Do a 15-minute sweep before the tow truck arrives. Remove the garage-door remote, spare keys, toll transponder, parking permits, disability placards, insurance card, registration copy, glovebox papers, and all personal items. Check under seats, visors, consoles, seat-back pockets, trunk, and spare-tire well. Factory-reset the infotainment system so Bluetooth pairings, HomeLink buttons, and saved addresses are cleared. Leave the car keys and the signed-over title with the car.
Your pre-pickup checklist
Remove Security Items First
Start with anything that opens a door, gate, garage, office, or building. Pull the garage-door remote from the visor or console. Remove spare house keys, work fobs, mailbox keys, gate cards, and valet keys that do not belong to the vehicle. Check the key ring too. Only the car keys needed to move and process the vehicle should stay with the donation.
Pull Billing Items Next
Remove the toll transponder from the windshield, dash, or glovebox. Then log in to the toll account or call the provider and remove the donated vehicle from the account. This helps prevent future tolls, parking charges, or plate-based billing from following you after the car leaves. Also remove gas cards, fleet cards, paid parking tags, and monthly garage passes.
Empty Glovebox Documents
Take out your insurance card, registration copy, old inspection papers, repair receipts, warranties, personal notes, and any document with your address or account numbers. If the title is not signed yet, keep it with you until you are ready to complete the handoff. Do not pack the signed-over title away with personal papers. It must stay with the vehicle at pickup.
Sweep Cabin And Trunk
Move front seats all the way forward and back. Check under seats, between seat cushions, in seat-back pockets, door pockets, visors, the center console, cup holders, floor mats, and cargo organizers. Open the trunk or hatch and look in side compartments. Lift the cargo floor and check the spare-tire well. Remove coins, sunglasses, tools, medicines, chargers, bags, and personal mail.
Factory Reset Saved Data
Use the vehicle settings menu to factory-reset the infotainment system if the car powers on. Delete Bluetooth pairings, call logs, navigation favorites, saved home address, garage codes, HomeLink buttons, Wi-Fi settings, and app connections. If a full reset is not available, delete each item manually. Also remove any USB drives, CDs, memory cards, or phone mounts that are yours.
Remove Optional Add-Ons Carefully
You may remove personal aftermarket items such as dash cams, upgraded stereos, removable speakers, phone chargers, custom floor mats, seat covers, roof racks, or child seats. Keep the car intact and as-described. Do not remove factory equipment, safety equipment, catalytic converters, wheels, batteries, or parts that change the condition you reported to Metro Wheels.
Leave Keys And Title
Place the car keys and the signed-over title with the vehicle as instructed for handoff. Sign the title only as required by the ownership document. If there is a lien, a co-owner, a missing title, or an out-of-state title, the rule may depend on the exact paperwork, so check the New York DMV or ask Metro Wheels before pickup. Do not leave unrelated records in the car.
Final Walkaround Before Handoff
Do one last walkaround with two goals: remove what belongs to you, and leave what belongs with the donation. Look at the windshield, dash, mirrors, visors, bumper stickers with private information, trunk bins, cargo covers, and under loose items. Take photos of anything you removed in case you need to reinstall it somewhere else. For plates, see License Plates After Donation. For liability reporting, see Release of Liability After Donation.
Common questions
Should I leave the title in the glovebox?
Leave the signed-over title with the car, but do not bury it under personal papers. A simple approach is to keep it with the keys in a clear envelope or folder. If you are unsure where to sign, pause and ask before marking the title.
What if I forgot to remove my toll transponder?
Contact your toll account provider as soon as possible. Ask how to deactivate or remove the transponder and remove the donated vehicle from the account. Also check recent activity for tolls or parking charges. Metro Wheels cannot manage your toll account for you.
Can I take out my dash cam or child seat?
Yes, if the item is yours and it can be removed without damaging the vehicle or changing the condition you reported. Dash cams, child seats, chargers, and removable accessories are common removals. Leave factory parts and required vehicle equipment in place.
More donation prep guides
A clean 15-minute sweep protects your privacy, prevents billing surprises, and helps the donation move forward without loose ends. Once your personal items, toll devices, documents, and saved data are removed, leave the keys and signed-over title with the car. Metro Wheels supports Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446). If anything is uncertain, contact Metro Wheels before the handoff.