A breakdown never costs just the repair. Add the tow, the technician stuck on the roadside, the missed customer appointment and sometimes a rental vehicle. Preventive maintenance replaces those surprises with planned stops that are shorter and cheaper.
Start from the manufacturer's schedule
The base of any schedule is each model's manufacturer maintenance schedule. It gives intervals in kilometres and in time; whichever comes first applies.
One detail many fleets miss: most schedules include a "severe service" version. It often applies to work vehicles, because it covers things like:
- short, repeated trips;
- long periods of idling;
- towing or heavy loads;
- driving in extreme cold or on dusty roads.
If your vehicles fit that description, that's the schedule to follow.
Checks by frequency
A schedule that works splits tasks between the driver and the shop.
| Frequency | Who | What |
|---|---|---|
| Every day or every trip | Driver | Walk-around: tires, lights, visible leaks, dashboard warning lights |
| Every week | Driver | Tire pressure, fluid levels (washer, oil, coolant) |
| Every month | Manager | Review reported warning lights, brake noises and diagnostic codes |
| Per the manufacturer | Shop | Oil and filters, brakes, tire rotation, belts, fluids |
| Every season | Shop | Seasonal tires, battery, wipers, heating and air conditioning |
Treat this table as a template: the exact intervals come from each vehicle's schedule.
Local rules not to forget
Tires and seasons. In some countries and regions, winter tires are mandatory for a set period. If that's your case, plan the changeover of the whole fleet ahead of time, before the rush at the shops.
Heavy and commercial vehicles. Commercial vehicles above a certain weight often have their own rules: a check before every trip, periodic technical inspections, an inspection log. Find out which rules apply to each vehicle class where you operate.
Documents. Track the insurance and registration renewal dates of every vehicle too. An expired document can take a vehicle off the road as surely as a breakdown.
Use the data, not just the calendar
A fixed schedule is a good start. It becomes much more effective when you cross it with what the vehicles tell you:
- Repair history: a vehicle that keeps coming back for the same brakes may have a usage or parts problem.
- OBD2 diagnostic codes: a check-engine light read early often avoids a bigger repair.
- Cost per vehicle: when a vehicle's maintenance drives up its true cost per kilometre, it's time to think about replacing it.
Make the schedule easy to follow
A schedule nobody looks at is useless. Three tips:
- One place for each vehicle's maintenance history, not one notebook per driver.
- Automatic reminders before each due date (mileage or calendar).
- An invoice attached to every job, so you know what was done, when and at what price.
Doing it with CarFai
CarFai for fleets builds each vehicle's maintenance schedule from its real service history and OBD2 data, reminds you of insurance, registration and inspection renewals, and keeps every invoice attached to the vehicle.