Maintenance, repairs and MOT
Practical tips for taking good care of your vehicle
- Covid-19
For the moment, garages are still providing essential maintenance and servicing. To help us keep as many drivers as possible safe on the roads, please only request critical repairs, vehicle breakdown appointments and MOTs.
If your vehicle needs to go to the garage, or if you’re not sure what counts as critical, please contact our Driver Line on 0344 4937 659
Cars are a lot like people. A little attention goes a long way! Discover the best way to take care of your vehicle – from regular maintenance and repairs to seasonal tyre changes.
Make an appointment for maintenance, MOT or repair
If your vehicle lease includes servicing and maintenance, you can arrange your vehicle service, mechanical repair or MOT online 24/7.
- We will contact you to confirm your booking arrangements
- We can arrange to collect your vehicle and return it to you at your convenience, or if a courtesy vehicle is available at the garage, we can book it for you. The garage might charge you a fee to be added to their insurance
- We will communicate with the garage on your behalf, track the progress of your service or MOT and keep you informed if there are any queries or delays
Need to make a booking now?
For service booking call 0344 371 8033
You can talk to us Monday to Friday between 8:00 & 20:00 and Saturdays between 9:00 & 13:00.
Regular maintenance keeps everything running smoothly
It’s up to you to get your vehicle regularly serviced. How do you know when it’s time? Check the maintenance guide in your vehicle.
- Tip!
To keep your car in top shape, remember to regularly check the condition of your tyres. And keep an eye on your coolant, windscreen wiper fluid and oil levels.
Questions about maintenance
For the moment, garages are still providing essential maintenance and servicing. To help us keep as many drivers as possible safe on the roads, please only request critical repairs, vehicle breakdown appointments and MOTs.
If your vehicle needs to go to the garage, or if you’re not sure what counts as critical, please contact our Driver Line on 0344 4937 659
Yes, chipped windscreens must be repaired as soon as possible. If they are neglected, chipped windscreens will eventually crack, resulting in an MOT failure and the need for a windscreen replacement.
If your lease includes glass repair, please call 01663 308824 at any time to make an appointment.
A courtesy vehicle may be available (subject to availability) but to let you know we can't promise a like for like vehicle.
If you require a courtesy car please request this when you contact us to make your service booking.
You are required to take your vehicle through to a LeasePlan approved garage.
To book you vehicle in for a service please call 0344 493 7659.
An MOT takes about 1.5 hours (assuming no corrective work is required to be carried out). You are free to wait at the MOT station if it’s convenient for you.
The vast majority of vehiclesfor standard servicing are returned the same day, but if we find work that ismore complex it may mean that your vehicle is off the road for more than theone day. If this is the case, we will let you know as soon as possible duringthe day and then we will manage the efficient return of your vehicle as soon aspossible.
A courtesy vehicle may be available but we can’t promise a like for like vehicle. We can provide you with a hire vehicle (at your cost) if you need one, but this may be at extra cost, depending on your contract.
If you do get a replacement vehicle, please take the necessary steps to protect yourself from COVID-19 and check that the surfaces have been wiped down.
If you have a maintenance contract you will have made a booking through the DriverLine. We will send you a reminder the day before just in case your circumstances have changed. If you are unable to make the appointment, please call the DriverLine on 0344 493 7659 as soon as possible so we can make alternative arrangements.
If you are delivering the vehicle to the garage yourself, you should try and ensure it's delivered by 9am so the garage can start working on it as soon as possible.
If the vehicle is being collected by the garage they will collect it between 8.30am and 10am from the agreed location. If this is a work location, feel free just to leave your keys with your reception if it's easier for you.
All work carried out will need to be authorised by LeasePlan to ensure it is required and done to the right standards and this will be done in a timely manner so that the work is done to your vehicle as soon as possible.
Watch our video on YouTube: What to expect: Booking a service, MOT or repair through LeasePlan's DriverLine
Tyres are one of the main reasons vehicles fail an MOT so it's worth checking the condition of your tyres before your MOT takes place. If your tyres need replacing please contact our Driver Line on 0344 493 7659. We will often use LP tyre centres for MOT tests to ensure that if the vehicle does need tyres we can fit them during the same visit to save you needing to visit the garage twice.
If there is more complex work that needs to be carried out and the vehicle cannot be returned in one day, we will let you know what the delays are caused by and when you can expect your vehicle to be returned. We will keep you updated as your vehicle repair progresses. Our aim is to get you and your vehicle reunited as soon as we can.
If you are delivering the vehicle to the garage yourself, you should try and ensure it's delivered by 9am at the latest so the garage can start working on it as soon as possible.
If the vehicle is being collected by the garage they will collect it between 8.30am and 10am from the agreed location. If this is a work location, feel free just to leave your keys with your reception if it’s easier for you. For more information on what to expect on the day of your booking click here.
If there is nothing more complex found when carrying out your service, then the vehicle should be ready for collection between 4pm & 5pm or delivered back to you between 4pm & 5.30pm, unless otherwise agreed. We cannot guarantee a specific time.
If it is not possible to return the vehicle, or if we are going to be late, we will let you know as soon as we can, to enable you to make appropriate arrangements.
Yes, LeasePlan will send you or your Fleet Manager reminders as your MOT due date approaches. When you receive you MOT reminder please call our Driver Line on 0344 493 7659 to arrange to have it booked in.
Diesel Particulate Filters have been fitted to all diesel vehicles since 2013. The aim of which is to reduce the particulate emissions by 80% so it is a great ‘green’ initiative.
They work very effectively however they can become blocked due to lots of low speed, small journeys and lots of stop-start driving.If your DPF is becoming blocked a warning light will come up on your dashboard. DO NOT IGNORE THIS!
It will usually look like one of these symbols:
If this light comes on then taking corrective action to clear the DPF is fairly simple, all you usually need to do is take the vehicle for a drive of 10-20 minutes at speed in excess of 40mph in a location that is safe to do so, such as a dual carriageway. This will usually be enough and the light will turn off as the DPF has regenerated itself. This is what they are designed to do. It’s as easy as that.
If you ignore the warning light then your vehicle will either go into ‘limp’ mode or stop altogether. This will then mean that you will not be able to drive the vehicle and the DPF will need to be removed and cleaned or replaced and you may be liable for the cost of this work.
DPF’s do a great job in reducing emissions and usually will be problem free providing you take your vehicle for a long drive every now and again, and you don’t ignore the warning lights.
If you are unsure about DPF’s please contact your LeasePlan Customer Service advisor who will be able to help you.
In 2016 Euro 6 emissions regulations enforced the need to minimise nitrogen oxide emissions. This brought in AdBlue technology also known as Diesel Exhaust Fluid.
The typical consumption seems to be around a litre of AdBlue for every 600 miles, but this will vary between vehicles.
If you run out of AdBlue, 5 litres should be enough to get it up and running. The average tank size is 10 litres. If your AdBlue level gets too low you will see warning lights and a message on your dashboard. Please consult your car’s handbook for details on how to refill. This is the drivers responsibility and will not be covered as part of your service maintenance carried out by LeasePlan.