With this efficient breakdown maintenance technique, you can avoid expensive unscheduled downtime and maintain the smooth operation of your fleet cars and heavy machinery. Discover how to be safe while driving by using detection, recovery, and prevention techniques! Learn how to utilize truck management software to guarantee routine inspections and oil changes to avoid postponing your deliveries. This article provides a strategy for preventing failures brought on by flat tires, brake fluid leaks, faulty windshield wipers, and other issues.

Breakdown Maintenance: What is it

When a car breaks down mechanically, it is said to have a breakdown.Cars can break down while parked or while operating normally. They might be anything from small concerns like a loose battery wire to bigger ones like a damaged gearbox. 

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What Leads to Car Breakdowns

There are several reasons why cars break down. Below is a list of some typical reasons why cars break down:

One of the main causes of problems is lighting. Indeed, it is responsible for about 40% of all breakdowns. Additionally, our statistics showed an 8% drop in the number of lighting-related failures. There is still opportunity for improvement, though, as the number of breakdown repairs rose by 10%.
Any damage to the engine, gearbox, drive train, steering system, suspension, brakes, tires, wheels, axles, body pieces, etc., is referred to as mechanical failure. Mechanical failures can result from aging, overuse, overloading, poor maintenance, etc.
Any damage to the battery, alternator, starting motor, ignition system, wire harnesses, fuses, relays, etc. is considered electrical malfunction. Electrical problems can be brought on by age, overuse, short circuiting, or poor maintenance.

The reasons why a car might break down are listed below.

• Unfavorable road conditions
• Defective components
• Absence of routine maintenance
• Taking on too much
• Inappropriate usage
• Inclement weather
• issues with the fuel system
• Bad driving practices
• Poor upkeep
• Incidents of Theft
• Natural catastrophes
• Road dangers
• harm to the environment

About half of all breakdowns are caused by electrical problems, with mechanical problems accounting for the other third. Fifteen percent of failures are caused by poor maintenance. 

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The Breakdown Process

Breakdown management is divided into three stages: recovery, identification, and prevention. The stage of prevention is when steps are done to keep things from breaking down. Breakdowns are discovered during the detection phase. The period of recovery is when the breakdown is resolved.

Types of Maintenance for Vehicle Breakdowns

Preventive maintenance, routine maintenance, emergency repair, and overhaul are all included in vehicle breakdown maintenance. Preventive maintenance is carried out before to a malfunction. Routine maintenance is carried out following a malfunction but prior to the malfunction becoming more serious. As soon as the failure happens, an emergency repair is made. Once the failure has been fixed, an overhaul is carried out.

Breakdowns are expensive. They may result in missed work hours, production halts, higher labor expenses, and worse customer satisfaction. A motor vehicle breakdown typically costs $1,500, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 

Read also: 5 Fall Car Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Car Running Smoothly

Impact of Fleet Vehicle Outages

Downtime of a vehicle might result in large financial losses. A fleet manager needs to prepare for vehicle outages and make sure that the organization's ability to function as a whole is not impacted by the loss of cars.

The type of issue, the age of the car, the area where it has to be fixed, and the availability of components are some of the variables that affect how much it costs to repair a car. Additionally, if the car cannot be relocated promptly, the cost of repairs goes up. For instance, the driver may have to wait for another bus to arrive if the bus breaks down on a highway. The overall repair time is increased by this delay.

The availability of replacement components is another element that influences repair costs. The repair procedure may probably take longer if a part is not available.

Lastly, whether the car is leased or owned by the business affects the cost of repairs. Generally speaking, leased cars need more upkeep than company-owned ones. However, because the lessee bears the majority of the repair costs, leased cars often have substantially cheaper repair costs.

How much does your fleet's vehicle downtime cost

The cost of a vehicle's downtime varies according on its age, manufacture, and model. Due to wear and tear, older cars typically have more issues. Newer models, however, frequently have software problems.

Unplanned and undetected downtime results from a lack of awareness into it. This results in lower production and higher maintenance expenses. Recent research shows that vehicle downtime averages $624 per day, ranging from $488 to $760 per vehicle.

Fleet Carma estimates that fleets lose $2 billion a year due to vehicle downtime. Fleets lose $500 million a year due to mechanical problems, yet the most crucial factor in maintaining vehicles' flawless operation is driver conduct. Preventive maintenance keeps drivers' cars in good operating order.

Before making any purchases, fleet managers should think about how unexpected downtime would affect their finances. They need to be aware of the causes of vehicle downtime and how to control them to save expenses.

There are several strategies to lower the expenses associated with vehicle downtime, such as improved scheduling, management, and planning. By taking these precautions, you can keep your fleet operating efficiently and prevent needless repairs.