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When is it time to call for a maintenance on a Milk Taxi?

Writer's picture: Kevin CoersKevin Coers

The milk taxi is a marvelous stainless-steel machine that can pasteurize, cool, mix, transport and dose milk or milk supplements to calves in a very efficient manner. However, over time even the most well-built machines need maintenance from time to time, and with so many functions the Milk Taxi is no exception.


  • Machine is leaking water out of the bottom of the taxi.

    • Leaving this for an extended period can cause electrical problems, down the line that can be costly if water is drenching key components.

  • Battery life is subpar/struggles to make it through a feeding.

    • Usually, batteries will last between 2-3 years on Milk Taxis. (Note: there are 3 batteries on a taxi. 2 for the drive and 1 for the dosing pump.)

  • Pump is not accurate anymore when dosing.

    • Likely caused by a weak 12V battery or milk path is full of cheese, calibration was done incorrectly or user is pumping at various heights.

  • CHEESE!

    • Cheese can be made numerous different ways in a milk taxi if there are faults with any of the: cooling, heating, agitation, level sensing components. high bacterial milk, high air temperatures (hot summer) or even high cooling water temperature.

  • Heating is weak sauce.

    • More often caused by a dead heating pad, cooling valve stuck open, no 220V power at plug, over-temperatures switches opening earlier then specified.

  • Calves are getting sick.

    • High bacteria count is likely the culprit. Consult with an FMV technician on a few troubleshooting techniques.

  • It has been more than 2 years since any work has been done.

    • Items such as hoses, gasket batteries and relays should be inspected and replaced every 2 years.

Milk Taxi Top Tips to help sustain the life of your taxi:

  • Avoid spraying high pressure water at anything electrical, I know it seems trivial, but I have encountered it several times on things such as the 220V power plug and taxi display that can cause arcing and corrosion.

  • Do not push the taxi while it is in gear. Use the neutral lever located on the front between the 2 drive wheels.


Food for thought: if the cost of a maintenance can save even 1 emergency call out fee, I feel it will more then pay for itself, especially if issues get caught early!

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