Do a 15-minute sweep before the tow truck arrives. Remove the garage-door remote, spare house keys, toll transponder, parking permits, disability placards, insurance card, registration, glovebox papers, and anything personal or valuable. Factory-reset the infotainment system so Bluetooth pairings, HomeLink, and saved addresses are gone. Pull the vehicle off any toll account too. Leave the keys and the signed-over title with the car so Vision Wheels can receive the donation at free pickup.
Your pre-pickup checklist
Remove security items first
Start with anything that can open a door or identify where you live. Remove the garage-door remote from the visor or console. Check for spare house keys, mailbox keys, gate fobs, building access cards, and neighborhood pool passes. If the vehicle has built-in garage controls, make a note to clear HomeLink during the electronics step. Do this first so security items do not get buried during the rest of the sweep.
Pull billing devices next
Remove the toll transponder, parking payment tag, fleet fuel card, car-wash pass, and any account-linked device. Then log in to the toll account and remove this vehicle from the account. Taking the tag out is not always enough if the plate or vehicle profile remains active. Check the windshield, dashboard, glovebox, console, and under-seat storage for older tags or backup passes.
Clear every document pocket
Open the glovebox, center console, visor sleeves, seat-back pockets, door pockets, and any owner-manual pouch. Remove the insurance card, registration, repair receipts, warranty papers, old loan papers, roadside cards, and personal notes. Keep anything with your name, address, policy number, account number, or signature. Leave only vehicle items that should stay with the car, such as manuals, if you want them included.
Sweep cabin and trunk
Move front seats forward and back. Look under the seats, between cushions, inside cupholders, and behind floor mats. Check the trunk, cargo organizer, jack compartment, spare-tire well, hatch side pockets, and under removable floor panels. Also check visors, sunglasses holders, charging cables, seat-back pockets, child-seat cracks, and the area around the pedals. Remove cash, tools, medicines, glasses, mail, keys, and personal electronics.
Wipe stored vehicle data
Factory-reset the infotainment system if the menu allows it. Delete Bluetooth pairings, call logs, text-message access, Wi-Fi hotspots, navigation history, saved home and work addresses, garage-door programming, and app connections. Clear HomeLink or other built-in door controls. If you are unsure how to reset the system, delete each phone and address manually from the settings menus before the car leaves.
Handle optional aftermarket removals
Remove personal aftermarket items only if doing so keeps the car intact and as-described. Dash cams, phone mounts, loose GPS units, upgraded speakers that are not wired in, removable seat covers, and child seats can usually come out. Do not strip parts, cut wires, remove factory equipment, or change the vehicle from the condition you gave Vision Wheels. If a removal changes that description, say so before pickup.
Leave required pickup items
After the sweep, put the keys and the signed-over title with the car. If there is more than one key, include the main key and any working spare you meant to donate. Place the title where the pickup driver can receive it, but do not tuck it inside a random compartment where it can be missed. Keep your own copies or photos of documents for your records.
Title and paperwork notes
Title signing can depend on how names are printed, whether there is a lien, and whether any correction is needed. If anything about your title is unusual, ask the Georgia DMV before writing on it. Do not guess, cross out, or add extra markings unless you have been told to do so. For license plate questions, use our License Plate Guide. For release-of-liability questions, use our Release of Liability Guide.
Common questions
Should I leave the insurance card in the glovebox?
No. Remove the insurance card and any other papers that show policy numbers, addresses, signatures, or account details. Keep your insurance documents for your records. If the card is old, remove it anyway. Gloveboxes often hold years of papers, so check every envelope and folder before the vehicle leaves.
Do I need to remove the toll transponder if the account is closed?
Yes. Remove the transponder even if you believe the account is closed. Also sign in or contact the toll provider to remove the vehicle from the account. This helps prevent later charges, notices, or confusion tied to the device, vehicle profile, or saved payment method.
What if I cannot factory-reset the screen?
Delete what you can manually. Remove paired phones, saved addresses, call history, text access, garage-door buttons, Wi-Fi connections, and app links. If the menu is locked or the battery is dead, write down what you could not clear and remove any phone, cable, or external device from the car.
Can I take out my dash cam or child seat?
Yes, if it is your personal item and removing it does not damage the vehicle or change the donation description. Take out dash cams, memory cards, child seats, phone mounts, and loose accessories. Leave built-in equipment, factory parts, and anything you included when you described the vehicle.
More donation prep guides
A careful 15-minute sweep protects your privacy, your accounts, and your valuables. Work in order: security items, billing devices, documents, cabin and trunk, saved electronics data, optional personal add-ons, then the keys and signed-over title. Vision Wheels accepts vehicle donations benefiting Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446). When your sweep is done, you are ready to hand off the car with confidence.