How to get your campervan ready for the season? A complete checklist

A campervan has one feature that sets it apart from an ordinary car: for most of the year it stands still. Then, over a few weeks, it covers thousands of kilometres fully loaded, often in the heat and in the mountains. That’s a completely different usage profile from a daily commute — and therefore a completely different list of things to check before the season.

The biggest trap is the low number on the odometer. A campervan showing thirty thousand kilometres looks almost new, yet it can have out-of-date tyres, seized brake discs and brake fluid that lost its properties long ago. In campervans, wear is determined by time and standing still rather than by kilometres — and that’s exactly the lens you need to inspect them through.

Tyres — look at the date, not the tread

This is the most commonly skipped point and at the same time one of the most dangerous. Rubber ages regardless of whether the vehicle is driven. A tyre with full tread but eight years old has significantly worse grip in the wet and is noticeably more prone to failure under load — and a campervan is almost always loaded.

You’ll find the production date on the sidewall as four digits in an oval frame: the first two are the week, the next two the year. For campervans the rule of thumb is that after five years a tyre needs careful inspection, and after eight it should be replaced regardless of appearance. Also look out for fine cracks on the sidewalls — a classic sign of rubber ageing during long periods of standing.

• Check the production date (DOT) on every tyre, including the spare
• Inspect the sidewalls for cracks and bulges
• Set the pressure according to the table for a loaded vehicle, not an empty one
• Watch for flat spots after long periods parked in one position

Brakes after winter storage

A campervan standing for several months almost always has a film of rust on the discs. With light corrosion this disappears after a few brake applications, but on heavily worn discs the rust stays and shows up as a pulsing pedal. A more serious problem is seizing calliper slide pins — the pad stops retracting from the disc, the brake heats up while driving and wears unevenly.

Brake fluid is a separate topic. It is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture from the air, and the more water it contains the lower its boiling point. In a campervan this matters especially: a long descent from a mountain pass with a full load is exactly the situation in which the braking system heats up the most. Brake fluid is replaced every two years, regardless of mileage.

Batteries — two, not one

A campervan usually runs two batteries: the starter battery, responsible for firing up the engine, and the leisure battery powering the fridge, lighting, water pump and sockets. Both lost charge over the winter, and if they sat discharged their capacity may have dropped permanently.

Before the season it’s worth measuring the resting voltage of both batteries and running a load test. Voltage alone can be misleading — a battery may show a correct 12.6 V and collapse the moment it’s loaded. It’s also worth checking that charging from the alternator and from the mains works properly, because the most common cause of a “dying” leisure battery is a badly matched or faulty charge controller.

Sealing of the build — the costliest hidden fault

Damp is problem number one in campervans and at the same time the one that stays invisible the longest. Water gets in through the seals around windows, roof hatches and cable glands, then spends years destroying the wall structure from the inside. By the time a visible stain or the characteristic smell appears, it’s usually expensive.

That’s why it pays to take moisture readings before the season in the most exposed places: under windows, in corners, around hatches and near the floor. The check takes a quarter of an hour and catches the problem while it’s still repairable. While you’re at it, inspect the sealant and gaskets — if something is starting to lift, it’s better to fix it now than after the first rain on the road.

• Moisture readings in several points, especially by windows and the floor
• Inspection of window, hatch and cable gland seals
• Checking the sealant on the roof and around mounted fittings
• Airing and drying out the interior after winter

Fluids, filters and the engine

Oil in a campervan ages with time, even when the vehicle stands still. It absorbs moisture, oxidises and loses its properties, which is why the rule “once a year or every interval, whichever comes first” applies here in particular. If a year has passed since the last change, change the oil before the season even if the odometer has barely moved.

Also check the level and condition of the coolant and washer fluid, and while you’re there inspect the belts and hoses. Rubber that has spent winter in an unheated hall can crack, and a snapped auxiliary belt on the road means the end of the trip. It’s also worth reading the control unit memory — sometimes faults appeared over the winter that you don’t know about, because the warning light goes out after a few cycles.

Gas system and appliances

Before the season, check the expiry date of the regulator and gas hoses — they have a defined service life after which they must be replaced regardless of condition. Also check that the fridge, heating and water pump work. The water system needs flushing after winterisation, and if it was treated with chemicals, rinse it thoroughly and disinfect it.

Suspension and load — what few people remember

A campervan almost always travels close to its maximum permissible weight, and often above it — a full water tank, a complete set of equipment, bikes on the rack and four people with luggage are enough. That genuinely changes how the vehicle behaves: it lengthens the braking distance, increases body roll and loads the suspension far more heavily than in a car.

So before the season it’s worth inspecting the shock absorbers for leaks, checking play in the arms and bushings, and assessing the springs and bump stops. If after winter the campervan sits noticeably lower at the rear or bounces heavily after a bump, that’s a sign the suspension has had its day. On vehicles with auxiliary leaf springs or air suspension, check the seals and the compressor.

It’s also a good habit to weigh the campervan on a vehicle weighbridge at least once — with a typical holiday load. Many owners are surprised by the result, and an overloaded vehicle isn’t just a matter of a fine but above all of braking and stability when overtaking or in a crosswind.

• Checking shock absorbers for leaks and damping performance
• Checking play in arms, bushings and wheel bearings
• Assessing springs, bump stops and any auxiliary leaf springs
• Checking the air suspension, if the campervan has it
• Weighing the vehicle with a typical holiday load

Safety and paperwork

Before setting off, especially abroad, check the dates: the technical test, insurance, the green card and breakdown cover that actually includes a vehicle of that weight and height. That last one can be a surprise — some standard policies carry limits that leave campervan recovery uncovered.

Also check the mandatory equipment and the kit that simply saves the day: a fire extinguisher and its expiry date, a warning triangle, first-aid kit, hi-vis vests, a full set of wheel tools and a working jack rated for the vehicle’s weight. Add a head torch, a fuel filler key, spare fuses and jump leads — in a campervan they take up little space and on the road they can rescue an entire trip.

If you’re heading into the mountains or to countries with road tolls, check your vehicle class in advance — campervans are often charged differently from cars, and height and weight also matter when boarding ferries and entering some tunnels.

The order that saves you time

The biggest mistake is doing the inspection a week before departure. In spring everyone prepares their campervan at the same moment, workshop slots fill up in no time and campervan parts are often made to order. If it turns out you need new tyres or brake work, a week isn’t enough.

1. February–March: technical inspection and moisture readings of the build
2. March: oil, filter and fluid changes if a year has passed
3. March–April: tyres and brakes if the inspection showed wear
4. April: 12 V system, gas, water and appliances
5. Before the first trip: a test drive under load

That last point tends to be skipped, yet it’s exceptionally useful. A short drive with the campervan loaded reveals things you can’t see while parked: suspension noises under load, how the brakes behave, vibrations, and whether everything in the build stays where it should. Better to discover that twenty kilometres from home than two hundred from the border.

Summary

Preparing a campervan for the season comes down to one rule: look at time and standing still, not at mileage. Tyres, fluids, brakes and batteries wear in a campervan mainly while nothing is happening. Add a check of the build’s sealing, do it a month ahead, and the first trip will be what it should be — a trip, not a test of patience.

If you’d rather have it off your mind, we’ll do the inspection comprehensively in a workshop equipped for tall vehicles — chassis, 12 V system and moisture readings in a single visit.