Been driving for a little over 3 months now, the other night my unit (Scania) displays “ABS fault trailer” and “ABS fault” along with a yellow triangle with a ! inside and a yellow circle also with a ! inside with two semi-circle lines outside. Just about to pick up fully loaded trailer in the ■■■■■■■ rain, just wondered how the eyes of the law would look at this if i was to be involved in an accident?
If you know it has a fault and still take it then I think you’d come unstuck. I think of it of ‘would it fail at MOT’, and if so its a no go.
Thats as i thought, i told my planner i was unhappy to take the trailer, come into work yesterday and i’m getting it in the neck, being told unofficially ill prob get the sack for it, but if i had of taken it had an accident they would of hung me out to dry!
red lights a no no … yellow take it but inform the office in form as a defect … some times its a wire fault or system fault … ABS EBS will not effect the working system of the actual brakes
Ah alright then thanks, seams i would be in the wrong then
We get it all the time with the new trailers for some reason the older units think there’s a fault because there system is older than the newer trailers!
Ive always been told that the amber is a warning & should be reported, red should be defected immediately. The abs fault is obvious, the circle with semi circles is a brake fault on the trailer. The abs light should go out when reaching a certain speed, about 5 to 10 kph. I used to report them to the fitter & put it on defect sheet. He would say they have been checked and are ok the fault is in the computer, I would take the trailer. The only way to find out for sure is try other trailers, if the lights go out its bull, but who has the time to do that.
If an amber light comes up before you leave the yard the vehicle is off the road until fixed. If it happens when out on the road you can continue with your journey but the fault must be eliminated when you get back to the yard and can’t go out again until it’s cleared.
sherman216:
Ah alright then thanks, seams i would be in the wrong then
No you’re in the right. If you want the facts contact Vosa.
Slackbladder:
Ive always been told that the amber is a warning & should be reported, red should be defected immediately. The abs fault is obvious, the circle with semi circles is a brake fault on the trailer. The abs light should go out when reaching a certain speed, about 5 to 10 kph. I used to report them to the fitter & put it on defect sheet. He would say they have been checked and are ok the fault is in the computer, I would take the trailer. The only way to find out for sure is try other trailers, if the lights go out its bull, but who has the time to do that.
That’s exactly the same Bull ■■■ I keep getting. I drive a 6 month old MAN TGX (from new) & it keeps showing ABS lights with different trailers, some trailers are no problem at all & our resident fitter even changed my ABS Lead (blaming it on that !) he keeps saying that the tractor & trailer’s are “Not Compatable” ■■?
So the question is-
Is it just easier to call it a ‘Compatability Problem’ than to get under the trailer & find the ‘Actual’ problem ?
It would be interesting to read TNUK’s resident fitter- BKING’s thoughts on the subject.
The fault appeared halfway through the journey was hitched to a new trailer and when unhitched continued to show ‘Abs Fault’ along with warning symbols when solo.
sherman216:
The fault appeared halfway through the journey was hitched to a new trailer and when unhitched continued to show ‘Abs Fault’ along with warning symbols when solo.
Could be water getting into the units ABS electric socket/cable or even a short on the cable that connects to the trailer or the units computer just storing the fault code, might be cleared by fiddling with the computer or turning the ignition off and on again.
Think the fault code still gets saved in case it needs looking at later.
Definately needs a fitter to look at though from what you’ve posted.
Well thanks for the help i now have a meeting with my manager to explain my actions… see if we can get to the bottom of it then?
Just a thought but did you have your mid-lift raised?
A couple of my old Scania’s used to do this regularily when running light or empty with the axle raised.
If you pull over,drop the axle, turn off the ignition, re-start & drive a short way with the axle down it usually clears,then just raise the axle & on you go.
