Troubleshooting Your Forklift Breakdown and Preventing Your Next One

Common Forklift Service Issues

Forklifts are a key component to your production schedule and a forklift breakdown can greatly affect deadlines and budget. The majority of service calls are due to the forklift leaking fluid or not starting. Other common issues are overheating, an inability to pull, or non-working brakes.

Making the Service Call

When calling ProLift, have the forklift's model and serial number ready. If ProLift has serviced the forklift before, this information will help locate its service history. Provide any relevant details, such as previous breakdowns or fuel changes, as this can assist in identifying potential causes of the issue. If the breakdown’s cause isn’t immediately clear, a technician can be dispatched to your facility.

Forklift Technician Troubleshooting

Upon arriving to your facility, the forklift technician will gather details about the unit. If the forklift has an assigned operator, talking to them can be beneficial in learning about past and current operational issues. 

During the visit, the technician will share information about the forklift’s status with you and any contacts responsible for authorizing repairs. In certain cases, additional parts may be required, and the technician can provide an estimated downtime, allowing you to adjust the production schedule accordingly.

Preventing the Next Forklift Breakdown

Enrolling your forklift in a scheduled maintenance program is one of the most effective ways to prevent breakdowns. By assessing utilization and studying application characteristics, technicians or service providers can recommend an ideal maintenance interval. 

Regular servicing becomes increasingly important as the forklift’s hours rise. Equally essential are any recommended repairs identified during maintenance—completing these helps boost uptime and lower overall operating costs.

ProLift typically suggests planned maintenance every 250 – 500 hours, depending on your application and work environment. Contact us to schedule a service call. We guarantee to respond to your breakdown call within 4 hours.