What does vehicle PDI inspection mean?

[AdrianDella]

Vehicle PDI inspection refers to a pre-delivery inspection certification that must be completed before handing over a new car. Since new vehicles travel thousands of kilometers during transportation from the factory to dealerships and remain parked for extended periods, PDI inspection is essential to guarantee customers the safety and original factory performance of their new cars. The inspection items are as follows: Body inspection: Primarily checks for paint chips, dents on body panels, and verifies proper functioning of lights, wipers, and other components. Interior inspection: Examines interior trim, seats, and dashboard for damage or aging issues, while testing all interior functions such as air conditioning, audio system, and power-adjustable seats. Engine compartment inspection: Starts the engine to verify smooth operation, checks for cleanliness and tidiness of components and wiring harnesses, and inspects for any impact damage. Undercarriage inspection: Lifts the vehicle to examine the chassis for scratches and checks for oil leaks from the engine, transmission, and other components.

[GraceFitz]

PDI inspection, which stands for Pre-Delivery Inspection, is a process we in the automotive industry take very seriously. Simply put, it's a comprehensive check-up performed on new vehicles after they arrive at the dealership from the factory, before being handed over to customers. We need to inspect whether the paint has any scratches, check for leaks in major components like the engine and transmission, verify if tire pressure and tread depth meet standards, and test functions such as lights, horn, air conditioning, and windows. Most crucially, we use diagnostic computers to scan the vehicle's systems for any fault codes. The entire inspection covers over 200 items! Since bumps and minor collisions during transportation or small oversights during assembly are inevitable, we identify and resolve all these issues, ultimately delivering a flawless vehicle to the customer. This is a critical step in ensuring customer safety.

[SanRowan]

Last time when I went to pick up my new car, the salesperson specifically mentioned arranging a PDI inspection. It turned out that on the delivery day, they thoroughly checked the vehicle's condition before handing it over. Several technicians circled the car, inspecting the paintwork, testing the lights, and even crawling under the car to examine the chassis. What reassured me the most was when they connected to the onboard diagnostic system to check for fault codes, and even tested the cup holder switch multiple times. Later, they found a slight rattle in the right front door and immediately removed the door panel to adjust it. These detailed checks gave me great peace of mind when driving off with my new car. After all, vehicles might get bumped during production and transportation, so the dealership's careful screening and repairs can save a lot of future worries. Now, whenever I buy a new car, I always proactively ask if they've completed the PDI.

[HectorFitz]

I perform PDI inspections on over a dozen new vehicles daily in the workshop. The operational procedure is standardized: first check the vehicle exterior, especially whether the transport protectors on front/rear bumpers have damaged the primer; inspect rubber components on chassis suspension for cracks; tire dynamic balance test is mandatory; computer diagnostics for engine/transmission require extra attention. The most common issues are unstable tire pressure and unactivated infotainment systems. Last week we found a vehicle with low coolant level due to loose hose clamp. All repairs are systematically documented. Though tedious, this ensures customers receive flawless new vehicles.