| October 2022 |.
The service interval of a vehicle or machine is the period prescribed by the supplier between two consecutive servicing or maintenance operations. Normally, a service interval is listed in the accompanying service and warranty booklet.
In general, if the service intervals are not followed, the car's warranty is jeopardized. A service interval sensor should be reset after performing a service. Then the sensor starts counting down again. Then a control light on the dashboard indicates when the next service is due. If the sensor is not reset, it is not clear to the driver when the car is due for its next service.
The rhythm of servicing varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. With the Japanese brands, it is often annual and/or every 15,000 km (whichever is exceeded first), while certain German manufacturers use only every two years and/or 30,000 km. Sometimes it is even more (up to 50,000 km). Why? That all depends on the oil used and the concept of the engine.
Waiting too long to service or skipping an interval service carries higher risks, especially for lubrication. The oil loses its viscosity, causing moving parts to wear out or seize faster. The same goes for turbochargers, which are widely used these days and are quite fragile. So ignoring the maintenance intervals means that you are taking (sometimes big) risks. You also risk that, in case of a breakdown, the manufacturer will not want to intervene, even if the vehicle is still under factory warranty. Some dealers charge exorbitant prices, but they are a minority. Both for your safety and for your bank account, because a broken vehicle or machine comes at a high cost.
The benefits of prevention maintenance performed consistently according to a maintenance interval are:
- Less equipment failure
- Fewer interruptions in the employee's working hours
- Longer lifespan
- Increased efficiency
- Increased security
- Peace of mind
- Retention of the right to warranty
- Maintaining resale value
To put together a thorough preventive maintenance plan, it is important to determine what your most important pieces of equipment, machinery or objects are. In addition, you need to have a good understanding of the entire process; what really benefits from a preventive maintenance plan? An Internet of Things solution can serve you well in this regard. Thanks to IoT tracking, you can have your fleet of vehicles and machines monitored, set alarms, and receive notifications. The data collected is available for follow-up in the management application.
Drivers and users can receive an automatic reminder on their smartphone for a maintenance or inspection appointment, or be asked to perform a visual inspection via the mobile app. This way, you constantly monitor the current operational status of your assets, and it becomes easier to know when your equipment needs to be replaced or when worn equipment needs to be repaired before they lead to system failures and wasted resources.
Do you have any questions after reading this blog, or want to learn more about what works for your specific business situation? Then contact us directly by phone 03 289 55 35 or click here for more information.
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