Heavy duty vehicles perform essential roles for the businesses thatwho operate them. From HGVs to buses, it’s vital they’re kept in peak condition to preserve the safety of operators, passengers, and other road users.

As business-critical vehicles, it’s essential for owners that downtime is minimized – and of course, that’s where you and your workshop come in.

Heavy duty vehicle maintenance and repair checklist

The following is a list of all the common areas of a heavy duty vehicle that you must inspect in order complete a full service.

• Engine oil and filter changes
• Transmission including fluids
• Fuel system
• Cooling system
• Engine and transmission mounts
• Drive shafts or CV joints
• Belts and hoses
• Electrical system components

• Seats
• Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems
• Mirrors and indirect vision devices
• Glass and view of the road
• Windscreen washers and wipers
• Speedometer / tachograph
• Horn
• Driving controls
• Steering control
• Service brake pedal
• Service brake operation
• Pressure / vacuum warning and build up
• Hand lever operating mechanical park brakes and electronic park brake control
• Hand operated brake control valves
• Cab floors and steps

• Tyres – condition of all
• Cab doors
• Sideguards, rear under-run devices and bumper bars
• Oil leaks
• Registration plates
• Spare wheel and carrier
• Fuel tanks and system
• Size and type of tyres
• Speed limiter
• Brake systems and components
• Additional braking devices
• Cab security
• Condition of chassis
• Exhaust systems
• Markers and reflectors
• Security of body, containers and crane support legs
• Vehicle to trailer coupling
• Steering
• Lamps
• Condition of body
• Trailer parking and emergency brake and air line connections
• Suspension
• Direction indicators and hazard warning lamps
• Exhaust emissions
• Trailer landing legs
• Axles, stub axles and wheel bearings
• Aim of headlamps
• Road wheels and hubs
• Spray suppression, wings and wheel arches

Specific skills that are important for servicing heavy duty vehicles

To service heavy duty vehicles effectively, there are certain key skills that you need to master.

Diagnosis principles, including First Time Diagnosis (FTD) are essential to help you accurately and quickly assess parts and faults. The quicker you can diagnose an issue, the sooner you can get a vehicle back on the road for your customer.

You’ll also need to have a strong grasp of safety inspection and maintenance schedules, due to vehicles needing almost a full-roadworthiness check every time. Your customer will appreciate a pre-emptive approach to fulfil their service needs in time.

Finally, there’s record-keeping. Heavy duty vehicles must comply at all times with company and operators’ licence obligations and regulations, so being capable and thorough at completing these records is an essential part of maintenance.

Heavy duty vehicle diagnostics

The newest generation of heavy duty vehicles incorporate a vast array of computer systems. For this reason, mastering the diagnostic tools needed to service them should be a fundamental part of your training and development. Delphi Technologies’ Heavy Duty DS Diagnostic Software comprises powerful features and functionality to help you service a wide range of makes and models.

Road safety regulations for heavy duty vehicles

Most countries have their own sets of national rules and regulations around the maintenance of heavy duty vehicles. It’s vital that you gather all of the information that your country’s regulating body provides, and ensure you understand in full what’s expected of both you and your workshop during servicing.