Reefer unit repair on I-57 in southern Illinois

I-57 is one of the main lanes for refrigerated freight between the Gulf South and Chicago, and produce and other temperature-controlled loads run it every day. In a hot, humid southern Illinois summer, a reefer that quits starts a clock on the load.

Many unit failures can be fixed without unloading: a belt, a battery, a fuel restriction, a sensor or a wiring fault. Other repairs need dealer parts, and the provider should tell you that up front.

Read these off the unit before calling

• Unit make and model
• Alarm codes on the display
• Setpoint and current box temperature
• Whether the unit runs, cycles or will not start at all
• How much fuel is in the reefer tank

Usual causes

Broken or slipping belts, weak unit batteries, alternator faults, plugged fuel filters, defrost problems and bad sensors or wiring cover most roadside reefer calls.

While you wait

Keep the doors shut and log the box temperature at regular intervals. If the broker or shipper has to be told about a temperature problem, call them early. Parking at Mount Vernon, Ina or Marion makes it easier for a provider to work than a narrow shoulder.