One of the keys to keeping your fleet vehicles in good working order is to perform regular preventative maintenance. Without it, you leave your vehicles open to problems that can jeopardize the drivers’ safety and put your operation at risk for financial losses.
Take a look at the possible consequences of not following a preventative maintenance schedule.
Unscheduled Downtime
PM services allow fleet operations to check the overall health of a vehicle and potentially identify issues that could lead to larger problems in the future. If these issues are not caught and repaired during PM, the vehicle will need to be scheduled for maintenance in the future, resulting in downtime. If the issue isn’t fixed, it can cause the vehicle to breakdown, which can require larger repairs and result in longer downtime.
Downtime can take the driver off the road while his or her vehicle is in the shop, causing the operation to either fall behind schedule or need to task routes off to other drivers. The extra labor, lost business and added cost of repairs can add unexpected expenses to the operation’s budget.
Missed Warranty Claims
When vehicles are brought in for PM, the technicians can look for signs of potential issues and determine if any of them are covered under warranty. If vehicles miss regular preventative maintenance checks, it can cause failing parts to be overlooked until after the warranty coverage has expired. This can result in lost money for the operation.
Low Fluids
During preventative maintenance, routine services like checking the vehicles’ fluids are typically performed. This ensures the vehicle has the right amount of fluids to perform properly and avoid breaking down unexpectedly. If the transmission fluid, oil and coolant are not checked, changed or refilled regularly, it can cause the vehicle to malfunction during a route.
Worn Tires
Tire pressure and tread is checked during preventative maintenance. If PM isn’t performed regularly, tires can be at risk of blowing out or going flat on the road. Driving on under-inflated tires can also put the vehicle at risk, as it can prevent a vehicle from stopping or accelerating as desired. It can also cost more money in fuel expenses for the operation.
Faulty Safety Devices
As part of PM, vehicles’ safety devices like seat belts and air bags are inspected. For cars with additional safety devices, like police and emergency vehicles, those would also be checked. This ensures the mechanisms are working properly in case a driver gets into an accident and relies on those tools working.