How to Prevent a Truck Breakdown

How to Prevent Truck Breakdowns

It would be nice to sail through the year without any truck downtime at all, but we all know that that's unrealistic, unfortunately. Although many truck or fleet owners do bake some unexpected downtime into their budgets, it's still a super high priority to keep these costs and delivery disruption as low as possible.

But while completely preventing truck breakdowns may not be possible, it is possible to maximize your uptime by doing some routine checks and inspections. Whether you train your team to commit to these inspections or perform them yourself, knowing what to keep an eye on throughout the year can help the life cycle of both your parts and your expense account.

Don't Skip the Pre and Post-Trip Inspections

Drivers are itching to get on the road and once they reach their destination, making an on-time delivery is key. But the importance of inspecting the vehicle both before and after trips cannot be underestimated — no matter how long or short the trip is.

Developing a strong routine of pre and post-trip inspections for yourself or your drivers can be your first line of defense in discovering the early signs of vehicle issues. Making sure these inspections aren't done half-heartedly and holding your team accountable for performing the inspections are crucial to their thoroughness and success. As an added bonus: making inspections a regular part of your processes can also work in your favor when CVSA inspections come around.

ABC: Always Brake Check

If this mnemonic device helps you and your team remember to check the brakes on a regular basis, then it's worth writing down. Most brake issues are not recognized until the brakes suddenly don't work, and if we're talking about an 80,000 pound heavy duty truck going highway speeds, that's not a gamble you want to take.

This and the following tips may be old news to seasoned fleet owners and managers, but for those of you who aren't sure what to look for, here's what you should eyeball on the brakes:

• Contamination and water in the air supply
• Outside corrosion
• Oil from the compressor
• Leaks in air pressure
• Reduced brake performance
• Pressure and timing balance

It's also a good rule of thumb to train or refresh the team on proper air line connection, disconnection, and storing habits to further prevent leaks in the system.

Keep an Eye on the Tires

We know this probably sounds like a no-brainer, but similar to the brakes, the tires are another part of a vehicle that doesn't often get a close-up inspection. Yes, you can see at a glance if a tire is flat or functional, but if you've ever blown a tire on the road then you know how it feels to instantly wish you'd paid more attention to them before leaving.

According to American Truck Business Services, 25 percent of roadside breakdowns are caused by tire issues. Emphasize the importance of checking tire pressure before every trip — no exceptions — and make note of these facts about tires:

• Each month, tires lose about one psi of pressure
• Seasonal changes can cause tires to lose one psi for every 10 degrees in temperature drop

Besides obviously looking to make sure that no tires are flat, drivers should also be looking for these early signs of major tire damage:

• Cracks
• Bald spots
• Tread damage

Top Off Oil and Coolant Levels

Just like your own body doesn't run properly when it's not given the proper fluids, the same goes for your vehicle. It's easy to "set it and forget it" when it comes to oil and coolant, but if there isn't enough of either of these for your truck to operate smoothly, it could lead to major downtime and expensive, unanticipated repairs.

Learning and sticking to the manufacturer's recommended service intervals for these is always a good rule of thumb, but also bear in mind:

• Are your coolant levels suddenly dropping?
• Is your engine running hot?
• Are you seeing visual signs of leaks either inside or outside the vehicle?

Check Electrical For Corrosion

Each electrical connection serves a purpose and is important, and the open elements that trucks are exposed to on a daily basis make these sensitive especially susceptible to corrosion.

Checking the battery, wiring, and cable connections for security and corrosion levels doesn't take long and can save you from having to bust out that emergency triangle kit.

Know When to Retire the Truck

As certain as death and taxes, breakdowns will happen. And when they do, it's going to behoove you to track the causes of each one so you can make a more informed decision when it's time to offload a truck and add a newer one to the fleet.

Because it's important to know when the types and costs of breakdowns are worth more than the truck itself, training yourself and your team to prevent as many breakdowns as possible can do nothing but help you in the long run.

Key Points: How to Prevent a Truck Breakdown

• Truck breakdowns are inconvenient and can be expensive, but performing routine pre and post-trip inspections can help mitigate the number of breakdowns your truck or fleet experiences
• Checking brakes, tires, oil and coolant levels, and electrical connections for specific signs of damage can make a difference before these parts reach critical failure status
• Tracking the cost and causes of your truck or fleet's breakdowns can also give you insight into when it may be time for a new vehicle

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