checked

Includes 18 checks for known problems with this kind of purchase, marked so none is missed.

Comes with a guide to the known problems and red flags to watch for.

How it works

  1. Choose a checklistPick the one that matches what you are buying, and pay by card. No account to set up first.
  2. Add what you are inspectingEnter the item, the asking price and where it is. Add as many as you are considering.
  3. Inspect it, or send itWork through the checklist on your phone, or send it to a mechanic, supervisor, colleague, or employee to do for you.
  4. Read the report and compareSee the problems first, with photos. Put your options side by side and decide.

What it covers 112 questions

  • Records and History7 questions
  • Identity, Engine and Cooling12 questions
  • Transmission and Drivetrain12 questions
  • Suspension, Steering and Brakes10 questions
  • Wheels and Tires10 questions
  • Electrical, Electronics and Cab13 questions
  • Cargo Area and Shelving5 questions
  • Roof and Racks5 questions
  • Cargo Doors and Liftgate6 questions
  • Rear Heating and Air Conditioning5 questions
  • Ford Transit Only4 questions
  • Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Only5 questions
  • Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana Only4 questions
  • Ram ProMaster Only3 questions
  • Ford E-Series Only4 questions
  • Start-Up and Road Test7 questions

A sample of the questions

  • VIN matches the vehicle
  • Transmission stall test
  • Ride height, left to right
  • Tire tread depth
  • Charging voltage under load
  • Shelving mounts
  • Roof seams and rack mounts
  • Rear cargo door hinges

This is a sample. The full checklist is yours when you buy.

Before You Start

You don't need a mechanic or to be a mechanic yourself to do this inspection. Most questions need only your eyes, a flashlight and a few low-cost tools, and each one tells you exactly what to do and what counts as a fail.

Allow about two hours, including a 20-minute road test. Longer if you do the deeper checks.

For full-size cargo vans, current and older, gas or diesel: Ford Transit and E-Series, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (all years, including Dodge and Freightliner Sprinters), Ram ProMaster, Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana and Nissan NV. Not for small vans (Transit Connect, ProMaster City) or cutaway box trucks.

Before you go, ask the seller to:

  • Leave the engine cold. Some checks need a cold start.
  • Have the title, keys, service records and any upfit invoices ready.
  • Empty the cargo area, so you can see the floor, walls and roof from inside.
  • Park the van where you can walk all the way around it and open every door.
  • Agree a road-test route, and access for a mechanic if you are bringing one.

Go in daylight, with the van on level ground, the parking brake on and the wheels blocked.

Never get under the van while it is held up only by a jack. Use jack stands. Do not climb onto the roof: look at it from a step ladder.

Answer every question as indicated. Skip the sections for equipment or a make the van does not have (answer Not applicable).

Questions marked "Deeper check" are optional extras that need special tools. Skip any you can't do, or ask a mechanic to do them.

Write readings in the note, and add a photo of anything that fails.

Bring (all available at an auto parts store for well under $100 in total):

  • A flashlight
  • A tread depth gauge that reads in 32nds of an inch, and a tire pressure gauge
  • A basic multimeter, for the battery and charging voltage
  • A code reader for the port under the dashboard (many parts stores will lend one)
  • A clean card or stiff paper, for the blow-by test
  • A step ladder, to see the roof
  • A trailer plug tester (7-pin), if the van has a hitch
  • White paper towels and gloves
  • A helper, for the lights and the cold start
Tools for a Deeper Inspection (Optional)

You don't need any of these to use this checklist. For the questions marked "Deeper check", or if you bring in a mechanic, these are the tools needed, as well as those in Before You Start:

  • A scan tool that reads every module and live data (engine, transmission, ABS, airbags, body), not just engine codes
  • A boost pressure gauge (0 to 100 PSI), for turbo engines
  • A cooling system pressure tester with adapters for this van
  • A dial indicator with a magnetic base, for wheel bearing and steering play
  • A brake lining gauge and a brake fluid moisture tester
  • A digital multimeter with a DC clamp that reads milliamps, for battery drain
  • A floor jack and jack stands rated for the van
  • Optional: oil sample bottles and a lab, to send engine oil and transmission fluid for analysis
Sources and Standards
  • FieldDone pre-purchase inspection protocol for commercial cargo vans (October 2026)
  • Your van's own owner's manual and service information, matched to its VIN, year and engine
  • US Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, annual inspection standards (49 CFR Part 396, Appendix A)
  • NHTSA recall lookup
  • Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, National Safety Code
  • Ford Pro manuals, guides and certificates
  • Ford Pro upfitter publications
  • Mercedes-Benz Vans owner manuals
  • Mercedes-Benz Vans body and equipment guidelines
  • Chevrolet manuals and guides
  • GM Upfitter (Express and Savana body builder and airbag deployment zone guides)