Fleet and vehicle maintenance are non-negotiable if you want safe, reliable vehicles that stay on the road for longer. Whether it’s your own personal car or your business fleet, neglected and poorly maintained vehicles put lives in jeopardy AND drain your bank account.
Did you know that according to Stats South Africa (Stats SA), commercial logistics operators pour more than R8.6 billion each year into motor vehicle running costs? Regular servicing and maintenance are typically at the root of these costs. And yet, there are foolproof, preemptive, and intentional techniques you can use to get your maintenance worries under control.
Keep reading to get all your maintenance questions answered!
The most critical vehicle maintenance tasks you should never skip are:
Tyres: Regularly check the tread, pressure, and alignment for safe driving
Battery: Because it’s the core component of your vehicle, check on it at least twice a year for damage or corrosion
Oil, coolant, and other fluid levels: When these levels are too low, your engine risks overheating, or your car could experience mechanical failure
Brakes and brake fluid: Listen for screeching and squealing, and ensure your brakes are operating smoothly
It’s generally agreed that your vehicle or fleet vehicle should be serviced once or twice a year for a commercial vehicle. At the same time, fleet managers should ensure drivers are inspecting vehicles daily. The exact frequency of vehicle servicing depends on the vehicle type and general driving conditions.
Proper tyre maintenance affects fuel efficiency and safety positively, reducing fuel consumption and increasing safety by keeping tyres in proper working condition. Tyre tread is said to contribute to almost a third of a vehicle’s fuel economy. Both overinflated and underinflated tyres lead to higher fuel consumption; they wear unevenly & prematurely, so they roll less efficiently and use more fuel.
Fleet managers should structure preventative maintenance schedules by looking at:
The manufacturer’s suggested service dates
Operating & driving conditions
Predictive maintenance feedback and suggestions according to the fleet management platform
By combining these factors you can assess how often maintenance should be carried out.
Strategies that are most effective for minimising unscheduled vehicle downtime include:
Monitoring fuel consumption so you can see where potential irregularities are. A spike in fuel use often highlights an internal malfunction
Monitoring your drivers and ensuring they’re practising safe driving habits. Aggressive driving causes accelerated wear & tear and potential breakdowns
Implementing a fleet management platform for easy maintenance scheduling and preventative maintenance
Drivers play a significant role in reducing fleet maintenance costs because their driving habits are directly linked to a vehicle’s lifespan. When drivers are safe and responsible on the road, the vehicles have less strain placed on them, meaning excessive maintenance costs are massively reduced. Drivers who conduct daily inspections can also detect minor issues before they escalate.
Preventive maintenance follows suggested schedules to avoid serious failures. It uses real-time analytics and telematics to estimate when mechanical failure might occur and see when maintenance might be needed. Prescriptive maintenance takes things a step further, using AI and algorithms to prescribe the exact solution to maintenance; like which parts to order and when exactly the maintenance service should take place.
You manage maintenance across a mixed fleet by implementing a fleet management platform that closely monitors the needs of each individual vehicle. An advanced system should work smoothly across a mixed fleet, giving you the same level of visibility across your fleet regardless of vehicle types. You can keep track of upcoming maintenance, servicing histories, and overall performance all from one system.
The Cartrack system helps with managing your vehicle maintenance effectively by:
Providing live vehicle diagnostics and alerts
Introducing predictive maintenance
Allowing you to create digital forms that can be stored via the platform
Automating maintenance schedules to keep vehicle health in check
Tracking driver behaviour to ensure drivers aren’t practising aggressive habits that increase wear & tear
Yes, there is a difference between a maintenance plan for EVs and normal petrol and diesel vehicles. EVs mostly have different internal parts and don’t use fuel, but rather electricity, and they also generally have fewer moving parts. This makes EV maintenance cheaper than standard vehicle maintenance. EVs are also heavier, so they typically require more frequent tyre maintenance.
A “maintenance internal audit” is a process that reviews and confirms whether maintenance procedures like compliance tracking, detailed servicing histories, and suggested service schedules, are being followed. A fleet should conduct one to ensure that fleet maintenance requirements are being fulfilled, while also actively preventing breakdowns and identifying hidden costs.
Fuel quality and fuel system maintenance impact modern diesel emission systems by determining how they perform overall. If an emission system is exposed to poor-quality oil and neglected maintenance, it’s at risk of facing damaged components, increased carbon emissions, and higher maintenance costs because of greater operational strain.
