Vehicle and equipment maintenance glossary
35 terms used when you service and record the upkeep of cars, trucks, bikes, boats, trailers and machinery. Each has a short definition, a line on how it works in Loggy, and links to the matching page.
Engine hours
Engine hours are the total time an engine has run, counted in hours. Tractors, excavators, generators, boats and other machinery are serviced by engine hours because they do work while standing still or moving slowly, which a distance reading does not capture.
In Loggy: Pick Hours as the unit when you add a machine, then enter the hour reading on each log. Cars and bikes can stay on kilometres or miles in the same app.
Engine hours vs mileage · Farm equipment maintenance app · Polaris Ranger 1000 schedule
Hour meter
An hour meter is the gauge that records how many hours an engine or machine has run. It is also called an hour counter or hourmeter, and it is the number to read when a service is due "every 100 hours".
In Loggy: Read the hour meter before you start a service and type it into the log as the reading. Loggy keeps each reading with the work done, so the history shows when every job happened.
Odometer
An odometer is the instrument that shows the total distance a vehicle has travelled, in kilometres or miles. Services, warranties and resale value are usually tied to the odometer reading.
In Loggy: Each log and inspection records the odometer reading at the time. You choose kilometres or miles for each vehicle when you add it.
Mileage
Mileage is the distance a vehicle has covered, and in everyday use it means the odometer reading, whether the unit is miles or kilometres. It is the usual way to describe how worn a car, van or truck is.
In Loggy: Loggy records the reading in miles or kilometres, whichever you set for the vehicle. For machines that are better measured by running time, use engine hours instead.
Service interval
A service interval is the gap between one service and the next, set by distance, engine hours, time or a mix of these, whichever comes first. The maker states it in the owner's manual or service booklet.
In Loggy: Loggy does not read intervals for you. Look up the interval in the maker's manual, log the service when it is done, then set a reminder for the next date. Reminders go off on a date and can repeat.
Maintenance schedules from the manufacturer · Set a reminder · Equipment service intervals
Maintenance schedule
A maintenance schedule is the manufacturer's list of what to inspect, change or replace and when. It usually covers oil and filters, tyres, brakes, fluids and belts, and it can differ by model year, engine and country.
In Loggy: Loggy publishes schedules taken from each maker's own manual, with the source on every page and anything the maker does not state marked "Not stated". You then log the work against your own vehicle.
All maintenance schedules · Toyota Corolla schedule · Add a log entry
Severe service schedule
A severe service schedule is the shorter set of intervals some manufacturers give for tough use, such as towing, dusty or dirt roads, short cold trips and heavy idling. If your driving fits that description, the maker wants services done sooner than on the normal schedule.
In Loggy: Each schedule page has a section on heavy use and tough conditions, taken from the maker's own guide. Set your Loggy reminder dates from the schedule that matches how you use the vehicle.
Preventive maintenance
Preventive maintenance is servicing done on a plan, before something fails, rather than repairing it after it breaks. Regular oil changes, filter swaps and inspections are the usual examples, and they tend to cost less than breakdown repairs.
In Loggy: Log each service as you do it and set a repeating date reminder for the next one. The saved history shows what has been done and what is overdue.
Logbook (digital maintenance logbook)
A logbook is a record of the work done on a vehicle or machine: services, repairs, parts, dates and readings. A digital maintenance logbook keeps that record in an app instead of on paper, so receipts and photos can sit with each entry and nothing gets lost.
In Loggy: Loggy is a maintenance logbook app for iOS and Android. Each vehicle has its own history, and logs can carry receipts, photos, videos, voice notes and PDFs. It works like a paper logbook: edits show in the log's history, and a log cannot be deleted after 14 days.
Free vehicle maintenance log · Editing and deleting logs · Loggy vs a paper logbook
Log entry
A log entry is one dated record of work on a vehicle, usually with the reading, what was done, who did it and what it cost. A run of log entries makes up the service history.
In Loggy: Open the vehicle, tap Add, then Add Log. A Basic log covers the date, reading, cost and notes. Switch to Advanced to record which parts were serviced. Older paper records go in as Old Service Logs.
Service history
Service history is the full record of the maintenance a vehicle has had over its life. A complete, checkable history is one of the things buyers look for when they weigh up a used car, truck or bike.
In Loggy: Export the history as a Detailed or Summary PDF, or transfer the whole vehicle to the buyer's Loggy account. Both are on the free plan.
