9 RV Maintenance Tips to Avoid Travel Disruptions

9 RV Maintenance Tips to Avoid Travel Disruptions
Preventive motorhome care and checks to keep you rolling.

By: Kenny & Sabrina Phillips

After more than 175,000 miles in our Winnebago Vista, I’ve learned that keeping an RV on the road often comes down to paying attention to the little things. Regular maintenance and catching small issues early can help prevent them from becoming bigger, more expensive problems down the road.

Our Winnebago Vista is both a vehicle and a home, so every time we head down the road, we are essentially subjecting that home to a series of mini earthquakes. Things vibrate, screws loosen, seals age, and components wear. Add thousands of miles, changing weather conditions, and different campsites into the mix, and there is always something worth keeping an eye on. 

I will also note that Sabrina and I rarely get to follow the weather, so our RV is constantly exposed to some of the worst-case scenarios: freezing temperatures in the winter and blistering heat in the summer.

Over the years, maintaining our motorhome has simply become part of RV travel. I don't consider myself a mechanic, and there are plenty of jobs I leave to professionals. However, I've learned that you don't have to be a mechanic to keep your RV in good shape; you just have to pay attention to how it is behaving. I have also found YouTube to be an excellent source for how-to videos and DIY repairs for both our RV and our Jeep.

Read more tips for creating an RV maintenance plan without getting overwhelmed in this article from a fellow RVer!

1. Know What is Normal for Your RV

One of the biggest things 175,000 miles has taught me is the importance of knowing what is normal for our RV. We are lucky in this regard because we bought our RV with only 4,000 miles on it nine years ago, so we know it very well.

I know how it typically drives and what the engine normally sounds like. I know how the slides should sound going in and out, and how the generator sounds when it is running. I also have a pretty good idea of how frequently our water pump should cycle and how our electrical system normally performs.

When something suddenly sounds, feels, or operates differently, I want to know why.

That doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong, but a new noise or a change in performance is worth investigating. I'd much rather spend a few minutes looking into something at a campground than discover several hundred miles later that the little noise I ignored was actually the beginning of a bigger problem.

2. Don't Forget About the Vehicle Under Your Home

Because an RV has so many house systems to maintain, it can be easy to concentrate on those and forget that everything is riding on a vehicle that needs maintenance too.

Oil and filter changes, fluid levels, brakes, tires, and chassis lubrication are all important parts of keeping our Vista going. As the mileage has increased, I've also become even more aware of steering and suspension components, belts, hoses, and the cooling system. I will sometimes even bring my RV into a shop just for an oil change so I can get a second set of eyes on it for an inspection.

I also pay attention to how the tires are wearing. Abnormal tire wear can sometimes tell you that something else needs attention, whether that's tire pressure, alignment, or a suspension issue. (Learn more about RV tire maintenance here.)

I suggest keeping records of the work you have done as well. At 175,000 miles, remembering when something was last serviced or replaced gets difficult. Having those records gives me a much better picture of what has been done and what may be coming up.

And, of course, things eventually wear out no matter how well you care for your RV. Preventative maintenance doesn't mean nothing will ever break. 

We've certainly replaced our share of components over the years and have had services performed such as brake work, coolant flushes, and transmission flushes. I try to take our RV back to Ford as much as I can for bigger jobs like these, but I have also used truck shops. My goal is to catch what is wearing out whenever possible before a failure leaves us sitting alongside the road.

3. Get in the Habit of Doing Walk-Around Checks

One of the easiest maintenance habits I've developed doesn't require any tools: I look at the RV constantly.

Before we leave a campground, I'll walk around our Vista, checking the tires, jacks, steps, awning, slideouts, and exterior compartments. I'm looking underneath for anything leaking and checking for anything that doesn't look the way it did before.

But I don't only do this on travel days … If we stop for fuel, I'll look at the tires while I'm walking around. If Belle and I are outside at a campground, I may notice something while walking past the RV. If I see a spot underneath the motorhome, I want to know where it came from.

After this many miles, these quick inspections have just become part of traveling.

4. Don’t Neglect Checking Your RV’s Roof

Water intrusion can cause major damage to an RV, which is why I continue to make inspecting the roof and exterior seals a priority. Just recently, I was up on the roof inspecting and recaulking any areas that needed attention. At a minimum, I do this once a year.

When I'm safely able to get on the roof, I inspect the sealant around the vents, antennas, and ports, as well as along the perimeter. I'm looking for cracking, peeling, or separation that could eventually allow water inside.

Cleaning the roof is also a great opportunity to inspect it because problems are much easier to see on a clean surface, although now that I have so many solar panels on the roof, I don't do this as often as I once did.

While I'm up there, I look at the air-conditioning unit and make sure it is clear of debris. I'll also inspect the condition of our slide toppers and awning fabric. Then I work my way down the RV, looking at window seals, exterior openings, awning hardware, and slide components.

Another helpful habit I suggest for leak detection happens from inside the RV. During a heavy rainstorm, I'll occasionally open cabinets and use a flashlight to look into the corners.

A small leak can remain hidden behind a cabinet for quite a while before you notice visible evidence of water damage. I'd rather find that first drop of water than discover the damage it caused months later.

