DAF I’m regularly given for an agency gig has an amber “ABS truck warning” on the dash. At first it would go off after a few minutes, now it’s permently on. Write it down on vehicle defect sheet every night and mention it in the morning but they seem in no hurry to sort it. Doesn’t seem to effect the vehicle, but then maybe I’ve just not had to break hard enough to get the ABS working.
So, two questions:
Would you VOR it?
How do you handle TMs who insist it’s fine and tell you to drive it?
I don’t want to find out the hard way that “ABS truck warning” really means “ABS ■■■■■■■ — it’s my ■■■ and life on the line.
Just giving my take on this, there are guys on here who know more about this stuff than me.
The times I’ve been pulled with abs light on I am asked if it is on permanently, or if it goes off eventually.
When I have said it goes off, I’ve been told to crack on and I’ve got it fixed first visit back to yard.
Me personally… if it was on all the time,.and especially if that was on different occasions (which would suggest.that nobody else gives a ■■■■) I would get it sorted mate.
Amber warning is just that, a warning that something none to serious has happened, and it can be driven but should be rectified at the soonest convenient time.
I would say the defect reporting system is wrong there. If you have defected it a few times it should have been done in my opinion.
In the old days, warning lights had the bulbs taken out…
Robroy, have you ever said it stays on permanently?
If it’s safe (amber) then that’s fine with me, but I don’t want a bollocking if pulled (not that I see many VOSA/cops on night runs).
Darkside, I think it should have been done too, personally, but I don’t want to push too hard; with being agency it’s a cushy gig for a newbie to build experience and don’t want them to drop me like a hot potato.
_jamieb:
Robroy, have you ever said it stays on permanently?
If it’s safe (amber) then that’s fine with me, but I don’t want a bollocking if pulled (not that I see many VOSA/cops on night runs).
Darkside, I think it should have been done too, personally, but I don’t want to push too hard; with being agency it’s a cushy gig for a newbie to build experience and don’t want them to drop me like a hot potato.
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I would think as long as you have proof you have defected it, and the company knows, the onus won’t be on you. However I would be a bit more assertive and offer to drive a different unit so that can be fixed.
It’s not about dragging the TM over the counter and refusing to drive the thing, just defect it, say it’s been like it for a while, and as you are new say you are concerned about it. Use your inexperience to your advantage.
Darkside:
Amber warning is just that, a warning that something none to serious has happened, and it can be driven but should be rectified at the soonest convenient time.
Also a warning that something more serious could be about to happen?
Rather than VOR anything like that my practice has always been to report it, in one such instance I was told that the amber light has happened before and that there was a problem with the computer, get on with the run and report to the workshop at the end of the day. Did that, got a bollocking ‘you do not drive a vehicle if there is a warning relating to the brakes’, was asked who told me to take it out and the workshop manager went off to give him a bollocking too.
Where I am now the 17 plate DAFs do not get on with some of our older trailers, amber ABS warning on at all times. I was told to pick up a trailer that I knew that another driver had had the problem with a few days earlier, amber light on, ‘drive around the yard for 15 minutes’, still on, ‘take it the workshop’, changed the suzie, still on, ’ take it back and get a different trailer’, wasted a few hours
Practice where I am now is if there is anything in the defect book then it has to be signed ‘fit to use’ by someone willing to stake their job on it not becoming an issue, surprisingly that gamble is rarely taken.
_jamieb:
DAF I’m regularly given for an agency gig has an amber “ABS truck warning” on the dash. At first it would go off after a few minutes, now it’s permently on. Write it down on vehicle defect sheet every night and mention it in the morning but they seem in no hurry to sort it. Doesn’t seem to effect the vehicle, but then maybe I’ve just not had to break hard enough to get the ABS working.
So, two questions:
Would you VOR it?
How do you handle TMs who insist it’s fine and tell you to drive it?
I don’t want to find out the hard way that “ABS truck warning” really means “ABS [zb]” — it’s my ■■■ and life on the line.
If you are agency then you don’t hold the whip hand anyway, because if you make what the company thinks is too much of a song and dance then all they will likely do is tell the agency that you’re no longer needed, permanently.
I had an old-shape Actros once that would give an amber ABS warning with a particular trailer. The braking ‘feel’ was never any different than with any other trailer regardless of loading or conditions (although unlike some I didn’t make a habit of near emergency stop-like braking as a matter of course), but this warning came on every time when starting the engine when coupled to that trailer. When the firm did eventually have it dealt with the whole combination was at the dealer’s for a number of days, which suggests that it’s either not an easy fault to diagnose, or that it needed a fair amount of work doing to rectify. Either way, the warning never came back.
From the company’s point of view, it would not reflect well on them at all should they receive a DVSA visit and the bods in officialdom discover that an ABS defect on a particular vehicle is being reported repeatedly and not rectified.
If you want to cover yourself, you could ask the TM to sign the bit of the defect book that you retain as being fit for use, but that will likely return you to the problem of no longer being required at that company. That’s life as an agency driver, unfortunately for you.
As far as I have always understood the official line, you’re ok to drive back to the yard, or a workshop, on an amber light, but you’re not supposed to start a day’s work if it’s amber. I’m sure the lorry in the Bath tipper incident was probably showing an amber light day after day too.