Export a PDF report · Prove your service history when selling · Sell with a full service history
Prestart check
A prestart check is a short inspection done before a vehicle or machine is used for the day, such as tyres, lights, fluids, brakes and safety equipment. Operators and small fleets use it to catch faults before they stop work or cause an accident.
In Loggy: Open the vehicle and tap Inspect, pick a template (Light Vehicle has 11 checks) or build your own, mark each item pass, fail or not applicable, add photos, then sign and submit. A failed item can be turned into a fault.
Inspections and prestart checks · Prestart checklist for a small fleet · Inspection checklist app
Inspection checklist
An inspection checklist is a fixed list of items to check on a vehicle or machine, each marked pass, fail or not applicable. Using the same list every time makes checks quicker and makes the results comparable over time.
In Loggy: Loggy's Inspections use a template for the checklist. Each inspection is saved to the vehicle with the date, time and who did it. Printable checklists are free to download.
Inspection checklist app · Truck maintenance checklist · Free templates
Fault
A fault is a defect or problem found on a vehicle that needs fixing, from a dead interior light to a worn part. Keeping a list means small faults are not forgotten before the next service.
In Loggy: Add a fault from the Add button. It shows under Active Faults. When it is fixed, clear it and it moves to Cleared Faults, so a repeat problem has a record.
To-do
A to-do is a job planned for a vehicle in the future, such as fitting new tyres or booking a service. It is different from a log entry, which records work already done.
In Loggy: Add a To Do from the vehicle's Add button and Loggy notifies you on the date you set. Clear it when the job is done.
Service reminder
A service reminder is a notification that something is coming due, such as a service, an inspection, registration or an insurance renewal.
In Loggy: Loggy reminders go off on a date you choose and can repeat. They are set by date, so they do not trigger from an odometer or engine-hour reading. Pick the date from how much you usually drive or run the machine.
Milestone
A milestone is a significant event in a vehicle's life that is not routine maintenance, such as an award, a track day, dyno results, an accident or a fine.
In Loggy: Add a Milestone from the vehicle's Add button, with photos or videos if you have them. It shows on the Vehicle Records page.
Vehicle transfer
A vehicle transfer hands a vehicle's records to its next owner when it is sold or given away. Passing on the history with the vehicle lets the new owner see what has been done to it.
In Loggy: Transfer Vehicle sends a vehicle and all its logs to another Loggy user by email. The vehicle needs a VIN first, you can withdraw the transfer until it is accepted, and transfers are free.
VIN (vehicle identification number)
A VIN is the unique code that identifies one individual vehicle. Most road vehicles built since 1981 have a 17-character VIN, usually found on the dashboard near the windscreen and on the registration papers.
In Loggy: You can add a VIN in the vehicle's Basic Details. Loggy needs one before the vehicle can be transferred to a new owner.
Fleet maintenance
Fleet maintenance is keeping a group of vehicles or machines serviced, inspected and recorded so they stay safe and available for work. For a small business it can mean a handful of vans, utes, trucks, trailers and tools.
In Loggy: Loggy is a maintenance logbook, not full fleet management software. Every vehicle gets a service history, faults, fuel and expenses, and prestart inspections. Loggy Pro adds user management, folder management and income reporting, with downloadable reports.
Fleet maintenance app for small businesses · Truck and towing fleets · What Loggy Pro adds
Corrective maintenance
Corrective maintenance is repair work done after something has failed or been found faulty, to bring the vehicle or machine back to working order. It is the opposite of planned work done before a failure.
In Loggy: Log the repair as a log entry with the date, reading, cost, notes, photos and receipt. If you spotted the problem earlier, clear the matching fault so the two records line up.
Predictive maintenance
Predictive maintenance means using data about a machine's condition, such as vibration, temperature or oil analysis, to forecast when a part will need attention, so work is done when the data says it is needed rather than on a fixed calendar.
In Loggy: Loggy is a logbook, not a sensor system. What it gives a predictive approach is the history: dated readings, costs and notes you can look back over to see how often a part really needed work.
Work order
A work order is a written request or record for one maintenance job. It says what needs doing, on which vehicle or machine, who will do it, when, and what parts and time it used.
In Loggy: A log entry records the same things once the job is done: date, reading, what was done, cost, notes, photos and the invoice. A To Do covers a job you have planned but not done yet.
