What are common warning signs that your equipment needs immediate service?

[Michael Race]

Hey everyone,

I’ve been wondering- what are some of the common warning signs you look out for that mean a piece of heavy equipment needs immediate service? I know weird noises and leaks are red flags, but are there any less obvious things you've learned to catch early? Trying to avoid a major breakdown and curious what others keep an eye on. Would love to hear your go-to warning signs before things get serious!

 

[benvr]

If you're seeing smoke or fire you should probably get it checked out asap.

 

[Luke Gibson]

Haha yeah, smoke or flames are definitely your "do not ignore" signs. I’d also add things like sudden drops in hydraulic pressure, inconsistent engine performance, or even odd smells, burning rubber or coolant can sneak up on you. Also, if your machine starts lagging on response time or throwing warning codes, don’t wait it out!

 

[Fergus_123]

Totally agree that if it's lagging or throwing random warning codes, that's usually your machine's way of screaming for help before something big fails.

 

[SteelToeStephen111]

Been there, I had a loader start lagging bad before the hydraulic pump gave out. Now I don’t ignore even the small stuff like slow starts or weird vibrations. Better to catch it early than get stuck mid-job!