7 Simple RV Repair Tips You Must Do Before Leaving Home

“The water heater isn’t working” is not the type of news you ever want to hear two days before you are due to leave on your long-awaited road trip. Unfortunately, Murphy’s Law is always waiting to hit us and unexpected things happen to all RVers, no matter how experienced. 

RV repairs are not always as simple as minor car repairs are. Anything from tire blowouts, sewer and refrigeration systems to brakes, air conditioner, and dead batteries can cause your plans to go awry. 

This is the reason that you should always have access to RV repair near me.

Instead of simply ignoring the fact that RV repairs may ruin your next road trip, it makes sense to prepare ahead of time. 

Part of your planning must include catering for the unexpected, irrespective of whether you’re renting a rig or are a full-time RVer, or weekend adventurer.

Three things every RVer should take with them include:

• trip insurance
• a roadside rescue plan
• RV and car insurance

You should also arm yourself with the knowledge of how to find RV repair shops either on the road or at home.   

Even if you are able to do RV repairs yourself or need to get help at an RV repair shop, read these RV repair tips. 

1. Understand Your Service and Warranty Plans

Whether you bought a used or new rig from someone who transferred an extended warranty into your name, or through a dealership, you should determine the types of warranties that were included with your RV before you hit the road.

Many extended warranty plans and warranties issued by manufacturers have options like web-based technical chats and technical service hotlines. If you find something that doesn’t work as it should, you may be able to contact someone who may be able to help troubleshoot the problem, either over the phone or in a webchat.

You should also double-check what information the dealership included when you purchased your RV. Some dealerships provide owners with free membership to a roadside assistance plan or the number of a troubleshooting hotline run by the dealership. Once you know which services are available to you, add the policy and contact information to the road trip repair packet described below. 

2. Create an RV Repair Package

Before going off on your next adventure, create a road trip repair package and keep it in a place that is easy to access inside of your tow vehicle or rig.

This RV repair package should include policy numbers, websites, and phone numbers for:

• tow vehicle insurance
• RV insurance
• roadside assistance plans

If you put the data in a folder that has space to write on the outside, write the contact information on the front of the folder in order of importance. This will make the process of contacting someone to help you with your RV problems easier to manage. 

3. Ask a Mechanic to Come to You

A mobile RV service can be used for more than solving issues that occur while you’re on the road. Many mobile mechanics specializing in RV repairs also often make house calls for routine services like tires, batteries, filters, and oil. A mobile RV mechanic can also help you when something on your motorhome or camper needs to be fixed, whether you’re on a trip or at home.

If the closest warranty-approved repair center is out of reach, the warranty service will sometimes be willing to arrange for a mechanic to come to you instead. 

Mobile RV repair services are convenient and can often be faster than you having to find an available time slot at your dealer. Do however remember that convenience does come at a cost. The price for repairs and services is often higher when a mechanic comes to you.

4. Use Your Service, Warranty, and Roadside Assistance Plans Where Needed

The most difficult part about finding someone that will repair your RV is knowing who to contact about the specific repairs. Use the contacts you have added to your road trip repair packet and get those people to help you.

If the troubleshooting technical chats and hotlines you have listed aren’t able to help you, those services will more often than not know who you need to contact instead. They will provide you with the details of the closest repair shop or warranty-approved dealership, or a mobile RV service to help get you back on the road.

Whatever type of RV service you have selected, always ensure you follow the suggestions made by the service, warranty, or roadside assistance plan for repairs. This will ensure that you don’t void your coverage in the future.

5. Use Word of Mouth to Find RV Repair Specialists 

Hard-to-find items and tiny parts, together with out-of-area service centers and warranty claims are only a small part of the RV repair puzzle. Finding reputable mechanics who can fix a problem without causing too much damage to your wallet is often the most difficult thing to achieve.

Fortunately, the internet has made it easy these days to ask people to give recommendations. It has become simple to post a question on your favorite RV group or social media feed. As people often post their opinions wherever they can, online commentary tends to contain a blend of both negative and positive recommendations.

If you don’t have friends that are RVers in your circle, there’s no need to worry!  A quick search on the internet for RV service near me or RV repair near me will quickly display local reviews and ratings.

6. Ask For Service Recommendations at The RV Park

Due to RVs having so many critically important parts and systems, it’s inevitable that things will go wrong while you’re far from home. RV parks will however understand this.

This is the reason why most established RV parks will provide their guests with a flier when they check-in that contains more than Wi-Fi and restroom codes. These fliers often have contact information for local, reliable services that range from service centers nearby to the best mobile RV repair.

As the reputation of the RV park is on the line, it is highly likely that the services recommended are tried and tested. 

7. Doing Your Own RV Repairs?

This tip is for those that are mechanically inclined. If something needs fixing, you’ll probably be able to find a hack, blog post, or YouTube video online. DIY enthusiasts love to share their tips and tricks on the internet and many people simply love saving money by fixing a problem themselves.

RVs are very similar to your home in that they both have electrical components and working parts that are used to make each system operate. Often times the repair is easy to do if you know what needs to be done. However, others might take days and need technical savvy. 

If you decide to repair your own problem, follow safety protocols and don’t attempt anything that will violate your rental agreement or void your warranty. 

Many RV owners have replaced old worn-out RV water heaters. This link will give you more details about the popular Suburban RV water heaters. 

Getting Back on The Road for Fun and Adventure

Don’t let RV repairs get you worried! Following the 7 easy RV repair tips we provided will make you smile a bit when troubles happen, because you prepared beforehand. 

When you use these 7 tips, you’ll manage to locate the best RV repair shops close to you. Although getting repairs while on the road are troublesome, you’ll never have to be worried about where you should take your camper or motorhome when it has a problem.