RV maintenance is easier to keep up with when it's sorted by date instead of by system. This schedule puts the recurring tasks for travel trailers, fifth wheels and motorhomes on one calendar, from before each trip to by the mile. Each section links to our deeper guide for that system.

Two ground rules:

• Your own manuals set the intervals. Where this guide gives a number, it names the manual it comes from. The examples come from the 2027 Jayco towable manual, 2027 Jayco Class C manual and 2026 Entegra Coach Anthem manual. That towable manual also carries warranty notices for Open Range and Heartland RV. Still, the manual that came with your RV, the component manuals in its document packet and, on a motorhome, the Chassis Guide take priority.
• Inspecting is your job. Propane, electrical and brake work is not. The owner vs. dealer section near the end shows where the line sits.

Before Every Trip

• Tire pressure, checked cold. Use the pressure on the RV's Federal Certification label. Cold means parked three hours or more, or driven less than a mile. Jayco's towable manual warns that a hot tire can read as much as 6 psi higher, so don't let air out of hot tires. Look for cracks, bulges and uneven wear too. On towables, the manual notes that special trailer (ST) tires are rated for a maximum of 65 mph.
• Wheel lug nuts. Jayco's towable and Class C manuals call for a lug check before trips, after winter storage and after heavy braking. Use a calibrated torque wrench and the values in your manual or Chassis Guide, not an impact wrench or a 4-way lug wrench.
• Smoke and CO/propane alarms. Test them after storage, before each trip and at least once a week while you're using the RV.
• Lights, hitch and breakaway (towables). Test every light with the tow vehicle connected. Check the safety chains, coupler latch and breakaway lanyard. Keep the 7-way plug clean.
• Water lines. Jayco's towable manual says to check plumbing lines and fittings for leaks before each trip and before storage, including faucets and sink connections.
• Motorhome fluids and cab. Jayco's Class C checklist lists engine oil, transmission fluid, coolant, power steering fluid and washer fluid. It also covers seat belt buckles and leveling jacks.
• Chassis air bags (if equipped). Entegra Coach's Anthem manual calls for checking air-bag pressure weekly while you're using the coach and before travel.
• A sealant walk-around. All three RV manuals reviewed suggest a quick walk around the RV before leaving to catch sealant, door and vent problems early.

Our RV towing guide covers the tow vehicle side.

Monthly

• Test GFCI outlets. Jayco's towable manual says to test every GFCI monthly by pressing TEST, then RESET.
• Check house battery voltage. The towable manual says to check auxiliary battery voltage monthly and recharge as needed. Many RVs display it on the control panel. Jayco's Class C manual is stricter during storage, at least every two weeks. Our RV electrical systems guide covers the house battery and converter.
• Exercise the generator. For a 4,000-watt generator, Jayco's towable manual says to run it at 50 percent load or more (about 2,000 watts, or one air conditioner) for two hours every four weeks. Your generator's own manual sets its oil and filter intervals. See our RV generator maintenance guide.
• Look at the furnace vent during heating season. The towable manual calls for a monthly check for soot. If you see soot, shut the furnace off and call a qualified service agency. More in our RV heating systems guide.
• Look over the water heater. Jayco's Class C manual says to inspect it monthly. For an owner, that means checking the outside vent for soot or blockages, both of which the towable manual flags. Servicing it is a technician's job.
• Lubricate the entry step. The towable manual calls for an automotive-grade, non-staining lubricant on the step pivot points every 30 to 60 days.
• Motorhome chassis checks. Use the owner-check list in your exact chassis manual.

Every Three to Six Months

• Inspect every sealant. The Jayco towable, Jayco Class C and Entegra Coach Anthem manuals all say you or your dealer should inspect all sealants at least every six months. That includes the roof, all four sides, moldings, doors, vents and exterior attachments. Our RV roof maintenance guide covers how to inspect and when to stay off the roof.
• Sanitize the fresh water system on schedule. Jayco's manuals list four times to sanitize: when the RV is new, at the beginning and end of each season, every three months of use and any time the water becomes contaminated.
• Wax. The towable manual says to wax once or twice a year, or when water stops beading on painted surfaces. Wait 60 days after buying a new RV so the paint can cure.
• Additional chassis checks. Put the time-based checks from your exact Chassis Guide on the calendar.
• Clean the air conditioner filter. Jayco's towable manual says to always run the AC with its return air filter in place, but manufacturers don't agree on one cleaning interval. Our RV air conditioner care guide explains how to set one for the way you camp.

Spring and Fall

Spring. Follow our RV dewinterization guide. Jayco's checklists add a few items. Wash the RV and inspect the sealants. Dewinterize and sanitize the water system. Test all lights and the brakes. Check the lug nuts, since the manuals list winter storage as a trigger. Motorhome owners should also prepare the chassis as the Chassis Guide directs.

Fall. Use the storage checklist in the owner's manual for your exact RV, along with its component manuals. Our RV winterization guide covers the plumbing. Jayco's towable storage checklist includes:

• Cover tires that sit in the sun.
• Close the propane cylinder valves and cover the regulator.
• Add fuel stabilizer to the generator.
• Remove the batteries and store them where they won't freeze.
• Lubricate and raise the stabilizer jacks.
• Seal off entry points for rodents, birds and insects.
• Retract the slideouts for long-term storage.

