Simplify maintenance management and fleet diagnostics with Solera Fault Monitoring

Fault monitoring captures vehicle diagnostic information in near real-time and proactively alerts drivers and fleet managers before incidents happen. It helps fleets plan and manage preventative maintenance, saving on bottom-line costs by monitoring engine fault codes and diagnostics. It can even direct drivers to service locations. Fleet diagnostics lets maintenance managers know the vehicle’s mechanical condition anytime and anywhere, even while it’s in motion. 

Fleet diagnostics lets you track the condition of the engine, transmission, brakes, tire pressure, and other critical components and systems. Fleet diagnostic software provides insights into how vehicles are consuming fuel and identifies ways to reduce fuel costs. It can also track emissions to ensure regulatory compliance.  Real-time data allows managers to create proactive maintenance schedules to prevent breakdowns.

Modern fleet vehicles are equipped with a variety of onboard sensors and telematics devices that continuously monitor and gather data on the vehicle’s systems and vital statistics. By the mid-1990s, the OBD II (On-Board Diagnostics II) was required on all new cars and trucks. The OBD II can gauge engine temperature and pressure, fuel consumption, emission levels, the vehicle’s speed and RPMs, and report diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) related to engine malfunctions. Other sensors monitor tire pressure, brake wear and efficiency, fluid levels such as coolant, oil, and fuel, as well as temperature in refrigerated trucks. The telematics device or onboard diagnostics system aggregates the data and transmits it to Solera’s centralized fleet management software platform via email or web services, where it can be monitored and analyzed. Solera Fault Monitoring can also integrate with numerous third-party systems, such as Cummins’ Connected Diagnostics™, Eaton IntelliConnect Remote Diagnostics™, and Navistar’s OnCommand™ Connection. 

 The OBD II (On-Board Diagnostics II), needed to gauge engine temperature and pressure, fuel consumption, emission levels, speed, and RPMs, is required equipment on all new cars and trucks and is installed at the time of manufacture. Sensors that monitor tire pressure, brake wear and efficiency, and fluid levels such as coolant, oil, and fuel will are also required, but again, are built into the vehicle at the time of manufacture. Telematics devices are needed in order to transmit vehicle data from the truck to a central system, using GPS, cellular networks, or sometimes satellite communication to relay information in real time. 

All properly equipped vehicles will be impacted by Fault Monitoring. Vehicles that operate for extended periods of heavy use, such as delivery and long-haul trucks, and construction vehicles, such as mixers, bulldozers, and cranes, are hugely dependent on Fault Monitoring for safe, reliable operation. Agricultural vehicles, including tractors, harvesters, and plows, are similarly dependent on Fault Monitoring. Public transportation vehicles such as school and commuter buses and long-distance coaches are as well. Ambulances, police cars, fire trucks, and other emergency response vehicles need Fault Monitoring to be ready to move whenever emergencies arise. Taxis, delivery vans, rental cars, and corporate fleets all benefit from Fault Monitoring. 

Most fleets have a network of approved repair shops that can be programmed into the Fault Monitoring system. Once a fault is detected, the GPS system pinpoints the vehicle’s location and can suggest the closest or most appropriate repair facility based on the vehicle’s make and the nature and severity of the fault. The system then automatically routes the driver to the selected facility. Managers, who would likely have a list of approved repair vendors, will also be alerted and can then direct the driver to the correct facility. 

On-the-road breakdowns can often put the vehicle, driver, and surrounding traffic into risky situations, particularly if issues occur unexpectedly while in traffic or if a safe place to pull over is not readily available. By proactively issuing alerts when a problem is first detected, Fault Monitoring can help avoid on-the-road breakdowns. Monitoring systems can also detect speeding, hard braking, fast accelerations, and other risky driving habits that can endanger vehicles and drivers. 

Diagnostic checks should be performed on a regular basis to identify potential issues early, comply with safety standards, and keep the vehicles in good running condition for many years and miles. The meaning of “regular basis” will vary, depending on the issues being checked. Basic checks such as inspecting tires, lights, fluid levels, and indicators should be done daily at the start of each shift. More thorough inspections should be done at least once a month and every one to two weeks for heavy-use vehicles. Comprehensive diagnostics should occur every one to three months, checking the engine, transmission, and other major systems. Certain activities, such as oil changes and brake checks, should be done on a mileage schedule of 10,000 to 15,000 miles. Major inspections should be done annually. 

Fleet diagnostics should be applied to all fleet vehicles to maintain safe, trouble-free operations. These include delivery and long-haul trucks; construction vehicles such as mixers, bulldozers, and cranes; and agricultural vehicles such as tractors, harvesters, and plows. Fleet diagnostics is essential in any vehicle transporting the public, including school and commuter buses and long-distance coaches. It’s certainly applicable to taxis, delivery vans, rental cars, and corporate fleets, which must perform reliably when needed. When it comes to emergency response vehicles such as ambulances, police cars, and fire trucks, fleet diagnostics can be the difference between life and death.