Allowing your company vehicle to deteriorate will cost you money and frustration in the long run. Don’t let your car fleet fall into disrepair. Otherwise, you’ll be spending money on new vehicles when you could have simply repaired the older ones.
Here are some signs you can look out for that let you know you need to take your company vehicle to the shop.
Knocking Noises
Unexplained knocking sounds are generally signs that something may be wrong with your engine. Your drivers may then experience rough idling, where the car shakes and rocks while stopped. These sounds and vibrations often result from bad spark plugs or from the engine failing to ignite the fuel. These can often be easy fixes, but they also pose the risk of deeper issues with the engine that you won’t be able to quickly solve.
Squealing Sounds
Most common during braking, squealing sounds are signs that your company vehicle needs maintenance in the near future. Besides the annoying squealing sound, the brakes might take longer to bring the vehicle to a stop. This results in you having to apply more pressure to the brakes to prevent yourself from running stop signs or hitting other cars.
Typically, these high-pitched sounds and reduced braking capabilities appear when the brake pads wear down too much. When brake pads are worn down, the calipers make direct contact with the rotor. This creates the noise and decreases braking ability. These are just some of the several indicators of deteriorating brakes—ensure that you and your drivers are aware of the others.
Poor Gas Mileage
Several defects can cause poor gas mileage. One of the most common is underinflated tires or uneven tire wear. Alternatively, poor mileage may be a result of faulty spark plugs or a malfunctioning fuel injector.
Decreased fuel efficiency will hit your company right in the pocket., By their very nature, your company vehicles do a lot of driving during the week. You need to make sure your vehicles get the best gas mileage possible to eliminate unnecessary spending.
Keep to a Maintenance Schedule
Always adhere to a regular service schedule to ensure your vehicles remain in the best condition possible. Waiting for problems to present themselves isn’t enough; you need to preemptively take care of issues before they become dangerous and expensive. You can only achieve that through regular maintenance routines and having mechanics service your vehicles when necessary.
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