Holiday hours
Christmas eve we are open until noon. Christmas day closed.
New Year's eve we are open until noon New Year's day closed.

Truck breakdowns happen anytime and anywhere. No matter how carefully you work to prevent this type of occurrence, it does happen. You just don’t know when or where it will happen to you! This, in turn, creates a burden to get back on the road as quickly as possible. You have to make a rapid decision between calling a towing service to take you to a facility like Suncoast Auto & Truck Repair in Bradenton FL to have the repairs completed or fixing it by yourself. If you are planning to do it on your own, you must have sufficient technical and mechanical knowledge as well as proper training in order to diagnose and fix the problem.

Common truck problems encountered while out on the road can easily be handled another way. These common difficulties can be prevented by setting effective preventive maintenance controls in place. You need to act ahead of time before trouble happens!

Five major things to always check on a regular basis to prevent vehicle breakdowns on the road:

1. Battery(dead or weak) – The most common breakdown difficulty is a dead or weak battery. Common causes of this type of problem are the battery clamps, lack of charge, or insufficient battery fluid. Batteries should be checked on a regular basis, certainly before heading out on the road. Make sure that the batteries are fully charged before heading for an extended trip.

2. Tires (flat or worn out) – The next common problem to cause truck breakdowns while on the road are flat or blown-out tires. Check your tire pressure immediately before you travel. It is important that they have the correct pressure appropriate to the different speeds and the load capacity of your vehicle.

3. Fuel (empty) – This truck breakdown problem is so very predictable that it is the proverbial ‘no-brainer!’ Make sure that your vehicle has enough fuel before you leave. Monitor your fuel status as you are driving paying particular attention to the roadway signs that tell you it is 125 miles or so to the next gas station! Of course, make sure that you have the right kind of fuel for your vehicle and that it is available at the station where you stop. Not every gas station on the highway has diesel fuel available.

4. Motor Oil – Oil should always be maintained at a recommended level. Check your oil level frequently and certainly before heading out on the road to ensure that you are complying with the level advised by the manufacturer.

5. Alternators – A properly functioning alternator is essential in the performance of your truck’s engine. Make sure that you check your alternator for any potential problems. Be aware of what your vehicle is trying to tell you; batteries that are continually run-down and require jumping may be a signal of a faulty alternator. Complete stalling is also another sign of an alternator going bad. The alternator can be changed out in the shop before getting out on the road much more easily than in the middle of a deserted highway!

The wise thing to do to prevent breakdowns is to get your truck on a regular preventive maintenance schedule. Potential concerns can be detected while they can still be easily handled. The alternative is going to be much more costly both in terms of repairs on the road and lost productivity. Make an intelligent choice and stop problems before they happen!

Suncoast Auto & Truck Repair offer’s a full range of garage services to vehicle owners located in Bradenton Florida. Our professionals know how to handle a wide range of car services including diesel truck repair.