DIAGNOSTI C S
All fleets share a common goal: maximize
vehicle uptime. Many believe that routine
maintenance alone will keep their vehicles
running healthy and minimize unexpected
breakdowns. However, today’s technology
challenges the idea that maintenance decisions
should happen solely in the shop and
on a scheduled basis. Access to rich vehicle
data creates opportunities to optimize maintenance
38 Fleet Maintenance | June 2018
plans in real-time with input throughout
the organization.
As vehicle data experts, we consistently
study data to improve our products, services
and the industry as a whole. Examining vehicle
data from a two-year period (January 2016
through January 2018), we discovered some
interesting numbers.
On average:
95 percent of vehicles currently register
some type of fault.
58 percent of vehicles currently register an
active fault.
34 percent of vehicles currently register a
fault that is likely to escalate.
Address potential
escalation issues
Recognizing that many faults do not trigger a
dash light, even a proactive driver oft en has
no indicator that he or she needs
to report an issue to the fl eet’s
dispatcher or maintenance team.
Knowing a third of the vehicles
on the road are experiencing a
fault that is likely to escalate,
which tools and services should
fl eets use to convert vehicle data
into actionable information that
drives uptime? Here are a few
suggestions:
Utilize an advanced in-shop diagnostic and
repair solution.
Implement and utilize a remote diagnostics
platform.
Utilize data analytics.
According to Dave Covington, Noregon’s
chief technology offi cer, fl eets must not simply
pick and choose from the above methods,
but rather tie them together to structure the
company’s maintenance approach to improve
overall fl eet health.
“Fleet managers can’t just focus on one
area of their business to optimize uptime,”
Covington says. “It requires a collective eff ort
from many areas of the organization.”
In-shop tool options
It can be extremely time-consuming to ask a
technician to understand total vehicle health
by diagnosing on a component-by-component
basis. Th is not only requires learning a number
of OEM applications, but also spending the time
to switch between the various applications, on
every vehicle, to diagnose each component.
However, it is still imperative to invest in an allmakes,
models and components solution that
gives technicians a holistic view of the vehicle.
For example, JPRO Professional detects
all faults on all electronic components, and
provides information to help the technician
discover the root cause. When paired with the
integrated troubleshooting module, NextStep,
technicians have the tools to make long-lasting
repairs aft er the root cause is determined,
regardless of the vehicle brand.
“It is vital for your tool to detect more than
just active faults so technicians can discover
looming issues that could sideline the vehicle,”
Covington says. “Using a diagnostic tool such
as JPRO, technicians easily discover other types
of faults, such as ‘inactive’ or ‘pending,’ that may
have a high count or an FMI (failure mode identifi
er) that indicates a preventative repair is the
best option for that vehicle’s long-term health.”
Additionally, it is important that technicians
use these tools regardless of the reason the
vehicle is in the shop. Remember that not all
faults trigger a dash light or produce symptoms
noticeable by a driver, so even if the vehicle is
just in the shop for new tires, always connect
the vehicle to the in-shop tool and get a diagnostic
overview of the entire vehicle.
How data can help
diagnose vehicles
Comprehensive data management and analytics can
provide fl eets the opportunity to better utilize in-shop
diagnostic solutions and remote diagnostic platforms.
By Ben Osborne
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, NOREGON
Founded in 1993 and based in North Carolina, Noregon offers products
and services that bring clarity to vehicle data in order to improve the
efficiency of technicians and help companies improve decision-making
about the health and safety of their vehicles. Today’s top fleets, OE dealers,
independent repair facilities, municipalities and the U.S military all
rely on Noregon to keep their vehicles operating. Since joining Noregon
at the beginning of 2016, Osborne has worked closely with the company’s
vehicle data experts to promote initiatives that help drive the trucking
industry forward.
» Not all vehicle fault codes trigger a dash
light or produce symptoms noticeable by a
driver, so even if the vehicle is just in the shop
for regular service, always complete a pre-scan
of the vehicle to get a full diagnostic report.
Photo courtesy of Noregon
Access to rich vehicle
data creates opportunities
to optimize maintenance
plans in real-time.