CMMS
A CMMS (computerised maintenance management system) is software that schedules, assigns and records maintenance for a set of assets such as vehicles, machines and buildings. Larger operations use one to manage work orders, parts and technicians.
In Loggy: Loggy is a simpler maintenance logbook app for iOS and Android, not a full CMMS. It keeps each vehicle's history, faults, to-dos and date reminders in one place, free for unlimited vehicles.
DVIR
A DVIR (driver vehicle inspection report) is a written report a driver completes after checking a vehicle, listing any defects found. Some countries, including the US for commercial vehicles, have rules that require one.
In Loggy: Loggy has inspections and prestart checks you can run on a vehicle and keep on its record. If your work is covered by a legal inspection-report rule, check what form that rule requires.
Inspections and prestart checks · Prestart checklist for a small fleet
Diagnostic trouble code (DTC)
A diagnostic trouble code is a short code a vehicle's onboard computer stores when it detects a problem, such as P0301 for a misfire in cylinder 1. A scan tool plugged into the vehicle's diagnostic port reads it.
In Loggy: Loggy does not read codes from the vehicle. Read the code with a scan tool, then add it as a fault or in a log entry's notes, with the date and what was done about it.
OBD-II
OBD-II is the standard system of onboard diagnostics fitted to modern cars and light vehicles. It monitors the engine and emissions, stores trouble codes, and has a standard socket, usually under the dashboard, where a scan tool connects.
In Loggy: Loggy does not connect to the OBD-II socket. Note any scan result in a fault or log entry so the code, the date and the fix stay together.
GVWR
GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) is the maximum weight the manufacturer says a vehicle can safely carry when fully loaded, including the vehicle itself, fuel, passengers, cargo and any tongue weight. It is printed on a label on the vehicle.
In Loggy: Loggy does not track weights. You can put the GVWR in a log entry's notes so it sits with the service history when you load up or tow.
Telematics
Telematics is the use of a device in a vehicle that sends data such as location, speed and engine readings to software over a mobile network. It is used for tracking, driver behaviour and automatic usage data.
In Loggy: Loggy does not use a tracking device. You enter readings and services yourself, which suits owners and small teams who want a clear record without hardware.
Total cost of ownership
Total cost of ownership (TCO) is the full cost of owning a vehicle or machine over the time you keep it: the purchase price plus running costs such as fuel, servicing, repairs, tyres, insurance and registration, minus what it sells for at the end.
In Loggy: Every log entry can carry a cost, so your servicing and repair spend builds up on the vehicle's record. Export the history as a PDF to see it all in one place.
Downtime
Downtime is the time a vehicle or machine is out of use because it is broken or being repaired or serviced. Planned downtime is booked in advance, unplanned downtime is not.
In Loggy: Spot small problems early by logging faults as you find them, and book services ahead with a To Do and a date reminder. The aim is for the work to happen at a time you chose.
Vehicle recall
A vehicle recall is a notice from a manufacturer or safety regulator that a model has a safety-related defect or fails a safety standard, with a free fix offered through authorised dealers. Owners are usually told by post, and can check by VIN.
In Loggy: Keep the VIN in the vehicle's record so you can check for recalls. When the recall work is done, add a log entry with the date and the paperwork.
Warranty
A warranty is a manufacturer's promise to repair or replace defective parts for a set time or distance, whichever comes first. Many warranties expect the owner to follow the maker's service schedule.
In Loggy: A dated service history with receipts is the evidence of that schedule being followed. Log each service with its receipt, and export the PDF if a claim needs proof.
Depreciation
Depreciation is the fall in a vehicle's or machine's value over time through age, use and wear. It is usually the biggest cost of owning a vehicle, and a documented service history is one of the things that can slow its effect on resale value.
In Loggy: Log every service and repair so there is a record to show a buyer. When you sell, you can transfer the vehicle's history to the new owner.
Tyre tread depth
Tyre tread depth is how deep the grooves in a tyre are, measured from the top of the tread to the bottom of the groove. As tread wears, grip on wet roads falls, which is why tyres have a minimum depth.
In Loggy: Record each tyre check or replacement as a log entry with the date, reading and receipt, and add the tread you measured to the notes.
Keep your own records in Loggy
Loggy is a free maintenance logbook app for iOS and Android. The free plan has unlimited vehicles, reminders, PDF export and vehicle transfer, and no ads.
See also: maintenance schedules from the manufacturer, guides and the help centre.