Winter Iowa weather causes precipitation to thaw and refreezes overnight. As water molecules expand during freezes they bust through the concrete. Each year fleet vehicles assume a level of damage and over time this results in all types of fleet repair service needs.
Fleets need to regular check-ups to prevent damages caused by Iowa weather
When fleet vehicles drive in winter weather it’s safe to assume a level of damages annually that regular maintenance stays on top of.
Fleet Annual Tire Checks
We recommend new all-weather tires in the spring or fall, before the winter season. If you’re not budgeting for new tires annually, a good set of tires can certainly last with the proper maintenance.
- Regular Tire PSI Checks
- To increase the life of your tires keep the PSI at recommended levels.
- Iowa’s weather, both hot and cold, causes PSI changes to tires.
- https://www.mauioil.com/a-beginners-guide-to-tire-pressure/
- Regular Leak Inspections
- If your PSI levels are irregular, this could be a leak
- If your vehicles are involved in residential construction, roofing, etc. ask to check for nails.
- Regular Tire Thread Checks
- Low tire tread disrupts a vehicle’s ability to stop in winter on ice or snow.
- Regular Tire Wear Checks
- Uneven tire wear is a good indication of suspension damage.
- Tire Sensor Checks
- ADAS Sensors are all over, including on vehicle wheels
- Are your sensors working? Are they accurate on collisions, on PSI levels?
Tire Maintenance Tips to Keep You Safe on the Road
Iowa weather damages fleet components.
Examples of Fleet Suspension Damages from Weather
Combined with the annual amount of miles put on a vehicle’s tires, Fleets are exposed to small impacts caused by ice. For example, Potholes can increase uneven tire wear and suspension damage. As mentioned previously, if you see uneven tire wear this is an indicator of damage to the vehicle’s suspension components.
When a vehicle is unable to stop as a standard it favors hitting a curb rather than the car ahead. These regular bumps alter alignment, wheels, suspension components in the wheels, axle, tires, and collision mitigation sensors.
There are a lot of winter elements that harm a fleet. When the roads freeze vehicles slip into curbs, run over ice chunks, and slam into post-thaw potholes. All of these should be planned for if your fleet is operating throughout the winter.
Sliding isn’t the only winter issue for fleets
Beyond that, there’s the sub-zero temperatures that Iowa can bring. Any Iowan knows we have severe winters. We’ve seen one or two weeks each winter hit -10 degrees. In this weather, vehicles struggle to start and need time to warm up. It becomes difficult for drivers to jump in and go. If the fleet isn’t stored in a temperature-regulated environment, damage can occur. If the driver doesn’t allow the vehicle to warm up before driving, damage can occur. The rapid changes from cold to hot can crack the radiator system. Tubes, metal, batteries, and various components break in extreme temperatures.
When should you check your fleet for winter damage?
Schedule full post-winter checkups on fleet vehicles. A good fleet maintenance manager will be prepared to prevent damage on their fleet rather than wait until it’s already broken. Catching a smaller broken component before it snaps could save a fleet thousands in damages and downtime.
What are regular updates needed for Fleets?
Of course, it’s up to your fleet maintenance manager or owner to determine what items they’d like checked and how frequently. Truman’s Automotive & ADAS Calibrations is happy to help your company determine what’s best for your checkups.
Some Preventative Fleet Maintenance Services
- Oil Changes
- Air filters
- Tire Inspections
- Suspension Checks
- ADAS Collision Sensor Checks
- Brake Inspections
- Transmission Checks
- Fluid Checks
- Battery Checks
- Investigation into sounds
- Investigation into miles per gallon changes
As company assets, it’s important to keep your vehicles inspected and maintained. We work with fleet management to schedule regular maintenance of fleet vehicles.
Call Truman’s at 515.262.8419 to Take care of your Fleet or Message us online!