--- slug: semi-truck-preventive-maintenance-checklist title: "Semi Truck Preventive Maintenance Checklist: What a PM Covers" description: "Semi truck PM checklist: the eight systems a preventive maintenance visit covers, what your customer should receive, and a free form to fill out on your phone." track: maintenance kind: article isRegulatoryAdjacent: false publishedAt: 2026-10-02 updatedAt: 2026-10-21 source: https://shopbluecollarparts.com/kb/semi-truck-preventive-maintenance-checklist license: CC BY 4.0 --- # Semi Truck Preventive Maintenance Checklist: What a PM Covers A semi truck preventive maintenance (PM) checklist organizes the service by system. If the term is new, read [what a preventive maintenance inspection is](/kb/what-is-a-pm-inspection). The checklist gives the technician a clear order of work and gives the reader a clear record of what was looked at. A checklist does not decide what a given truck needs. The specific items and intervals come from the manufacturer's service documentation for that make, model, and duty cycle. Use this page to see how a PM is grouped, not to set a maintenance program. **Fill out this checklist free in Blue Collar Parts.** The semi truck PM form is free to fill out on your phone, system by system, while you are at the truck. Add your customer's USDOT number and the carrier's name and location fill in from FMCSA. Enter the truck's VIN and press Decode, and the year, make, model and engine fill in. Enrolling your customer is free, and recording the work is free. You pay once, when you send the record to your customer. ## What a semi truck PM covers A PM on an over-the-road tractor is usually grouped into these eight systems. 1. **Engine oil and filter.** Oil is the first thing to show how an engine is being run and maintained. This section records the condition of the oil and filter and the oil service performed. 2. **Fuel system.** Dirty or contaminated fuel hurts the injection system and the engine behind it. This section covers fuel cleanliness, water, filtration, and the tanks. 3. **Engine coolant and coolant filter.** Coolant protects the engine from heat and corrosion, and it wears out over time. This section records coolant condition and how the cooling system is being treated. 4. **Air intake and air filtration.** An engine needs clean air, and a restricted intake costs power and fuel. This section covers the filter and the path air takes to the engine. 5. **Belts and hoses (drive system).** Belts turn the accessories and hoses carry coolant and fluids. A failure in either can stop a truck, so this section records their condition. 6. **Transmission and driveline fluid.** Gear oil keeps the transmission and driveline lubricated. This section covers fluid condition and level, and any sign of a leak. 7. **Hydraulic system (if equipped).** Power steering and auxiliary hydraulics depend on clean fluid and sound lines. This section applies only when the truck has the system. 8. **Electrical and battery.** The truck has to start and charge reliably; this section records battery condition, the charging system, and the connections. Each system is a place to record what the technician saw, what was done, and what needs follow-up. The manufacturer's documentation still decides what to check in each one and when. ## A PM is not a DOT annual inspection A PM visit maintains and documents equipment. It is not a federal annual inspection, it does not decide whether a vehicle is out of service, and it is not evidence of compliance. Read [PM inspection vs. DOT inspection](/kb/pm-inspection-vs-dot-inspection) for the boundary. ## What your customer should receive The customer should get a record they can read without calling the technician: the truck, the date, what was found by system, what was done, and what comes next. [See what belongs in a PM report for the customer](/kb/what-belongs-in-a-pm-report-for-the-customer). ## Record the PM and send it to your customer In Blue Collar Parts you record the PM item by item, with a measurement where you took one, and mark the work complete. Then you send the record to your customer: a page they can open, read and keep. They confirm it. Nothing is charged until you send. See [how to record a PM service](/kb/record-a-pm-service). --- *Preventive maintenance is not a federal annual inspection and does not establish regulatory compliance. Use the equipment manufacturer’s current service documentation for equipment-specific maintenance requirements.* ## Sources What BCP does here: Blue Collar Parts records the work and sends the report to your customer. It does not perform, certify or approve inspections. Reviewed 2026-10-21