What best describes corrective maintenance?

• A. Actions to prevent failures
• B. Routine cleaning and lubrication
• C. Upgrading to a newer model
• D. Actions to fix equipment that has failed or not working to design specs

Answer: (D)

Corrective maintenance means taking action to diagnose and repair equipment after it has failed or is not operating to its design specifications, with the goal of restoring it to its intended performance. It’s reactive: you wait for a fault to occur, then fix it so the machine returns to normal function. For example, if a pump stops working, corrective maintenance would involve identifying the faulty component, repairing or replacing it, and testing to ensure the pump meets its original specs again. This differs from preventive maintenance, which uses planned tasks like routine cleaning and lubrication to prevent failures, and from upgrading to a newer model, which aims to replace equipment for better performance rather than simply restoring the current unit.