Problems on this page:
Truck not driving
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: The truck switches on but will not drive.
Tiller not in the drive zone
Lower the tiller into the drive zone; the brake holds when it is upright.
Battery too low, so the controller blocks driving
Charge the battery and check the charge indicator.
Belly button or emergency switch activated
Reset the switch and check it works.
Controller fault code
Read the fault code on the display and follow the maker guide.
Prevention: Fault codes recorded per truck.
Forks not lifting
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: The forks do not lift or lift slowly.
Load above the rated capacity
Check the pallet weight against the truck rating plate.
Hydraulic oil low
Check the oil level with the forks down.
Lift motor or pump worn
Check the lift motor current and the pump output.
Relief valve set low
Check the relief valve setting against the maker value.
Prevention: Lift checked at the daily pre-use check.
Battery not lasting a shift
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: The battery runs flat before the end of the shift.
Battery aged with reduced capacity
Have the battery capacity tested.
Opportunity charging pattern wrong for the battery type
Follow the charging rules for the battery type, lead-acid or lithium.
Lead-acid cells low on water
Top up the cells with distilled water after charging; charge in a ventilated area.
Charger fault
Check the charger output and settings.
Prevention: Battery state recorded weekly.
Brakes weak or noisy
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: The truck takes too long to stop, or the brake squeals.
Brake disc worn
Replace the electromagnetic brake disc as the maker specifies.
Brake air gap out of adjustment
Set the brake air gap to the maker value.
Oil or dirt on the brake surfaces
Clean the brake and find where the oil came from.
Tiller brake switch faulty
Check that the brake applies in both the upright and lowest tiller positions.
Prevention: Brakes tested at the daily pre-use check.
Wheels or rollers worn
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Load rollers or the drive wheel wear out quickly or get flat spots.
Debris and shrink wrap on the floor
Keep floors clear, since wrap wound round the axles damages bearings.
Trucks loaded above their rating
Check typical loads against the truck rating.
Running fast over dock plates and floor joints
Train drivers to slow down over plates and joints.
Wheel material not suited to the floor
Check the wheel material for the floor type and temperature, for example in cold stores.
Prevention: Wheels and rollers checked monthly.
Damage from impacts
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Trucks come back with bent forks, broken covers or damaged tillers.
Drivers not trained on the truck type
Train and authorise drivers on each truck type they use.
Tight aisles and blind corners
Review the layout, add mirrors, and mark walkways.
Speed too high for the area
Set the speed limit in the truck settings for the area.
Damage not reported
Make the daily check include a damage report, so repairs are planned.
Prevention: Damage reports reviewed weekly.
Steering heavy or truck pulling to one side
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Steering is heavy, or the truck drifts to one side when driving straight.
Drive wheel worn unevenly
Check the drive wheel for flat spots and wear.
Stabiliser castor set wrong
Adjust the castor height as the maker specifies.
Steering bearing dry or worn
Lubricate or replace the steering bearing.
Load roller seized
Check each load roller turns freely.
Prevention: Steering checked at each service.
Charger not charging
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: The truck is plugged in but the battery does not charge.
Charger mains supply off or fuse blown
Check the supply to the charger.
Charger plug or cable damaged
Inspect the plug and cable and replace damaged parts.
Charger set for the wrong battery type
Check the charger profile against the battery.
Battery too deeply discharged for the charger to start
Have the battery checked by the service partner.
Prevention: Charger faults recorded per truck.
Guidance only. Always follow lockout/tagout and your site's safe-work procedures, and verify against OEM manuals before acting.
Related equipment guides: electric forklift · scissor lift table · dock leveller · AGV / AMR · palletizer
Stop the same fault coming back
Recurring electric pallet truck stops usually trace to a cause you cannot see by hand. The partner we recommend is Fabrico: it tracks OEE and downtime live from PLCs, IoT sensors or AI cameras; where cameras are fitted, the video of a stop sits next to its machine data so the cause can be reviewed; and a technician opens the work order from the stop in the same system. Data is hosted in the AWS EU region, and Fabrico and the company behind it hold ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 20000-1 and ISO 9001.
Book a Fabrico demo
The directory stays free.
Related tools: full troubleshooting directory · OEE calculator · downtime cost · MTBF / MTTR · glossary
Methods that cut recurring stops: the six big losses · root cause analysis · preventive vs predictive maintenance · TPM · SMED & changeover