Avoiding costly and time-consuming vehicle breakdowns are far easier when you have the right kind of management for your fleet. With this kind of fleet management, you can gain a great deal of peace of mind when it comes to your day-to-day operations. One of the best tools in any fleet management company’s arsenal happens to be a comprehensive maintenance checklist that is specifically tailored to your unique vehicle requirements. At Dieseltech, we take pride in our ability to construct ideal maintenance checklists for a wide range of commercial fleets. To help you understand what goes into this process, we have prepared an example of a common truck maintenance checklist below.
When it comes to any basic truck maintenance checklist, there are three main areas for technicians to cover. For the most part, taking preventative maintenance measures in these areas will keep any sudden issues from occurring on the road. This keeps drivers safer, and it keeps your fleet running on schedule, and according to the high standards you set for your team.
3 Important Maintenance For Your Fleets
1. Exterior Maintenance Check
You can begin your fleet maintenance check by taking a look at the exterior of the vehicle. This maintenance check should cover the following areas of the truck, without exception:
- Low and high beam headlights
- Taillights
- Tires including the spare
- Windshield wipers
- Windshield washer spray nozzles
- Damage to the body of the vehicle
Checking the exterior of the vehicle will not only help keep the truck safe and looking its best, but you can also compare the status of the vehicle based on previous checks to evaluate the performance of a particular driver. Are their scuffs and dents that weren’t there before?
2. Interior Maintenance Check
Keeping with the theme of safety and status of the vehicle, you can continue your maintenance check on the interior of the truck. Your interior check should include the following areas and items within the cab:
- Seat belt function and safety
- Window defroster
- Heating and air conditioning system
- Side window function
- Door function and alignment
- Interior lighting
- Overall cleanliness of the vehicle
Any issues inside the cab should be a high priority to fix. Upon inspection of the interior of the vehicle, you may also be able to identify potential issues with the electrical system, which you can track down on the next part of your inspection.
3. Engine Maintenance Check
Finally, you will need to pay extra attention to the engine as part of your preventative truck maintenance checklist. A thorough engine checkup should include the following areas for inspection:
- Engine oil status
- Transmission fluid level
- Power steering fluid level
- Anti-freeze level
- Brake fluid level
- Condition of the brake system
These areas of focus should make it clear if the engine is in good shape. In addition, you may be able to track down any lasting issues such as leaks or loose electrical connections that are causing continuous problems for that particular truck.
Once you have completed the basics of the maintenance checklist, it is always a good idea to test drive the truck after repairs have been made. This will give you final confirmation that any issues are either fixed or somehow still causing problems. With regular maintenance for your entire fleet of vehicles, you can prevent a great deal of stress, not to mention a lost business in the future. For more information on how a truck maintenance checklist specifically tailored to your fleet can help your daily operations, be sure to contact our fleet maintenance team at Dieseltech today.