You drive a semi-truck for a living, and you rely on this heavy piece of equipment to secure your job and help you get your deliveries and freight from one location to another. Whether you charge by the mile or by the load, your semi makes you money, and if the vehicle fails, you're out of operation and possibly a job.

You don't have to be an expert mechanic to see signs your semi-truck needs repairs. All you need to know is a few basics because your heavy vehicle will often let you know it's not operating as it should long before it fails completely. When you know the smaller issues in your vehicle, you can have them repaired before the engine and other issues worsen, which can cost you a lot of money in repairs. Here are signs your semi-truck needs repairs.

Noisy brakes

Since you drive a large vehicle and you're always on the road, you can expect your braking system to need more maintenance than the typical vehicle requires. If your semi-truck brakes fail, you have to rely on your emergency brake and other emergency solutions while on the road, which can be dangerous. Noisy brakes a sign your semi-truck needs repairs. See your mechanic right away if your brakes squeal, whine, grind, or rumble when you press them.

Leaks

A leak that sprays on your semi's engine or that can be seen underneath your semi is cause for alarm. A leak can be anything from antifreeze to brake fluid to oil. When your semi runs low on fluids, you risk destroying the engine or the transmission and having your big rig stall on the road in the middle of hauling a client's load. You also face potentially expensive repairs as replacing or rebuilding a transmission or engine can be very expensive.

The best thing to do if you see any leaks in your semi — even if you suspect the leak to be water — is to take your semi-truck into a mechanic who specializes in big rigs. Your fluids will be checked and filled, and your lines will be examined to see where the leaks are coming from. Repairs will be made if they are necessary.

Take your semi-truck in for regular maintenance. If you invest in your big rig, you will have a reliable hauling vehicle for much longer and can be a safer driver on the road. For more information, contact your local semi-truck repair services today.