Vehicle Intake & Write-Up: the full procedure

Capture the customer concern and vehicle/tire details, document existing damage, and protect the vehicle before any tire work begins.

• Applies to: Service writer or tire technician.
• Frequency: Every vehicle that enters the service lane.
• Scope: Covers intake documentation and vehicle protection only. Any tire repairability or service decision defers to the tire/vehicle manufacturer and a qualified technician.

What you need

• Repair-order tablet or form
• Key tag
• Tire tread / DOT reference
• Seat & steering-wheel covers
• Walkaround camera

The procedure, step by step

1. Greet & capture concern — Write the customer’s exact words for the concern (pull, vibration, slow leak, noise) on the repair order so nothing is reinterpreted.
2. Record vehicle & mileage — Log year/make/model, VIN if needed, current odometer reading, and the reason for service.
3. Read tire size & DOT — Record the tire size from the sidewall and the 4-digit DOT date code (week/year) for every tire to flag age and matching.
4. Walkaround damage note — Photograph and note pre-existing dents, scratches, curb rash, and wheel/cap condition before the vehicle moves into the bay.
5. Tag the keys — Attach a numbered key tag matching the repair order so keys are never mismatched to a vehicle.
6. Fit protective covers — Install seat, floor, and steering-wheel covers before entering to keep the interior clean.
7. Confirm & authorize — Read back the concern and noted damage to the customer and obtain authorization before work starts.
8. Stage the vehicle — Pull the vehicle into the assigned bay and verify the repair order travels with it.

Quality check before you finish

• Customer’s stated concern recorded verbatim.
• Odometer reading captured.
• Tire size and DOT date code logged for all tires.
• Pre-existing damage photographed and noted.
• Numbered key tag matches repair order.
• Protective covers installed.
• Customer authorization obtained before work begins.

This is a free, source-anchored standard operating procedure (SOP) you can print and hand to staff. It documents the work sequence for a Tire Shop business — not safety or regulatory rulings, which defer to the cited authorities, the applicable code, and your own health-and-safety plan. Open the tool above to print it, toggle ink-saver, or (with a free ToolFluency Business account) edit it to match your own workflow.

Sources

• USTMA — DOT Date Code (Week/Year on Sidewall) (ustires.org)
• Tire Industry Association — Tire Age in Replacement Evaluation (tireindustry.org)