Setting PM Intervals Without a Manufacturer Schedule

Not every asset component has a published manufacturer replacement interval. Sensors, senders, and probes typically wear or fail on condition rather than on a predictable meter or day count. This guide covers how to approach preventive maintenance for components that do not have a manufacturer service schedule.

Inspect on Condition Instead of Scheduling a Replacement

Parts such as coolant level sensors are usually not scheduled-replacement items. The common fleet practice is to inspect the component during a regular service and replace it only when a defect is found. Setting a fixed hours or days replacement interval without a published service life means replacing parts that are still good, or trusting an interval that does not match how the part actually fails.

The recommended setup is to add the check to a PM the asset already receives:

  • Create a PM whose job is to inspect the system the component belongs to. For a coolant level sensor, that is a cooling system check (coolant level and condition, hoses, clamps, and the sensor itself) at the service interval already in use.

  • If the asset already has a service PM, nest the inspection PM with it using the Included PM field so the check comes due with the regular service.

  • Every PM needs a VMRS code. Codes 066001000 through 066009000 are set up in the RTA system for PMs by default, or use a code that describes the work. Refer to Work Order VMRS Codes (WO VMRS) for assistance with VMRS codes.

  • If your company uses paperless inspections, attach an inspection template to the PM so the check is a checklist for the technician. Refer to Creating an Inspection Template for instructions on creating inspection templates.

  • When the inspection finds a defect, record the replacement on the work order so the repair is tracked in the asset's history.

When to Use a Fixed Interval

Set a meter or days replacement interval only when the expected service life is known:

  • From the manufacturer's service schedule (dealer or OEM documentation for the engine or chassis).

  • Or from your own fleet's repair history once enough failures have been tracked to know the part's service life.

Until then, run the inspection PM described above. It keeps the component checked on every service while the data needed for a real interval is gathered.

Fleet360 supports meter intervals in the asset's primary meter (miles, kilometers, hours, or gallons), day intervals, an optional secondary interval so the PM comes due on whichever comes first, and intervals driven by alternate meters. Assets whose primary meter tracks hours support hour-based intervals. Refer to Preventative Maintenance Schedules for interval setup, and Meter Readings and Corrections for keeping meters accurate.

Cooling System Health Monitoring

Coolant analysis (fluid sampling) is a related fleet practice for tracking cooling system health over time. It can be scheduled the same way, as a PM whose job is to pull a sample at service time, rather than as a component replacement interval.

Refer to Preventative Maintenance Schedules for creating PM schedules and intervals.

Refer to Asset PM Tab for viewing PM status, Last Done, and due values.

Refer to Set PM (Bulk PM Edits) for applying a PM to many assets at once.

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