Do a 15-minute sweep before the tow truck arrives. Remove the garage-door remote, toll transponder, parking permits, disability placards, insurance card, glovebox documents, valuables, medicine, chargers, sunglasses, and anything in the cabin or trunk. Factory-reset the infotainment system, including Bluetooth pairings, HomeLink, saved addresses, and saved home destination. Leave the keys and the signed-over title with the car.
Your pre-pickup checklist
Pull security items first
Start with anything that can open or identify a home, office, or storage space. Remove the garage-door remote from the visor, console, or door pocket. Check for spare house keys, office keys, gate cards, gym fobs, mailbox keys, and storage-unit keys. Look on key rings, under floor mats, and in small console trays. Keep only the vehicle keys with the donation.
Remove billing items
Take the toll transponder out of the windshield, glovebox, or console. Do not leave it in the car, even if the account is inactive. Then log in to the toll account and remove this vehicle from the account. Also pull parking permits, hang tags, fleet fuel cards, prepaid parking cards, and any pass that could create charges after the car leaves.
Clear documents and cards
Empty the glovebox and document pouch. Remove your insurance card, registration, service receipts, old title copies, loan papers, warranty papers, inspection sheets, and any document with your name, address, phone number, policy number, or account number. Take disability placards and work or school parking permits. Keep donation paperwork you need for your own records unless Cruise Forward specifically asked for it.
Sweep cabin and trunk
Move front seats all the way forward and back. Check under seats, between cushions, seat-back pockets, door bins, visors, cup holders, console storage, and the area around the pedals. Open the trunk or hatch. Look in cargo pockets, under the cargo mat, beside the jack, and in the spare-tire well. Remove tools only if they are yours and not part of the vehicle.
Wipe stored vehicle data
Open the infotainment settings and look for a factory reset, system reset, or delete user data option. Remove Bluetooth pairings, call history, contacts, navigation history, saved home address, saved work address, garage controls such as HomeLink, app connections, Wi-Fi settings, and driver profiles. If you cannot find a full reset, delete each profile and pairing manually before free pickup.
Remove optional add-ons carefully
Take aftermarket items only if they are yours and removal will not damage the vehicle or change the condition you described. Common examples include dash cams, phone mounts, upgraded stereos, removable speakers, radar detectors, seat covers, roof racks, cargo boxes, and child seats. Leave factory equipment, built-in parts, and anything needed to keep the vehicle intact, complete, and as-described.
Leave keys and title
When the sweep is done, put the vehicle keys where the driver can receive them, and leave the signed-over title with the car. Do not pack the title away with your personal files if it is needed for the handoff. If there are multiple keys or remotes for the vehicle itself, leave them too. Keep copies of your own donation records separately.
Paperwork items to separate
Some items are personal records; some are transfer documents. Separate them before the handoff so you do not have to search later. Title signing rules are state-specific, and the safest path is to follow the printed instructions on the title; if the instructions are unclear or your situation is unusual, contact the Alabama DMV before signing. Use our License Plate Guide for plate handling. Use our Release of Liability Guide for reporting the transfer.
Common questions
What if I find something after the car is gone?
Contact Cruise Forward as soon as you notice. Give your name, the vehicle year, make, model, and a clear description of the missing item. Recovery is not always possible once a vehicle has moved through the donation process, so the best protection is a careful sweep before the handoff.
Should I leave service records in the glovebox?
Remove service records if they include your name, address, phone number, payment details, warranty account, or repair account numbers. If you want to provide maintenance history, keep personal copies and only leave documents you are comfortable sending with the vehicle. When in doubt, remove the papers.
Can I remove a stereo, dash cam, or child seat?
Yes, if it is an aftermarket item you own and removal does not damage the vehicle or change the condition you reported. Remove dash cams, child seats, phone mounts, and removable electronics before pickup. Leave factory parts, installed safety equipment, and anything needed for the car to remain complete.
More donation prep guides
A short sweep prevents personal, valuable, and billable items from leaving with the vehicle. Work front to back, remove records and stored data, then leave the keys and signed-over title with the car. Cruise Forward supports Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446) through vehicle donations. When your checklist is complete, you are ready for a clean handoff.