As a fleet owner, you want your vehicles to last as long as possible and run as well as they can. In order to keep them in good shape, it’s important to schedule certain maintenance services. Here, our fleet fuel card company shares the services you shouldn’t skip:
Brake Pads
Wearing down your brake pads can not only alter your car’s ability to stop quickly, but it can also damage key components in your braking system. When your pads start to wear down, don’t wait to replace them – you could risk bigger (and more expensive) repairs in the future.
Tire Rotation
Tires aren’t cheap and if you want yours to last, tire rotations are necessary to allow them to wear down evenly. Our fleet fuel card company suggests rotating your tires in an “x” fashion (replacing the front right with the back left and the front left with the back right) every 6k-8k miles to optimize their lifespan. Also remember to balance them when you rotate them.
Fluid Flushes/Top-offs
There are several different fluids in your car that keep it running smoothly, so making sure these fluids don’t get too old or too low is essential. Regularly check your power steering fluid, transmission fluid, brake fluid, and coolant and top them off if they look low. You should also flush your transmission fluid and coolant every 50k-60k miles.
Oil Change
A car’s oil is its lubricant and as it gets dirty, it leaves deposits throughout your engine system. If your car tries running on too little oil or oil that’s incredibly dirty, it can have a detrimental effect. Be sure to change your oil and your oil filter every 3k-5k miles, depending on your driving habits.
Spark Plugs
When it comes to maintenance, many drivers forget about spark plugs, but these little components help ensure an smooth turn-over. Today’s spark plugs can last as long as 100,000 miles, however, it’s a good idea to change them before then. This is usually a one-time maintenance service.