A heavy truck that breaks down costs you a load and a driver’s day. A good heavy duty truck maintenance checklist catches small faults before they park the truck. In BC, it also has to line up with the province’s inspection rules.
This guide uses rules from Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE), advice from BC road-safety groups and Canadian shops, and US fleet guides for intervals. You’ll get the daily walk-around, the checklist by system and the BC rules in plain words.
What’s New for Heavy Truck Maintenance in BC in 2026
BC Highway Patrol and CVSE ran two joint truck checks on Highway 97 in early 2026. On February 26, near Osoyoos, officers took 4 commercial vehicles out of service. On March 7, north of Summerland, they ordered 41 inspections or repairs and pulled 11 more.
Officers stopped trucks where they saw signs of mechanical or safety trouble, the police release says. So the numbers don’t speak for the whole industry.
Daily Pre-Trip Checks on Your Maintenance Checklist
CVSE says a driver must complete a trip inspection report before driving a commercial motor vehicle for the first time in a day. One exemption covers two-axle trucks with a licensed weight of 14,600 kg or less, though not buses. A BC road-safety website says the rules come from National Safety Code 13 and the provincial regulations. Minor defects need fixing. Major ones take the truck out of service until repairs are done.
A BC commercial driving school suggests this order for the walk-around:
Service desk Pre-trip walk-around
- Under the hood: Engine oil, coolant level and power steering fluid. Look underneath for fresh leaks, and check that belts and hoses look secure.
- Tires and wheels: Proper inflation and enough tread. Look for cuts or sidewall damage, cracked rims and wheel seal leaks. Check for loose or missing lug nuts.
- Air brakes: Air hoses, brake chambers and slack adjusters. Watch the air pressure build-up, and test the low-air warning devices.
- Lights: Headlights and brake lights, tail lights and turn signals, plus four-way flashers and clearance lights.
- Coupling: The fifth wheel and its locking mechanism, the safety latch, plus air and electrical connections.
- Emergency gear: A fire extinguisher and reflective warning triangles.
The Heavy Duty Truck Maintenance Checklist by Service Interval
Road Safety at Work, a BC program for employers, says the schedule in each vehicle’s owner’s manual is the best guide to follow.
A US maintenance-software guide gives rough industry baselines in miles. It says your maker’s manual and duty cycle set the actual numbers:
Service desk Service levels
- PM-A, about 10,000–15,000 miles: Oil and filter, plus fluid levels.
- PM-B, about 25,000–30,000 miles: Adds fuel and air filters, a coolant system test, and a wheel-bearing and driveline inspection.
- PM-C, about 50,000–60,000 miles: Adds transmission and differential work, plus emissions and DPF work.
- PM-D, about 100,000 miles or once a year: The guide’s yearly or major visit.
Do each job on whichever comes first: the miles, the engine hours or the calendar, the guide says. For trucks that idle a lot, it cites about 250 hours for an A-level visit. Severe duty, like heavy haul or mountain grades, tightens every interval.
Oil, Filters, Fuel and DEF
A US trade school says to put in fresh oil and a new filter every 6 months or 10,000 miles, and replace the air filter.
Trucks with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) also use diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). A US fleet trade magazine adds these facts:
Service desk Oil, fuel and DEF
- The mix: DEF is 32.5% urea and 67.5% deionized water.
- When to test: When a conversion-efficiency fault code shows up, at each shop visit, or after the truck has sat a long time.
- Storage: Stored properly, DEF can last one to two years. Keep it out of direct sunlight.
- Cold: DEF freezes at 12 degrees F and expands by 7% when frozen.
- Contamination: A major culprit is diesel fuel splashing into the DEF tank. A foul smell means it has almost certainly gone bad.
Air Brakes and the Air Dryer
A Canadian heavy-duty parts seller says the air dryer keeps the braking system safe. It filters out moisture and dirt, plus oil vapor, before air reaches the tanks.
A US trade school’s air system checklist covers these items:
Service desk Air system
- Leaks and build-up: Check for leaks with the brakes released and applied. Time the air pressure build-up.
- Air dryer and compressor: Check that the dryer purges and the heater cycles. Look for compressor leaks.
- Chambers and slack adjusters: Inspect the chambers and air lines. Check that the automatic slack adjusters work.
- Air tanks: Drain them and check for contamination.
When the dryer cartridge is due, the parts seller says to replace the purge valve along with it.
An air brake fault is never a next-visit item. If the low-air warning comes on or the pressure won’t build, stop somewhere safe. Have the truck checked before it moves again.
