Spring Maintenance Mistakes That Lead to Summer Breakdowns for Commercial Fleets

As the busiest months in the trucking industry approach, fleet maintenance becomes ever more critical.

This article looks into common maintenance mistakes in the spring that can lead to costly, sometimes dangerous fleet breakdowns in the summer.  

Many of these mistakes are due to common misconceptions, e.g., that tire rotations are optional. However, the data shows us that a little planned maintenance not only helps keep your fleet on the road and on schedule, but can also save on costs over time.

For the most part, these precautions address winter road salt, springtime moisture, and fluctuating temperatures. When left unaddressed, these springtime obstacles affect 25 percent of fleets, leading to summer breakdowns and other downtime traps—as well as $10,000 in repairs on average per truck.

For instance, I-81 haulers that forgo springtime undercarriage checks face twice the rate of strandings by June as those that complete these checks. Washes and load tests have been shown to reduce breakdown calls by 40 percent.

‍Addressing springtime maintenance issues can also help avoid costly fines and related delays. Post-2024, 10 percent more units failed emission tests due to DEF degradation accelerated by temperature swings, such as those more often seen in the spring.

Skipped Commercial Fleet Spring Maintenance Items That Lead to Breakdowns

While addressing the following common maintenance issues is important every spring, specific trends indicate that doing so may be becoming even more critical. 

In 2025, Department of Transportation (DOT) roadside checks were up by 18 percent, resulting in a 30 percent increase in brake/suspension violations due to road salt residue. 

Another example: The rise in EV adoption by fleets (25 percent increase in 2024-2025) necessitates addressing road salt, which is twice as harmful to EV batteries as internal combustion engine batteries.

Degraded Lubricants

Once temperatures begin warming up, drivers and fleet operators may falsely assume that more “free flowing” lubricants mean that these liquids haven’t actually thickened over the winter and spring. This false assumption results in 20 to 30 percent more engine wear from degraded lubricants during warm-up cycles. Thickened lubricants also shear 15 to 20 percent faster on short spring trips, damaging valvetrains before routine maintenance like oil analysis can catch it. 

By the time the busy summer season rolls around, transmission fluid degradation from cold starts increases the chances of overheating by 25 percent.

One expert advises, “Burnt transmission odors signal varnish buildup from the winter; miss it now, and summer hauls fry the box at 80,000 miles.”

Neglected Tires

Unrotated, deflated tires also become a big issue as temperatures rise. 

The mild 2025 winter extended pothole season by three weeks, causing unrotated tires to shred 20 percent faster. Winter-deflated tires also lose 15 to 25 percent of pressure, spiking spring blowout rates to three times the normal rate.

When not rotated and properly inflated post-winter, tires are also known to fail at twice the typical rate in the summer due to potholes, increasing fleet downtime by 15 percent.

These issues can have a cascading effect into the summer. As one fleet mechanic put it: “Ignoring driver reports on vibrations lets tire uneven wear cascade into $5,000+ alignment and suspension bills by July.”

Compromised Vehicle Seals

Vehicle seals like rubber gaskets around engine components, windows, and doors can crack following freeze-thaw cycles, while cold-idled drivetrains can become damaged and fail due to a buildup of varnish.

Seals in the engine often fail “invisibly” from pressure, leaking only after 50-plus miles at summer highway speeds. Varnished seals might only leak under summer loads above 2,500 RPM.

Contaminated Fuel

Moisture in diesel fuel can become a problem quickly—and all the more so today due to recent fuel supply chain issues. 

Under normal circumstances, “diesel bugs” (microorganisms like fungi and mold) can grow in just two to four weeks, cutting fuel efficiency by as much as 15 percent. These anaerobic microbes can clog filters in as little as a week’s time, evading visual checks. 

Add the fuel volatility in recent years, and fleets are seeing a 15 percent increase in diesel bugs during spring. One national trucking firm recently recalled 150 units following diesel bug outbreaks in the springtime, costing $2.1 million in fuel system overhauls.

Brake Defects

One-quarter of all DOT out-of-service violations during roadside inspections are due to brake defects. 

Brake issues are exacerbated during and following the winter, when road salt residue can begin eating away at and weakening brake lines, reducing antilock braking system response by 30 percent. This often happens without any external rust present. 

In April 2022, I-81 inspections resulted in eight brake out-of-service violations for one Virginia carrier due to salt-damaged rotors, causing halted operations and $120,000 repairs.

Stressed Batteries

Road salt can also do a number on vehicle batteries, corroding electrical connections first in EV fleets before causing rust or structural failure. 

“Road salt doesn’t just rust metal—it infiltrates electricals and batteries, turning spring ‘maintenance’ into summer catastrophes if undercarriages aren’t power-washed,” one mechanic recently advised.

A notable 2024 case involving ignored battery terminal corrosion led to 22 summer strandings on I-81 routes for one fleet.

Spring’s temperature fluctuations can also wreak havoc on batteries, causing them to fail 40 percent more often if not load-tested, peaking in the summer months.

Rust/Other Structural Damage

Because road salt corrodes electrical connections first in EV fleets, battery issues can be a sign of further corrosion damage to come.

In all fleets, undercarriage corrosion from unwashed salt can become a serious issue. In March 2023, a fleet out of the Midwest lost 12 trucks for just this reason, leading to $450,000 in suspension replacements and three weeks of downtime.

Worn-Out Wiper Blades

With more trucks on the road today, safety considerations like reaction times in the rain become all the more critical. Worn wiper blades are known to double reaction times in the rain, playing a part in 13 percent of crashes on wet roads.

Stiffening due to ice and cold weather causes micro-tears on wiper blades, which will lead to streaking when driving over 40 mph in the rain. Not only is this dangerous for drivers, but it can also lead to costly FMCSA visibility violations.

Trusted Fleet Maintenance in the Shenandoah Valley

With over 20 years of experience, and over 45,000 vehicles repaired, the certified team here at Brian Omps Towing & Repair offers a complete range of maintenance and services sure to fit your unique needs. Click here for easy online scheduling. 

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