HGV breakdown checklist: the first 15 minutes
A calm, repeatable sequence for protecting people, locating the vehicle precisely and giving a mechanic or recovery operator exactly what they need to help.
Operational guidance
Know what to do next.
Clear, practical reading for HGV drivers, transport teams and commercial-vehicle providers. Every guide states what it was checked against and when, and links to the primary source.
Guidance supports, and never replaces, your employer procedure, the vehicle handbook or instructions from the police and road authorities.
Breakdown safetyRecoveryTyresDiagnosticsElectricalMechanicalTrailersCompliance operationsFleet managementBuying guidanceFleet maintenance
Read guide
Broken down on a motorway in an HGV: smart motorways, red X and Go Left
The Highway Code rules that apply, the Go Left procedure, what changes on a smart motorway, and how to give a recovery operator a location they can actually use.
Breakdown safety4
HGV breakdown checklist: the first 15 minutes
A calm, repeatable sequence for protecting people, locating the vehicle precisely and giving a mechanic or recovery operator exactly what they need to help.
Broken down on a motorway in an HGV: smart motorways, red X and Go Left
The Highway Code rules that apply, the Go Left procedure, what changes on a smart motorway, and how to give a recovery operator a location they can actually use.
HGV roadside assistance in the UK: how it works, who to call and what it costs
The four routes to help when a lorry stops, the numbers worth saving before you need them, and what a roadside call realistically costs in 2026.
Cold weather HGV breakdowns: diesel waxing, frozen air lines, AdBlue freezing and batteries
The first hard frost fills every workshop's phone. Most of those calls are avoidable with the right fuel, a serviced air dryer, healthy batteries and a checklist done in October.
Recovery1
Statutory HGV recovery charges in 2026: what police and National Highways removal costs, and how to avoid it
The exact prescribed charges for goods vehicles, why a laden artic recovered off the road can cost more than £7,000 before storage, and the steps that keep the decision in your hands.
Tyres1
HGV tyre blowout: what to do, why it happens and what a fitter needs
Keep control, protect the scene, avoid unsafe inspection and help the mobile fitter bring the correct commercial tyre and equipment first time.
Diagnostics3
HGV AdBlue, SCR and DPF warnings: a practical response guide
Capture the countdown and operating conditions, avoid illegal workarounds, and get the vehicle to a technician with compatible diagnostics before it derates.
HGV NOx sensor faults: symptoms, fault codes, diagnosis and replacement cost
The most common single cause of an SCR derate, explained: what the two sensors do, how they fail, what the codes mean and how to avoid paying for a sensor the vehicle did not need.
HGV DPF regeneration and blockages: warning stages, forced regens, cleaning and replacement
Soot burns off, ash does not. Understand the three kinds of regeneration, the warning ladder on the dash, and how to keep a filter out of the workshop.
Electrical1
HGV batteries and 24-volt jump starts: causes of flat batteries, safe procedure and costs
Two 12-volt batteries in series, a cab full of accessories and a cold morning: why trucks fail to start, how to jump one without damaging it, and how to stop it happening again.
Mechanical1
HGV air brake and air system faults: low pressure, leaks, dryers and what to do at the roadside
Compressed air is what releases a truck's brakes. Understand the circuit, the warnings and the couplings, and never improvise around a safety system to keep a load moving.
Trailers2
Common HGV trailer defects that can stop a journey
Recognise the information needed for air, brake, lighting, body and running-gear faults without attempting unsafe roadside diagnosis.
Refrigerated trailer faults: common Thermo King and Carrier alarms, protecting the load and ATP
A reefer alarm is a load problem before it is a repair problem. Know which checks are yours, which belong to a technician, and how to keep the goods saleable while help is on the way.
Compliance operations2
DVSA roadside checks and prohibitions: PG9, S-marked, delayed, OCRS and clearing a prohibition
How a breakdown or a defect becomes a prohibition, what the notice actually restricts, what it does to your OCRS and operator licence, and the steps to get the vehicle moving again.
From walkaround defect to completed HGV repair
A reported defect only protects the fleet when ownership, repair evidence and the release decision are clear.
Fleet management2
The real cost of an HGV breakdown, and how to measure it
Go beyond the mechanic's invoice to understand downtime, operational disruption, statutory charges and the cost of a repeat defect.
HGV breakdown cover in the UK: manufacturer schemes, pay-on-use, annual policies and going it alone
Which cover model suits which fleet, what the policies commonly exclude, the questions to ask before you buy, and how to build a nominated-provider list for the corridors you actually run.
Buying guidance1
How to choose an HGV repair provider
Match competence, equipment and response model to the job, then make pricing and authorisation explicit before anyone is dispatched.
Fleet maintenance1
How fleets can reduce avoidable HGV breakdowns
Turn breakdown data into maintenance action instead of treating every roadside call as an isolated event.
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