VEHICLES
Maintenance and upkeep for
vehicle lighting
An overview of the vehicle lighting
options available and best practices to
maximize the life of vehicle lights.
Stefanie Von Rueden, Assistant Editor
VEHICLE LIGHTING
22 Fleet Maintenance | October 2018
ehicle lighting is one of the Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration’s most common CSA
(Compliance, Safety, Accountability) vehicle violations,
and one of the most obvious to spot. So, it is
important that fl eets inspect their vehicle lights
at regular maintenance intervals to ensure they
remain compliant with safety regulations.
“Interior LED lighting is essentially a case of
set it and forget it,” says Brett Johnson, president
and CEO of vehicle lighting manufacturer
Optronics International. “It’s the closest thing
to a no-maintenance component there is on a
commercial vehicle.”
Exterior lighting, Johnson adds, is much more
complex. Because external lights are exposed to
a variety of environments, they are more prone to
failure and require regular inspection to ensure
proper operation.
Types of lighting
available
Th e commercial vehicle
market currently includes
four types of lamps:
V
ore
d e to
ure
» LEDs are
becoming the
industry standard,
and are now
specified on many
new tractors
and trailers.
Photo courtesy of Maxxima