--- title: "Preventive fleet maintenance checklist" description: "Preventive fleet maintenance checklist: daily, weekly and monthly checks, mileage service, emissions and annual compliance in Mexico, Brazil and Colombia." canonical: "https://www.clara.com/fleet/guides/preventive-maintenance-checklist" lang: "en-US" alternate_html: "https://www.clara.com/fleet/guides/preventive-maintenance-checklist" --- # Preventive fleet maintenance checklist Published 3 Nov 2026 - Printable checklist - 4 min read - Updated 10 Nov 2026 Clara Editorial Team Use this checklist as an operating baseline, then replace generic timing with the manufacturer schedule, local regulation and the reality of each route. A severe-duty vehicle may need checks far earlier than a lightly used unit. ## Before you use it - Assign every check to a role and record the date, odometer and result. - A failed safety item creates an action with an owner and a due date, not a comment. - Schedule by both date and distance: whichever comes first triggers the service. - The manufacturer manual and current local rules always outrank a generic list, including this one. ## Daily or pre-trip checks The driver is closest to the vehicle and usually sees a fault first. Keep the pre-trip check short enough to complete every day, and set a clear rule for taking an unsafe unit out of service. - Tyre condition, visible damage and obvious pressure loss - Headlights, brake lights, indicators and warning lights - Brake response, steering feel and unusual noises - Leaks under the vehicle and visible fluid levels - Mirrors, windscreen, wipers, horn and seat belts - Safety equipment required for the country and type of operation - Odometer and any dashboard fault message ## Weekly checks A supervisor or maintenance owner confirms the items that take longer or need a consistent measuring method. Measure with the same instrument and at the same point on each tyre. - Tyre pressure, tread depth and uneven wear - Engine oil, coolant, brake fluid and washer fluid - Battery terminals, corrosion and secure mounting - Belts, hoses and visible wiring damage - Cab cleanliness, load restraints and body damage - Complete emergency kit and extinguisher condition ## Monthly fleet review The monthly review joins condition with records. It is where isolated defects become patterns and where upcoming work is booked before it turns into downtime. - Compare the actual odometer with the fleet record. - Review open defects and repeated faults by vehicle. - Confirm the next date- and distance-based service. - Check expiries for driver licences, insurance, inspections and operating permits. - Compare fuel efficiency with the vehicle’s own baseline. - Confirm recalls and manufacturer service campaigns. ## Mileage- or hour-based service Use the manufacturer interval for the exact model, powertrain and duty cycle. At completion, record parts, labour, supplier, cost and odometer or engine hours, so the next trigger is based on evidence. | System | Typical decision | | ---------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Engine and filters | Oil, oil filter, air and fuel filters at the specified interval | | Brakes | Inspect pads, discs, drums, lines and fluid; replace on measured condition | | Tyres | Rotation, alignment, balancing and replacement for wear or damage | | Cooling and drivetrain | Fluids, hoses, belts, transmission and differential per schedule | | Electric vehicles | Tyres, brakes, coolant, 12 V system and battery health per manufacturer | ## Worked example: a delivery truck Assume, for illustration only, a truck that runs 60,000 km a year in city traffic, with a manufacturer oil-change interval of 10,000 km. Its record should show six oil changes in the year. If only three appear, either the service was not done or it was not recorded. Both are process failures, and both are fixed by checking the odometer on every service order. ## Emissions and periodic inspection Where a vehicle must pass an emissions test, Mexico’s NOM-047-SEMARNAT-2014 defines the equipment and measurement procedure. In Colombia, every vehicle must hold valid SOAT insurance to travel (Ley 769 de 2002, art. 42), and the technical-mechanical and emissions inspection is annual, carried out at a diagnostic centre registered in the RUNT (arts. 51 and 53). In Brazil, keep each vehicle’s registration and licensing document on file and confirm its renewal date with the state transit authority. Keep one separate due date per obligation, with an owner and evidence attached. Confirm the dates for each vehicle with the authority that applies in its country. ## Close the loop on every defect A checklist reduces risk only when a failed item becomes owned work. Record severity, the owner, the due date and whether the vehicle can operate. When the job is done, attach the evidence and update the odometer. Review repeated failures by vehicle, part and supplier. To compare the cost of keeping each unit with the cost of replacing it, open the [Clara Fleet calculator](https://www.clara.com/fleet/calculator) and read the [total cost of ownership guide](https://www.clara.com/fleet/guides/fleet-tco-guide). ## Sources - [SEMARNAT (Diario Oficial de la Federación): NOM-047-SEMARNAT-2014: características del equipo y procedimiento de medición para la verificación de los límites de emisión de vehículos en circulación (opens in a new tab)](https://www.profepa.gob.mx/innovaportal/file/6630/1/nom-047-semarnat-2014.pdf) - [Congreso de la República (Secretaría del Senado): Ley 769 de 2002 (Código Nacional de Tránsito): art. 42, seguro obligatorio (SOAT); arts. 51 y 53, revisión técnico-mecánica y de emisiones (opens in a new tab)](http://www.secretariasenado.gov.co/senado/basedoc/ley%5F0769%5F2002%5Fpr001.html) - [Ministerio de Transporte: Resolución Única Compilatoria en materia de Tránsito, Resolución 20223040045295 de 2022 (04-08-2022), arts. 3.3.4.1 y 3.3.4.2 (opens in a new tab)](https://www.runt.gov.co/sites/default/files/normas/MinTransporte-Resolucion-2022-N0045295%5F20220804.pdf) ## About Clara Fleet Clara products are offered by Clara's local entities in each market, in accordance with applicable local law. This guide is written by the Clara Editorial Team. Examples use illustrative numbers and state their assumptions. ## Fleet management resources you can use today - ### [Clara Fleet calculator](https://www.clara.com/fleet/calculator) - ### [Clara Fleet demo](https://www.clara.com/fleet-management/demo) - ### [Clara Fleet Card (Mexico)](https://www.clara.com/en-mx/products/clara-fleet-card) - ### [Clara Veículos (Brazil)](https://www.clara.com/en-br/products/clara-veiculos) - ### [How to manage a vehicle fleet without losing control of the details](https://www.clara.com/fleet/guides/fleet-management-guide) - ### [When to replace a fleet vehicle: policy, scorecard and decision process](https://www.clara.com/fleet/guides/vehicle-replacement-guide)