Tires, Wheel Ends, Cooling, Electrical and Driveline
The rest of the checklist covers parts that wear out quietly:
Service desk Wheels to wiring
- Tires and wheel ends: The US software guide says to check tire pressure and tread monthly. It puts a wheel-bearing inspection in its PM-B tier.
- Cooling system: An Alberta shop says to inspect the fan clutch and radiator. The US trade school says to flush the coolant system if needed.
- Electrical: Test battery voltage and look for corrosion on the terminals, the Alberta shop says. The US guide load-tests batteries about every 6 months.
- Driveline: Transmission and differential work sits in the US guide’s PM-C tier.
A wheel-end or steering fault is a stop-now problem. The truck stays parked until a mechanic checks it.
BC Inspection Rules in Plain Words
The BC government says trucks and truck tractors with a licensed gross vehicle weight over 8,200 kg must be inspected. CVSE runs these checks as the Commercial Vehicle Inspection Program (CVIP):
Service desk CVIP in brief
- How often: CVIP inspects vehicles once every 6 months or once a year, depending on their type and weight.
- Truck-trailers: The trailer’s inspection is annual. The truck’s inspection is semi-annual.
- Notice and Order: A Box 2 order means the truck must be repaired and taken promptly to a Designated Inspection Facility. A passed report must reach CVSE within 30 days.
CVSE says CVIP inspections don’t replace the ongoing preventive maintenance a carrier does. A pass covers one day. Your own checklist covers the rest.
Signs a Truck Needs Work Now
These warnings mean the truck needs a mechanic before it goes any further:
- Warning lights: Lights on the dashboard, a US trade school says.
- Odd noises: Unusual noises from the engine.
- Weaker braking: A drop in braking, or a shift in how the truck handles.
- Air dryer trouble: A Canadian parts seller lists slow air pressure build-up after start-up, and moisture or oil in the first reservoir tank.
Road Safety at Work says anything that makes a vehicle unsafe must be reported right away and fixed before the vehicle goes back to work. Never drive on a brake, steering, wheel-end or air-system fault.
Keeping Maintenance Records
BC carriers must keep a safety plan and a scheduled vehicle maintenance plan, CVSE’s safety plan guide says. Here’s what it asks for:
Service desk What to keep
- Maintenance schedule: A schedule (A, B, C, and so on), plus check sheets for each vehicle type.
- Check sheets: They cover items like the power train; tires and wheels; suspension; and brake lining measurements.
- Trip inspection reports: Drivers hand them in within 20 days. Keep them for at least 3 months.
- CVIP reports and repairs: Keep CVIP reports, and records of all repairs and parts replaced, for 3 years.
A BC road-safety website says each trip report is proof that repairs have been carried out.
FAQ
What should be on a heavy duty truck maintenance checklist?
Start with a daily walk-around. Check fluids and leaks, then tires and wheels. Then do the air brakes and lights, plus coupling and emergency gear. The shop side follows your maker’s manual: oil and filters, coolant, DEF and the air dryer, plus driveline fluids. Add a records page too.
How often should a heavy duty truck be serviced?
Follow your maker’s manual first. As a rough US baseline, one software guide puts basic oil and filter work at about 10,000–15,000 miles. Bigger visits come at about 25,000–30,000 miles and 50,000–60,000 miles, or sooner for severe duty.
How often do commercial trucks need a CVIP inspection in BC?
CVSE says CVIP inspects vehicles once every 6 months or once a year, depending on their type and weight. For a truck-trailer, the trailer’s inspection is annual and the truck’s is semi-annual. The rules cover trucks over 8,200 kg.
Do I need a trip inspection report in BC?
In most cases, yes. CVSE says a driver must complete one before the first drive of a commercial motor vehicle each day. One exemption covers two-axle trucks with a licensed weight of 14,600 kg or less. Keep each report for at least 3 months.
How long should I keep truck maintenance records?
CVSE’s safety plan guide says to keep CVIP reports for 3 years, along with records of all repairs done and parts replaced. Keep trip inspection reports for at least 3 months. Road Safety at Work also says to keep maintenance records for up to 3 years.
Verdict on Your Heavy Duty Truck Maintenance Checklist
A good heavy duty truck maintenance checklist for BC comes down to four habits. Do the trip inspection every day. Service the truck on your maker’s schedule. Keep the CVIP inspection current, and keep the records that prove it.
Treat any air brake or steering fault as a stop-now problem, and any wheel-end fault too. Park the truck and get it checked, even if the next visit is days away.
Vancouver Auto Parts is a parts store and a full-service repair shop, with shops in Surrey, Vancouver and Port Moody. Our Surrey and Port Moody shops carry mid and heavy duty parts. Call ahead with your truck’s make, model and engine, and we’ll find the parts you need.