11 Fleet Maintenance Tips for Summer Season

“Where there is no standard, there can be no improvement. For these reasons, standards are the basis for both maintenance and improvement”- Masaaki Imai

Certainly, you can imagine the extreme hot weather condition during the summer season. Of course, with the rise in temperature, it is essential to commit a summer maintenance check for your vehicle.

Proper fleet maintenance is imperative for your vehicle health as it considers all the variables that may alter due to temperature variation.

However, the GPS  tracking system embedded with vehicle diagnostics feature enables you to perform fleet maintenance effortlessly than earlier.

But how to prepare your vehicle fleets suitable for the summer season. Spending a few minutes to the following tips enables you to overcome certain challenges related to vehicle maintenance in the summer season:

1. Check tires of your vehicle

Arguably, when there is a swift variation in temperature, it will have a negative impact on the tire pressure. Sometimes, the gripping action of tires will significantly be reduced, which is extremely necessary for safe driving practices.

Henceforth, lets’ prepare your vehicle tires for the summer season:

a. Discard the utilisation of snow tires for improved fuel economy

b. Examine the tire pressure occasionally and mark the fluctuations in it. For maintaining a consistent pressure, nitrogen can be considered

c. Check the tread depth of tires properly. This will assist you to identify the excessive wear and tear in tires and you can replace it when needed

d. Ensure that the spare tire is properly inflated as you may need it anytime, anywhere

2. Change oil and its filter

 As a matter of fact, changing oil and its filter are the easiest preventative measure that can be performed on your vehicle. This procedure is needed, as oil is the key element for the smooth functioning of vehicle engine parts.

Regrettably, a long trip in extreme hot weather conditions can overheat the vehicle engine. And, therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the engine has sufficient oil for managing the adverse situations. Hence, before starting a long expedition, check the oil.

3. Inspect hoses and belts

Consequently, belts and hoses act as connectors for all the vehicle components to work together. In addition, it carries certain vital vehicle fluids such as oil and coolants.

Also, it is a key component in the mechanism of power steering and air conditioning. As per the Car Care Council:

• Timing belts should be replaced after covering 60,000 to 90,000 miles
• V-belts should be replaced after completing 40,000 to 50,000 miles

Therefore, a timely replacement of these belts and hoses can avoid further breakdowns.

4. Replace the air filter

 During winter season, the air filters may be impeded with road rubble and salt. By regular replacement of air filters in the summer season, you will be able to ensure that your vehicle systems are supplied with fresh air and gas mileage is augmented by 10%.

Nevertheless, several vehicle manufacturers recommend changing the air filter after covering a distance of  12,000 to 15,000 miles.

5. Change your windshield wipers

 Ice and snow can damage and spoil the windshield wipers. The beginning of the spring season is said to be the favored time for conducting wiper inspection.

Moreover, once you realise that your wiper takes numerous passes to clear away even a light rain or the windshield wipers leave streaks, it is wise to replace them with a brand new one.

6. Check the vehicle brakes

 Presumably, it is extremely dangerous to ignore the vehicle brakes. As a matter of fact, brakes are one of the essential safety mechanisms that exist in your vehicle.

Similar to other devices, hesitating the negligible defects of vehicle brakes can considerably increase your repair expenses. Hence, ensure that brakes are properly repaired instantly whenever you recognize the defect for the tires.

7. Examine the coolants and radiator fluid

 No doubt, every man-made machine becomes obsolete year by year. Similarly, rust and remains reduce the efficiency of coolants. When you analyze closely, the hot weather condition can overheat and deteriorate your vehicle engine.

Henceforth, constant reference to the manual, can guide you to drain and replace the coolant and radiator fluid at the right time.

8. Clean your vehicle battery

 Extreme heat can be unfavorable for a vehicle battery. It was established that a car battery will last for three to five years.

Meanwhile, it is wise to replace a vehicle battery that exceeds five years rather than confront the catastrophe created by a dead battery. However, you can utilize a battery corrosion cleaner for keeping the terminals tight and corrosion-free.

9. Conduct a routine fluid check

As temperature increases, ensure that you check the brake transmission fluids, windshield washer fluid, and power steering fluids. Moreover, it is worthier to conduct the fluid check routinely, especially, when you replace the oil.

10. Maintain the air conditioning of your vehicle

During the first warm day of the spring season, you can test the air conditioning of your vehicle. And hence, you can avoid the annoyance caused by it during the hot summer days.

11. Clean the vehicle

Right after the snowy climate, clean the undercarriage of your vehicle for removing the road salt. Arguably, it is wise to wash and wax your vehicle, so that you can protect your vehicle from hazardous dirt and damage caused by UV rays. Clean the windows both inside and outside, for enhancing your road visibility.

In addition to this, you can also ensure the vehicle have the emergency kit consisting of jumper cables, flashlights, warning triangles, first-aid kit, and a vacant gasoline container.

Conclusion

Nevertheless, fleet maintenance is not a complicated task anymore, particularly with the introduction of fleet tracking technology and fleet management software. Furthermore, the greatest achievement of having the vehicle properly maintained is that, you will be able to reduce the risk of accidents and breakdowns.