If you can detect an issue early, you can help prevent bigger headaches and complications. Learn about the most common problems with box trucks so you know what to examine.
Brake Failure
When the brakes go, you’re not the only one in danger. Other vehicles and pedestrians face a risk, too, so you must prioritize regular brake inspections. Unfortunately, a considerable number of things can go wrong with your brakes. Your truck will give you a number of warnings, so look out for these:
- Your truck feels like it’s pulling to the right or the left.
- The timing of your brakes feels off.
- You’re leaking brake fluid.
- The steering wheel vibrates when you brake.
- The pads are squealing.
Transmission Issues
Transmissions endure a lot of wear and tear, and repairing them can get expensive. Your trusty check engine light will probably go on, but you’ve learned that that can mean anything. Mechanical problems will manifest with some physical symptoms, so you have a good chance of catching transmission problems before you break down. A few of the signs:
- The transmission is leaking fluid or is running low.
- You smell something burning or sense overheating.
- The transmission is loud while in neutral.
- Your transmission refuses to respond.
- The car slips out of gear while you’re driving.
Overheating Engine
An overheating engine is one of the most common problems with box trucks because there are so many potential causes. We can think of at least 20, and every one of them will end up costing you. It could be a bad hose, a blown gasket, or a fan clutch. If you ignore it for too long, you could permanently damage your truck. Catch it before things go too far by spotting these clues:
- Your cooling system is leaking.
- The water pump is making a high-pitched squeaking noise.
- The thermostat is failing.
- Your coolant levels are low.
- There’s steam coming out of your tailpipe.
