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Fleet maintenance refers to the process of maintaining the fleet of vehicles and keeping them in good condition. It helps ensure that the fleet as well as their drivers remain safe on the road. A properly maintained fleet will also mean fewer breakdowns and higher revenue for your business.

From scheduled engine oil changes to regular fleet washing, here are 9 essential fleet maintenance tips that will ensure that the vehicles remain in the best possible conditions.

1. Engine Coolant and Oil Levels

Engine oil keeps the parts lubricated and reduces friction. Coolant prevents excessive heat up of the engine. Regular engine coolant and oil change are important to prevent excessive wear and tear.

Always replace the engine fluids as per the vehicles’ instruction manual. Some vehicles go on for longer miles without requiring a change in engine fluids. Others require a change in engine fluids more frequently.

2. Regular Brake Services

A vehicle’s brake should be regularly serviced to avoid dangerous incidents on the road. A sudden failure of the brakes can result in a fatal accident.

You must get the brakes checked and serviced before extended road trips. Consider brake inspections every six months to avoid dangerous accidents and expensive towing bills.

3. Rotate Tires

Regular tire tread inspections and rotation is also an important fleet maintenance tips. Rotating the tires after about every 3000 to 5000 miles will ensure even wear of the tires. Tires wear out more quickly when they are at full tread depth. So, you need to get the first couple of rotations done at 3000 miles. As the tires get older, you can delay the rotation to 5000 miles.

Timely rotation of the tires will help extend the lifespan of the tires.

Without rotation of tires, one side of the tire will have excessive wear. It will result in frequent tire replacement that will increase the cost of maintaining the fleet.

4. Service the Battery

Regular battery service ensures that it won’t die in the middle of the road. A battery service includes cleaning the grime, corrosion, and grease. Moreover, battery fluid is also topped up if required. This will ensure that the truck battery lasts for a long time.

5. Buy a Windshield Sunshade

A front windshield sunshade is an inexpensive maintenance tip for minimizing interior wear and tear during the hot weather. Using the sunshade will also keep the inside of the vehicle cool when it is parked outside.

Long term sun exposure causes the fading of the fabric. Using a sunshade will preserve the interior of the cabin for a long time.

6. Preventive Maintenance

Don’t wait until there is trouble with the vehicle. You should get the vehicles checked and serviced before expensive problems crop up. Create a schedule for preventive maintenance of the fleet. The scheduled maintenance will help reduce the frequency of major break down. Change the Air Filter

A vital yet often overlooked maintenance step is not replacing dirty air filters. Accumulation of dust particles can clog the filters. The filter cannot trap the debris effectively resulting in accelerated wear and tear of the engine.

Remember that the recommended maintenance checklist of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is only a guideline. You should develop the maintenance checklist depending on the mileage and operating environment of the fleet. You may need to create a different checklist for different vehicles in the fleet.

7. Use Maintenance Management Software

Fleet maintenance management software can help in managing the fleet. The software programs can record mileage, maintenance dates, fluid replacement, parts repairs, and other maintenance tasks. The application allows you to ensure that all the maintenance tasks are done as scheduled.

You will receive automatic alerts about scheduled tasks. The software will also help you calculate the maintenance costs. Using the software will allow you to stay on top of maintenance activities.

8. Get Input from Employees

Get input from the maintenance technicians and drivers in creating the maintenance checklist. Find out what needs to be done to minimize emergency breakdowns.

Assign maintenance checkup tasks to the maintenance technicians or drivers such as checking the engine oil and coolant and tire pressure before the vehicles hit the road. Some applications such as the Fleet Complete Insect app allow drivers to perform the vehicle inspection digitally. The app connects to the mechanic portal that will prevent unnecessary delays in performing basic maintenance tasks.

9. Regular Fleet Washing

Regular fleet washing is important to ensure that the fleet remains in good condition. Fleet washing involves not just cleaning the interior and exterior of the truck with water, but also buffing, polishing, and vacuuming. It also involves cleaning of the tires to remove dirt and grime.

Proper fleet washing and detailing allows the fleet to look great. It also protects the exterior paint service from weather elements. Consider mobile fleet washing services as it is more convenient and also save fuel on getting the entire fleet at the fleet washing company.

Final Remarks about Fleet Maintenance

Fleet maintenance can be significant expenses for most companies with a private fleet. Although you could save money by delaying maintenance tasks, it can result in accelerated wear and tear of the vehicle engine and parts.

The maintenance tasks should be comprehensive that should include regular engine oil and battery checkup, fleet washing, air filter inspection, and radiator service. Consider mobile maintenance contracts to save time and cost in servicing the vehicles.  This will allow the convenience of keeping the vehicles on the site and also prevent wasted downtime due to pick up and drop off of the vehicle.

The Mobile Turtle Fleet and Auto Detail provide professional fleet washing and ceramic coating services statewide. Your first wash with us will be as little as $1 so that you can gauge the quality of our fleet cleaning services. We are committed to offering the best value fleet washing services to our customers.