At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA, we service all types of fleet vehicles and see many of the same problems come through the door again and again. Here are some easy early warning signs from our team here at Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service, that signal your fleet vehicles are in need of maintenance soon.
How Should I Maintain the Tires on My Fleet? - Tires can tell you a lot about the condition of a fleet vehicle. Since they spend so much time on the road, tires wear fast, especially if there’s a problem. Tires that are wearing unevenly indicate a variety of issues that need to be taken care of. If there’s excessive wear on the inside of the tire, the front end may be out of alignment, or suspension components may be wearing out. This type of wear often goes unnoticed, since you won’t see it looking at the outside edge of the tire, and wear happens so quickly. Besides the vehicle being potentially unsafe to drive, or getting to that point, you might be dealing with a flat on a tire you swear you replaced a month ago. If getting an alignment saves you one tire, you’ve already broken even - it just makes sense to get it done. Other wear patterns will suggest overinflation, underinflation due to leaks, and can even be an indicator of how the vehicle is being driven.
What are Ball Joints? - Ball joints are important - these joints suspend the entire vehicle, and allow suspension components to pivot. If one breaks, it can be a dangerous situation, and best case scenario the vehicle is staying right where it breaks. When a ball joint fails, steering is lost, and other parts may be damaged in the process. Indicators of a bad ball joint include a rattling sound as the fleet vehicle travels over bumps in the road, and excessive squeaking when turning or pulling into parking lots or driveways at low speeds. If you notice either of these problems, get it taken care of immediately.
How Often Should Oil Be Checked in Fleet Vehicles? Even if you don’t do your own oil changes, the oil in any fleet vehicle should be checked regularly - daily even - depending on the vehicle and how it’s used. Modern vehicles especially have a tendency to burn oil, even low mileage ones. The last thing you want to do is run low and destroy an engine. Oil can tell you other things too. Condensation in the oil or milky looking oil indicates there is a head gasket or internal coolant leak, allowing coolant and oil to mix. Repeatedly low oil indicates there is a problem with the PCV system, or that the vehicle is burning excessive oil. Both of these issues can typically be corrected, in some cases inexpensively, depending on the issue. Either case will cause engine failure at some point if not caught soon enough. If you notice these oil symptoms, have your fleet vehicle diagnosed before the issue escalates.
No matter your fleet maintenance or repair needs, our expert technicians have you covered. For the best fleet service shop in Midlotian, VA, call or stop by Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service today.
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Thank you for visiting Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlothian, VA. Count on our automotive repair technicians to keep your car, truck, suv, or van on the roads longer and safer.
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