Personally, I’d give them a fair chance to rectify it, but after so long reporting it, I’d eventually refuse to drive the damned thing, and VOR it. But that’s just me.
The-Snowman:
I was told once before that older trailers were incompatible with newer units and this made the abs system think there was an issue.
Also worth baring in mind the OP said it was a DAF. The only units ive ever driven that give off more unfounded warnings than ISIS!
Another thing to put in the mix, when I pulled Dutch trailers with a UK unit.(MAN) the majority were incompatible and the abs light was either on all the time or constantly on and off.
Also on a Dutch unit (Scania) the odd time I pulled a UK trailer,.same thing happened.
Could have been coincidence, or maybe Dutch regs for setting the abs up is maybe different from UK.
had that a few times when driving dafs, it depends on the traiuler i was told, and the abs leads are incompatable…some have 6 pins others 7 pins or whatever…was told to take the lead out, then start the engine, and all should be ok…it did work for me…but was also told its ok to drive on an orange light…but did get a new lead in the end…so who knows whats what.
My memory (from a ministry man at an FTA conference) was that it was OK to continue a journey with an amber light, either to the destination or a workshop, but the ‘potential’ fault had to be investigated and rectified before the vehicle went out again to anywhere other than a place of repair, with a paperwork ‘trail’ created as to what action had been taken.
With a red light there’s an indication of an ‘immediate’ fault, and the vehicle must be stopped and the fault cleared as soon as it’s safe to do so. Carrying on past a safe stopping place like a layby to a dealer/depot is not allowed.
In the Bath incident, Phil Potter’s Scania showed a red light day after day…and look what happened to that. The wilful ‘blind eye’ turned to repeated driver reports that the light was on is one of the things which helped convict Potter’s employer and mechanic, if I recall correctly. The fact that they are both doing time for manslaughter should help focus even the thickest of minds.
BTW…I’m not a driver, and this is just my understanding of the situation.
_jamieb:
DAF I’m regularly given for an agency gig has an amber “ABS truck warning” on the dash. At first it would go off after a few minutes, now it’s permently on. Write it down on vehicle defect sheet every night and mention it in the morning but they seem in no hurry to sort it. Doesn’t seem to effect the vehicle, but then maybe I’ve just not had to break hard enough to get the ABS working.
So, two questions:
Would you VOR it?
How do you handle TMs who insist it’s fine and tell you to drive it?
I don’t want to find out the hard way that “ABS truck warning” really means “ABS [zb]” — it’s my ■■■ and life on the line.
If you are agency then you don’t hold the whip hand anyway, because if you make what the company thinks is too much of a song and dance then all they will likely do is tell the agency that you’re no longer needed, permanently.
I had an old-shape Actros once that would give an amber ABS warning with a particular trailer. The braking ‘feel’ was never any different than with any other trailer regardless of loading or conditions (although unlike some I didn’t make a habit of near emergency stop-like braking as a matter of course), but this warning came on every time when starting the engine when coupled to that trailer. When the firm did eventually have it dealt with the whole combination was at the dealer’s for a number of days, which suggests that it’s either not an easy fault to diagnose, or that it needed a fair amount of work doing to rectify. Either way, the warning never came back.
From the company’s point of view, it would not reflect well on them at all should they receive a DVSA visit and the bods in officialdom discover that an ABS defect on a particular vehicle is being reported repeatedly and not rectified.
If you want to cover yourself, you could ask the TM to sign the bit of the defect book that you retain as being fit for use, but that will likely return you to the problem of no longer being required at that company. That’s life as an agency driver, unfortunately for you.
If you do find that the above situation is the case, then DVSA might be interested to hear of it. If the TM is knowingly sending out faulty vehicles the TC is likely to make life very difficult for him and his employer.
As a few of you have noted making a song and dance of it can lead to dismissal (yay agency!).
Would you say it’s unfair to just say “it’s been reported numerous times and nothing been done. Give me another unit?” And if they refuse the I refuse work?
A few have also said about incompatible trailers but this is rigid (only have cat c).
Most common reason is a new tyre (s) have been fitted on one wheel, and causes an different speed reading by the abs sensor, next is moisture in the abs sensor plug,or a hair-line crack in the relocter ring.
Most common reason is a new tyre (s) have been fitted on one wheel, and causes an different speed reading by the abs sensor, next is moisture in the abs sensor plug,or a hair-line crack in the relocter ring.
Most common reason is a new tyre (s) have been fitted on one wheel, and causes an different speed reading by the abs sensor, next is moisture in the abs sensor plug,or a hair-line crack in the relocter ring.
The elderly Scania I drove at my last gig started showing an orange ABS light but only when the trailer was empty - it was all ok when loaded. The garage man back at the firm said it was nothing to do with the brakes; the fault was due to a dodgy injector.
He changed it and everything lived happily ever after…
_jamieb:
As a few of you have noted making a song and dance of it can lead to dismissal (yay agency!).
So not only are agencies parasites, shysters and general scum of the earth, it appears that they not only hold drivers to ransom in terms of work, but in vehicle maintenance terms also. .
Yet another reason to add to my list of why I hate the bastds.
.