Fleet car drivers in the UK are running a high risk of breakdown through ignorance about modern cars and lack of basic maintenance, according to research carried out by the RAC, England’s equivalent of auto club AAA. The RAC´s monthly vehicle fault analysis report (VFA) is supplied to fleet and car manufacturers in the UK to help rectify automotive problems, and they have identified the top “driver induced” reasons for breakdowns, Askaprice.com’s MotorTorque reports. The stats show that wheel changing is the number one problem, and putting gasoline into a diesel engine is the third in the list. These issues show that a lack of modern vehicle knowledge is a problem, and can be exacerbated by the fact that drivers are often unfamiliar with their company car and don’t bother to read the user’s manual, according to MotorTorque. “No fault found,” where a driver has reported a fault based on a noise or smell, but the roadside assistance technician has found no fault with the vehicle, has become the second most common problem for drivers. Having no spare tire is another often reported problem, because drivers leave a punctured tire in the trunk from a previous wheel change and then forget, or don’t bother, to get it repaired. Flat batteries are unsurprisingly in the top 20, as drivers often forget to switch off interior and exterior lights. In addition, fleet drivers are equipped with more and more on-board electronic gadgets, such as mobile phones, PCs and navigation systems that drain car batteries quickly.
0 Comments