Breakdowns increasing due to delays in fleet vehicle replacement

The number of vehicle breakdowns reported by fleet owners has increased due to delays in vehicle replacement caused by the semiconductor crisis.

A report published by software company FleetCheck has found that fleet maintenance is one of the most pressing concerns for fleet owners, who are having to delay their replacement cycles.

Major component failures are arising as a result of the semiconductor crisis, which is causing longer lead times for new cars and vans.

Manufacturers are struggling to keep up with the increasing level of demand, and lead times for many vehicles has doubled to almost six months.

The semiconductor crisis

The semiconductor shortage is a global issue, with Ford first highlighting the issue earlier this year, stating that it was a potentially significant issue for the foreseeable future.

The impact of the computer chip crisis is being felt by every car and van maker, which is also affecting other sectors.

Vehicle production lines have been temporarily halted for many car producers, with attention turning to vehicles that are in high demand and manufacturers are prioritising models to proceed with, with some options not being offered.

With significant pressure being placed on the automotive sector to achieve tougher emissions targets, priorities have turned to lower-emitting vehicles such as hybrid and electric vehicle models.

Fleet owners, as well as the leasing and rental industry, have also been warned by manufacturers that the computer chip shortage could even extend into 2022.

As a result, many new vehicles are not expected to be delivered until next year.

The impact on fleets

The knock-on effect of the delays means that more and more light commercial vehicles are entering the fifth and sixth years of their lifespan.

With increasing miles on the clock and natural wear and tear on parts, mechanical breakdowns become more likely – which is what we’re witnessing.

It is commonplace for commercial vehicles to hit the 100,000-mile mark, but fleet owners are reporting figures well beyond that. This is causing mechanical failures you wouldn’t ordinarily expect and resulting in unexpected costs for repairs.

Vehicles hitting the 100,000-mile mark is common, but fleet owners are reporting figures well beyond that, which is causing mechanical failures that you wouldn’t ordinarily expect to see.

According to the report, fleet owners are experiencing issues with several key vehicle components.

Gearboxes are the most severely impacted vehicle part, while the clutch and cambelt are having to be replaced where they might not otherwise have had to.

The issue is that these are expensive components to replace, and fleet owners will not have budgeted for this, particularly when they’ve already started the process of replacing vehicles.

As a result, fleets are having to spend significant sums of money on ageing vehicles, even when they know they’ll be replaced within 12 months.

One key change fleet owners could make is to use vehicles with significant miles on the clock and are five or six years old for local duties rather than long-haul driving, which can add up to 1,000 miles every week.

How is the semiconductor shortage impacting your fleet? Are you due to begin your replacement cycle? If so, have you thought about when the right time is to make the switch to Electric Vehicles?