Maintenance Technician Practice Test 2026 - Free Maintenance Technician Practice Questions and Prep Guide

Reactive maintenance refers to the approach of addressing equipment issues only after they occur, meaning repairs or replacements are conducted after a failure has happened. This type of maintenance typically occurs without prior planning and is often necessary in emergency situations, where immediate action is required to restore functionality or operation. The primary characteristic of reactive maintenance is its focus on responding to a breakdown rather than preventing it, which is critical in contexts where equipment downtime can lead to significant operational and financial impacts.

In contrast, preventive maintenance involves routinely scheduled actions to prevent equipment failures, corrective maintenance focuses on fixing issues identified before a complete equipment breakdown, and scheduled maintenance refers to planned work conducted at fixed intervals rather than in response to equipment failures. Each of these options represents a different maintenance strategy, highlighting the importance of understanding the distinctions to effectively manage equipment reliability.