Maintenance Insights User Guide

December 2023

EN-US - CS-CZ - DE-DE - ES-ES - ES-LATAM - FR-CA - FR-FR - IT-IT - JA-JP - KO-KR - NL-NL - PL-PL - PT-BR - SV-SE

Introduction

Geotab’s Data Connector Maintenance Insights leverages rich data to provide clear and compelling insights on common Maintenance Issues such as Electrical System Ratings and Water in Fuel for fleet managers. Using our data analysis and AI models, Maintenance Insights helps users become aware of their vehicles maintenance issues earlier before it turns into a costly issue.

Watch this video for a quick overview

There are a host of different insights are revolved around various aspects of Vehicle Maintenance

Below is a short description and how each are calculated

Electrical System Rating (ESR)

Geotab has a unique process of collecting and recording cranking voltage event records. Every time a vehicle is started the Geotab hardware device starts recording voltage records during the ignition process. Once we start to observe a reduction trend in the minimum cranking voltage this insight will trigger. The battery, alternator and starter motor are all components within a vehicle that could contribute to this issue.

Water in Fuel

Did you know that one of the most underestimated threats to your vehicle's performance and longevity is water in the fuel? This seemingly minor issue can lead to major headaches, ranging from engine misfires and rough idling to severe damage to vital components. Water, a non-combustible intruder in your fuel system, can cause corrosion, disrupt fuel injection precision, and in colder climates, even freeze, blocking fuel lines. For diesel engines, the problem goes deeper, encouraging microbial growth that can clog your fuel filters and injectors. But the risk doesn't stop there - water can also lead to the dreaded hydrolock, where it enters the combustion chamber and causes catastrophic engine damage. Protect your vehicle by understanding and preventing this hidden menace. Regular maintenance, using quality fuel, and employing water separators or additives are key steps to keeping your engine running smoothly and extending its life.

Camshaft Position Sensor

A camshaft position sensor is an electronic device that monitors the camshaft position and speed, and feeds that data to the vehicle’s engine control module (ECM). The ECM uses this data to control how much fuel enters the combustion chamber and ignition timing to ignite the fuel. A malfunctioning camshaft position sensor may give you a warning before it fails. If the warning symptoms are ignored and the camshaft position sensor completely fails, the vehicle will not start. Scheduling maintenance reminders ahead of time can prevent roadside breakdowns.

Anti-Lock Braking Systems (ABS)

Anti-Lock Braking Systems (ABS) are mechanical systems in vehicles that allow drivers to continue to steer while pressing down on the brakes. This is a crucial safety feature as it can help drivers avoid collisions and allow them to brake safely. The Anti-Lock Braking Systems (ABS) Insight identifies assets with malfunctioning ABS so the asset can be taken off the road to schedule any required maintenance and prevent collisions.

Exhaust Gas Regulator (EGR)

The main components that make up the exhaust gas regulator (EGR) system are the EGR valve and, for many diesel vehicles, an EGR cooler. Accompanying the EGR system are a series of sensors which monitor their operation. When these sensors are sending fault codes, the operation of the components may be beyond acceptable operating conditions. This could indicate an issue with the EGR system. A properly operating EGR can theoretically increase the efficiency of a gasoline engine. The Exhaust Gas Regulator (EGR) insight identifies assets with malfunctioning EGR systems on a daily basis. Scheduling maintenance reminders to address these malfunctions helps you avoid engine performance issues caused by EGR failures.

Engine Coolant

An engine coolant system refers to the components responsible for cooling the engine and removing heat from other heat producing processes in the engine. Accompanying the engine coolant system are a series of sensors which monitor their operation. When these sensors are sending fault codes, it indicates that the operation of the components may be beyond acceptable operating conditions. This could indicate an issue with the engine coolant system. The Engine Coolant insight gives you visibility to faults that can help you predict when maintenance is required and how urgent it is.

Glow Plug

The glow plug is a critical part of an engine cylinder that helps with fuel efficiency by heating incoming fuel and air in the engine. This is a key functionality in colder weather conditions, when engines have to work harder to stay at an operable temperature. The Glow Plug insight identifies assets with a potentially malfunctioning glow plug on a daily basis. Scheduling maintenance reminders to address these detections helps you avoid engine performance issues and improve fuel efficiency in colder climates.

Cylinder Misfire

Cylinder misfires can occur on almost all internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Cylinder misfires are not an issue, but a symptom of other problems with the vehicle’s engine, some of which might be serious. If left untreated, these incidents can result in larger issues that incur a lot of cost. With early detection of these events, you can avoid future costly repairs. The Cylinder Misfire insight identifies assets with confirmed misfire incidents on a daily basis, allowing you to schedule required maintenance to address these incidents.

Data schema

The schema contains 2 tables. One is the Maintenanceissues_Log table that provides a log of the date at which the issue was seen to the date at which the issue was longer observed. Please note that an issue will retain an active status unless the issue is longer being broadcasted.

The MaintenanceIssues_Daily table on the other hand provides a view of the issues that were active on a specific date. The 2 tables are provided to accommodate both historical analysis of issues and daily operations of issues that require immediate assistance.

Please also note that in both tables an issue will only show up on a specific date if the issue is still active. The current date will typically be 24 hours delayed due to the daily update.

MaintenanceIssues_Log

MaintenanceIssues_Daily

New Maintenance template

Before getting started, ensure the Geotab Data Connector is enabled in your database — as outlined in the

Geotab Data Connector — User Guide.

The dashboard provides a snapshot of vehicle maintenance issues for a fleet.

1. Vehicles with Issues in the Last 7 Days: This graph shows the number of vehicles that had issues in the past week, comparing it with the previous week's data.
2. Vehicles with Issues Year to Date: Presents the total number of vehicles that had issues from the start of the year to the current date, compared to the previous month.
3. Top Issues: Lists the most common issues detected in the fleet, with a bar graph showing the frequency of each issue.
4. Groups to Focus on: Indicates which groups of vehicles are experiencing the most issues, helping to identify where to focus maintenance efforts.
5. Manufacturers to Look Into: Provides a table of vehicle manufacturers, the number of vehicles from each with issues, and the percentage this represents of all their vehicles in the fleet.
6. Vehicle Issues Log: A detailed log that includes the device name,, active issue dates, issue type, and duration for each reported problem.

Frequently-asked questions (FAQs)

I’m already a Geotab Data Connector user. How do I get started with the maintenance insights data and template?

If you are already a Geotab Data Connector user, the Maintenance tables are now available through the Data Connector. If you are building your own dashboard, similar to the Vehicle KPI tables, you can build dashboard components based on the new data. If you are using the templates, you can download the new template and by making a successful connection the template will populate.

I don’t see any active issues for today, why is that?

Please note that there could be a 24-36 hour delay until the data is updated. This is why you may be seeing yesterday’s date in the latest data.

What does an active issue mean?

Active issues are maintenance problems that have been detected from the vehicle through the vehicle diagnostics. It will remain as an active status until we no longer observe the issue.

What happens if a vehicle has not been used in a day?

If there was an active issue the day before and the vehicle was not used the day after we assume the issue to still be active until the vehicle is used again and we don’t see the diagnostic not showing.