5. If It Has a Screw, You Should Plan to Check It

Remember those mini earthquakes? After enough miles, you learn just how good an RV is at loosening things.

Cabinet hardware, door handles, light fixtures, trim pieces, and other fasteners can gradually work themselves loose. We once had our dinette light fixture fall because the screws had loosened from all the vibration. Luckily, nothing broke.

Outside, I've also found hardware on our retractable steps that needed tightening. Now, if something moves, rattles, or doesn't feel quite right, I investigate it. 

Sometimes the fix is nothing more than tightening a screw. However, if I find myself retightening the same screw over and over again, I will add Loctite to help prevent it from loosening due to vibration.

That's about as inexpensive as RV maintenance and problem prevention gets.

6. Keep an Eye on the Plumbing

A small water leak can become a big problem surprisingly quickly, especially if it is somewhere you can't easily see.

I periodically look underneath our sinks and around plumbing connections for signs of leaks or water damage. I also inspect our water pump and strainer and maintain our freshwater system. Again, knowing what is normal helps.

For example, if the water pump suddenly starts cycling when nobody is using water, I'm going to investigate. It might be something minor, but it could also be telling me that water is going somewhere it shouldn't. 

7. Advanced Electrical Systems Still Need to Be Checked

Our Vista's electrical system has evolved significantly over the years. Today, we have a large lithium battery bank, approximately 1,200 watts of solar, a Victron MultiPlus inverter/charger, and DC-to-DC charging. That setup allows us to spend a lot of time away from hookups and has completely changed how we use our RV. But upgrading the technology doesn't eliminate the need to pay attention to it.

Road vibration can affect electrical connections just like it affects screws and bolts elsewhere in the RV. I keep an eye out for anything unusual, including loose connections, discoloration, or signs of excessive heat.

Our monitoring system also gives me another advantage. Because I regularly see what our electrical system is doing, unusual charging or power consumption can give me an early indication that something needs attention.

Of course, electrical systems can obviously be dangerous to DIY maintenance on. If you don't have the knowledge or experience to safely inspect or work on these systems, this is an area where I strongly recommend leaving the work to a qualified professional. In fact, next month I am bringing our RV back to the installers of our upgraded system for a full electrical inspection.

8. Prioritize Maintenance of the Systems That Keep You Comfortable

An RV contains a surprising number of systems and appliances, and many of ours have changed over 175,000 miles. Our Vista now has a 12-volt compressor refrigerator, a Truma AquaGo water heater, and upgrades to our air-conditioning and electrical systems, among others.

Regardless of what appliances you have, I think the important thing is understanding the maintenance requirements for each one and paying attention to how they operate.

Here are some tasks to have on your RV maintenance list:

• Air-conditioner filters need cleaning. 
• Exterior vents and exhausts should be checked for obstructions, including insects that sometimes decide our RV systems look like great places to build homes.
• Propane systems should be inspected and tested. 
• Appliances should be serviced according to their manufacturers' recommendations.
• And don't forget about the generator. We don't use ours often throughout our travels, but I keep up with its scheduled maintenance and periodically inspect components like the spark plug. (Note: If you don't use your generator frequently, follow the manufacturer's recommendations for exercising and maintaining it. Even though ours doesn't get used much, I still change the oil once a year. The worst time to discover that your generator isn't working is when you really need it.)

9. Maintenance Doesn't Always Mean Doing It Yourself

I enjoy learning how the systems in our Vista work, and there are plenty of maintenance jobs I'm comfortable doing myself. There are also jobs I don't do.

Knowing when to call a professional is just as important as knowing how to turn a wrench. If I'm uncomfortable with a repair or inspection, particularly when it involves propane, high-voltage electrical systems, or something that could affect the safety of the RV, I'm happy to hand it over to someone with the proper training and equipment.

What 175,000 Miles Have Taught Me About RV Maintenance

Looking back over all the miles we've traveled in our Vista, I think my approach to maintenance can be summed up with a few simple lessons:

1. Know your RV: Learn how it sounds, feels, and operates when everything is working correctly.
2. Pay attention to changes: New noises, smells, vibrations, or changes in performance are your RV's way of telling you to take a closer look.
3. Inspect things regularly: You don't need a clipboard and a 100-point checklist every time you stop. Sometimes, simply walking around your RV can help you spot a problem. However, I will note that I am particularly good at this, so it may take time to hone this skill. Sabrina is often amazed at how I can look at something and say, "That doesn't look right," or "This is missing something." 
4. Don't put off the little things: Small problems have a tendency to become larger and more expensive problems if you give them enough time.

The odometer may have a lot more miles on it these days, but when it's time to pull out of the campground and point the Vista toward our next destination, I still want to know that we've done everything we can to make sure it's ready for the road ahead.

Read this article for more preventative RV maintenance checks to do inside your RV, and read this article for outdoor RV checks!

I hope you found this article helpful and encouraging. Remember, there can be many miles and years of exploring ahead in your Winnebago with proper RV care and maintenance. If you have any questions for me, please leave them in the comment section, and I will do my best to answer them.

Take care, everyone, and safe travels!