CAFM Vehicle Maintenance and Repair 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A fleet vehicle's serpentine belt shows cracking on the ribbed side. According to most manufacturer guidelines, what is the replacement threshold?
- Replace only if more than 5 cracks per inch are visible
- Replace based on mileage/time interval regardless of visual condition (Correct answer)
- Continue until the belt squeals loudly
- Replace only if the belt has fully separated
Correct answer: Replace based on mileage/time interval regardless of visual condition
Most manufacturers specify replacement at a set mileage or time interval because internal belt degradation is not visible externally; visual cracks indicate the belt is already overdue.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a fleet's 'first-time fix rate' (FTFR) metric in maintenance operations?
- Measures percentage of vehicles repaired correctly on the first repair attempt without return visits (Correct answer)
- Tracks the number of vehicles scheduled for first-time PM service
- Calculates the ratio of new vehicles to repaired vehicles
- Measures how quickly a vehicle enters the shop after a fault is reported
Correct answer: Measures percentage of vehicles repaired correctly on the first repair attempt without return visits
First-time fix rate measures technician effectiveness and parts management quality; a high FTFR reduces vehicle downtime and total repair costs.
Question 3: A fleet manager notices that a specific vehicle model has significantly higher brake pad wear than other models doing identical routes. Which factor is LEAST likely to be the cause?
- Vehicle weight and load capacity differences
- Driver braking behavior differences
- Differences in brake pad material compound
- Variation in ambient air temperature between routes (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Variation in ambient air temperature between routes
While temperature extremes can affect brake performance, ambient temperature variation on similar routes is the least likely cause of significantly higher brake wear compared to vehicle weight, driver behavior, or pad compound differences.
Question 4: Under EPA regulations, how must fleet technicians dispose of used motor oil?
- It can be disposed of in regular trash if in sealed containers
- It must be recycled or sent to a licensed used oil handler; it cannot be mixed with other hazardous waste (Correct answer)
- It must be incinerated on-site by certified technicians
- It can be applied to gravel roads for dust suppression freely
Correct answer: It must be recycled or sent to a licensed used oil handler; it cannot be mixed with other hazardous waste
Used oil is regulated under EPA guidelines; it must be recycled or managed by a licensed used oil handler and cannot be mixed with solvents or other hazardous materials.
Question 5: A fleet manager is comparing in-house maintenance versus outsourced maintenance. Which factor most strongly favors keeping maintenance in-house?
- Low fleet size with minimal specialized vehicles
- High volume of routine work on a standardized fleet with available technician capacity (Correct answer)
- Access to dealer warranty work requirements
- Desire to reduce capital investment in shop equipment
Correct answer: High volume of routine work on a standardized fleet with available technician capacity
In-house maintenance is most cost-effective when there is sufficient volume of standardized, routine work to keep technicians productive and justify facility and equipment costs.
Question 6: What is the main benefit of implementing an electronic vehicle inspection (EVI) process in place of paper-based inspection forms?
- Eliminates the need for driver pre-trip inspections
- Enables real-time defect reporting, automatic work order creation, and digital record retention (Correct answer)
- Reduces technician certification requirements
- Allows vehicles to bypass DOT inspections
Correct answer: Enables real-time defect reporting, automatic work order creation, and digital record retention
Electronic inspections enable immediate defect reporting to maintenance, automatic work order generation, and create a digital audit trail that satisfies DOT record requirements.
Question 7: A vehicle's OBD-II scan reveals a P0420 fault code. What does this indicate and what system is affected?
- Misfire detected in cylinder 4; ignition system
- Catalyst system efficiency below threshold; exhaust/emissions system (Correct answer)
- Mass airflow sensor out of range; intake system
- Transmission fluid temperature sensor failure; drivetrain
Correct answer: Catalyst system efficiency below threshold; exhaust/emissions system
P0420 indicates that the catalytic converter efficiency has fallen below the acceptable threshold, meaning it is no longer adequately reducing exhaust emissions.
CAFM Vehicle Maintenance and Repair 5
A fleet vehicle's serpentine belt shows cracking on the ribbed side.
According to most manufacturer guidelines, what is the replacement threshold?