During storage, clear snow off the roof. The towable manual treats 8 inches or more of snow, or 2 inches or more of ice, as excessive weight. Remove it without damaging the roof material.

Once a Year

Most annual items are technician jobs. Book them early.

• Propane system check by a qualified propane service representative. Jayco's towable and Class C manuals both put it at every 5,000 miles of travel or at least once a year. Owners shouldn't leak-test or repair propane lines themselves.
• Furnace service. The Jayco manuals call for a qualified RV technician to service the furnace at least once a year, and say not to attempt DIY repairs.
• Water heater service. Jayco's Class C manual says to have it serviced at least once a year.
• Reseal. The manuals say to reseal at least once a year as preventive maintenance, using the same type of sealant that was removed. Your dealer's service or parts department can identify it. If you ever find water inside, have the dealer trace the leak right away. Jayco's towable manual warns that water damage from poor sealant maintenance isn't covered by the Limited Warranty.
• Smaller annual items. Vacuum the CO/propane alarm cover (towable manual). Replace the water filter cartridge every 6 to 12 months (towable manual, if equipped). Check the electrolyte in flooded lead-acid batteries (Class C manual) or have your dealer do it. Have the roof air conditioner's mounting bolts checked (Class C manual). On coaches with a hydronic heating system, have the diesel burner tuned up (Anthem manual).

By the Mile

• New or remounted wheels. Jayco's towable and Class C manuals say to re-torque lug nuts at 10, 25 and 50 miles.
• Towable brakes and bearings. Have a qualified technician inspect and service them on the axle and brake manufacturers' schedules. Jayco's 2027 towable manual calls for technician brake adjustment and regular bearing inspection; it does not supply an annual interval. It adds that new electric brakes typically need about 1,000 miles or 50 medium-to-heavy stops to seat before adjustment.
• Tandem axle equalizers (towables, if equipped). Units with grease fittings should be greased about every 3,500 miles, according to Jayco's towable manual.
• Motorhome chassis. Use the Chassis Guide for the exact chassis model and year. Follow its mileage, time and engine-hour limits, including any extra maintenance for towing or other special operating conditions.

RV Maintenance Schedule at a Glance

These are examples from the 2027 Jayco towable and Class C manuals and the 2026 Entegra Coach Anthem manual. Use only the rows that apply to your RV and equipment; its own manuals determine the schedule.

Owner Inspection vs. Dealer Service

Owner jobs are looking, testing and measuring: tire pressure, lug torque with a calibrated wrench, pressing alarm and GFCI test buttons, reading battery voltage, washing and waxing, sanitizing, draining tanks, spotting cracked sealant and lubricating the entry step and stabilizer jacks.

Dealer or technician jobs:

• Anything involving propane lines, regulators or burners
• Furnace and water heater service
• 120-volt electrical work beyond resetting a breaker or GFCI
• Brakes, bearings and mounting wheels (Jayco's towable manual)
• Resealing, if you aren't sure which sealant to use
• Generator service beyond routine oil changes; Jayco's manuals send that to an authorized facility
• Motorhome chassis service on the Chassis Guide schedule

Tire warranty and service go to the tire maker or the retailer that supplied the tires, not the RV dealer.

Keep a written log with dates, mileage and generator hours, plus every service receipt.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Often Should an RV Be Serviced?

No single interval covers every RV, but the manuals reviewed set fixed points: a propane system check every 5,000 miles or at least yearly, furnace service at least yearly and a sealant inspection at least every six months with an annual reseal. Motorhomes add the Chassis Guide's mileage and time limits.

Is Motorhome Maintenance Different From Camper Maintenance?

The living areas share the same systems: sealants, water, propane appliances, batteries and alarms. A motorhome adds an engine and chassis serviced on the Chassis Guide schedule. A travel trailer or fifth wheel adds a hitch, breakaway switch, electric brakes, bearings and, on some models, axle equalizers.

What Maintenance Does a Class C RV Need?

Everything in the house-system schedule, plus the Chassis Guide. Jayco's Class C manual calls for a monthly water heater inspection, yearly water heater and furnace service and a propane check every 5,000 miles or yearly. During storage it asks for a battery voltage check at least every two weeks.

Can I Do My Own RV Maintenance?

Mostly. Inspections, tire and battery checks, alarm tests, cleaning, sanitizing and lubrication are owner jobs. Leave propane, furnace and water heater service, 120-volt electrical work, brakes and bearings to qualified technicians. Keep receipts. Jayco's towable manual says water damage from poor sealant maintenance isn't covered by the Limited Warranty.

When Should RV Tires Be Replaced?

The manuals reviewed don't set an age limit. Jayco's towable manual says to replace tires with the same size and specifications shown on the Federal Certification label and to take tire warranty questions to the tire maker. Our RV inspection checklist explains how to read a tire's DOT date code.

Put the Schedule to Work

Save this page and set reminders for the monthly, six-month and annual items. To budget for the technician jobs, see our RV ownership cost guide. Then find your local dealer's service department and book the propane check and furnace service before the season starts. Still shopping? Ask the dealer to walk you through the maintenance points on any travel trailer, fifth wheel or Class C motorhome you're considering, or take the RV finder quiz to narrow your type first.