Do a 15-minute sweep before the tow truck takes the car. Remove the garage-door remote, toll transponder, parking permits, disability placards, insurance card, registration, glovebox papers, personal items, and valuables. Check under seats, visors, consoles, seat-back pockets, the trunk, and the spare-tire well. Factory-reset the infotainment system so Bluetooth pairings, HomeLink, contacts, and any saved home address are cleared. Leave the keys and the signed-over title with the car.
Your pre-pickup checklist
Pull security access items
Start with anything that opens a door or gate. Remove the garage-door remote, spare house keys, building fobs, mailbox keys, storage-unit keys, and any gate or lot access cards. Check the key ring, visor clip, center console, dash tray, and door pockets. If you stored a spare key set in the car, pull those keys now unless they are vehicle keys needed for donation.
Remove billing devices
Take out every toll tag or parking payment device. Look on the windshield, behind the mirror, in the glovebox, and in the console. After you remove the toll transponder, log in to the toll account and remove this vehicle from the account. Do the same for paid parking apps, garage accounts, campus permits, workplace stickers, or hangtags tied to your license plate or vehicle.
Clear glovebox documents
Remove the insurance card, registration, old repair invoices, receipts, warranty papers, loan papers, and anything showing your name, address, policy number, account number, or phone number. Check the owner’s manual folder and every envelope in the glovebox. Keep any document you need for your records. Do not leave personal paperwork behind just because it looks routine.
Sweep cabin and trunk
Work from front to back. Check under both front seats, between the seat and console, seat-back pockets, door pockets, cup holders, visors, overhead sunglass holders, the center console, and rear storage bins. Then open the trunk or cargo area. Look under mats, inside side compartments, in emergency kits, and in the spare-tire well. Remove tools or accessories that are personally yours.
Wipe stored vehicle data
If the car has power, factory-reset the infotainment system. Delete Bluetooth pairings, contacts, call history, garage-door programming, HomeLink buttons, navigation history, saved addresses, and any saved home address. Also remove app logins, Wi-Fi passwords, music accounts, and driver profiles. If you cannot find the reset option, use the manual or remove the data you can see.
Remove optional add-ons
Remove personal aftermarket items only if they are yours and can come out without damaging the vehicle. Common examples include dash cams, phone mounts, upgraded stereos, removable speakers, GPS units, toolboxes, and child seats. Keep the car intact and as-described. Do not remove built-in safety equipment, factory parts, catalytic converters, airbags, seats, or anything needed to move the vehicle safely.
Leave keys and title
When the sweep is done, put the vehicle keys and the signed-over title with the car. The tow driver needs the keys, and Revive Wheels needs the properly signed title to complete the donation paperwork. Do not pack the title with your personal documents by mistake. If any title-signing detail is unclear, confirm the requirement with the Ohio DMV before the vehicle leaves.
Two paperwork items handled separately
This checklist is only for personal items, billable devices, documents inside the vehicle, and data stored in the vehicle. It is not the place to sort out other vehicle-transfer tasks, because those steps have their own guides. For plates, use our License Plate After Donation guide. For release of liability, use our Release of Liability guide. Finish this sweep before you walk away from the vehicle so the keys and signed-over title are the only paperwork-related items left.
Common questions
What if I forget something in the car?
Contact Revive Wheels as soon as you notice. Give a clear description of the item and where it was located. Retrieval is not something to count on after the vehicle leaves, so treat the 15-minute sweep as your final chance to remove personal, valuable, or billable items.
Should I leave maintenance records in the glovebox?
Only leave papers that have no personal information and that you are comfortable giving away. Many repair invoices show your name, address, phone number, payment details, or vehicle service history. When in doubt, keep the records with your own tax and vehicle files instead of leaving them in the car.
Do I need to remove a child seat?
Yes, remove child seats and boosters unless you have been specifically told otherwise. They are personal safety items, and they may have expiration dates, recall issues, or fit history the next person cannot verify. Also check the seat pockets and under the child seat for cards, toys, keys, cash, and small electronics.
More donation prep guides
A clean handoff protects your privacy and keeps the donation simple. Remove access items, toll devices, documents, valuables, personal gear, and stored electronic data. Then leave the keys and signed-over title with the car. Revive Wheels supports Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446) through vehicle donations, and your free pickup is ready for a smoother handoff when this checklist is complete.