Otherwise as previously stated, on before you leave base, VOR. If it comes on down the road red = stop & do not proceed with your journey; amber = phone your garage or traffic office, get a defect number and log it with the time on your time sheet & defect note/book. Then if you’re pulled into a check you can show the inspector that it has been reported & he will allow you to continue & return to either base or a place of repair. If you’re out overnight then officially you shouldn’t drive the vehicle the next day until repairs have been completed.
Take it, if you’re pulled, say it’s come on during the journey and make sure you switch the engine off before they get a look at the dash. Don’t write anything in the defect book at the start if the shift.
I’m afraid even some of the most safety and maintenance conscious firms wouldn’t be thrilled if an important load didn’t get there because of an amber trailer ABS light.
However, you’re saying there was an ABS warning solo, which is a little bit more serious IMO - assuming it wasn’t trailer related. Halfway through a journey with amber ABS on trailer or unit showing I would continue and defect afterwards driving in a manner on the assumption that the ABS is not functioning.
As with a tachograph,if a fault occurs off base you are allowed to drive it back to base for it to be repaired.
we have had this with daf units merc and scania units some trailers show this fault and are shown to be incompatible with unit the said trailers have undergone upgrades to be compatible now they are
If it’s on when solo then check the fuses
All abs on trailers and tractors are compatible by law.Generation 1,2 and 3 will all work with a 5 wire system.
All must use 7 pin ISO link or be able to be used with S susie wiring.
VOSA Memo 12 /11
Memo No 12/11 Title IM 38 HGV/PSV ABS Warning Lamp Prohibition Issue Subject area Revised procedure for Prohibition Issue for ABS Malfunction Indicator Lamp illumination From Simon J Griffiths Contact details Simon.Griffiths2@vosa.gov.uk 07967 126518 0117 954 3468 To (Action required) VEs, SVEs TE’s STE’s AM Copy to (for information) Testing Staff, SMs, QA&I officers, Training Services, RM’s, Press Office. RHA, FTA. CPT and SMMT Expiry date N/A Supersedes Memos N/A
Purpose: The purpose of this memo is to define the procedure for Delayed Prohibition Issue requirements applicable when an illuminated ABS Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) is found
Process Users: Vehicle Examiners
Initiating Inputs: An illuminated ABS MIL is found at roadside inspection
Outputs: To ensure VOSA applies a consistent procedure in accordance with the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 Regulation 18, that does not compromise road safety
Procedure — General Rules: - C&U Regulation 18(1A) & (1B) gives dispensation for the sanction level applied for an ABS MIL defect if the defect occurs “during the journey or is being driven to a place where the ABS is to undergo repair” - It is acknowledged that it is not possible for an examiner to independently determine whether a MIL has become illuminated during a journey, at the start of which the ABS system was functioning correctly - This procedure therefore shows the process to be used in order for the Examiner to decide, to the best of his ability using the evidence supplied, whether or not the dispensation (as specified by C&U Reg 18) can be applied to the specific circumstance in question, e.g. an illuminated ABS MIL. - This procedure applies to Anti-Lock Braking System MIL only, and not Electronic Braking System MIL - By “this journey” it is meant, the current journey which must have been started within the day. For practical purposes a day is defined as any 24 hour period that begins when a driver starts work after a daily or weekly rest. It is not a rolling period.
- This Procedure applies to domestic and non-domestic vehicles Procedure: Responsibility Procedure Notes 1. Vehicle Examiner Examiner finds ABS MIL illuminated 2. Vehicle Examiner Establish if the MIL is coloured red or yellow/amber 3. Vehicle Examiner If lamp is coloured red the normal prohibition sanction level as specified by the Categorisation of Defects is applied 4.Vehicle Examiner If the ABS MIL is yellow/amber but a secondary red (Stop) warning lamp is illuminated, this must be treated the same as a red lamp 5. Vehicle Examiner If the lamp in coloured yellow/ amber the examiner will need to obtain evidence from the vehicle driver that the MIL became illuminated during this journey 6. Vehicle Examiner Evidence for 5 above must consist of the following and be available at the time of inspection: 6. (i) Walk around check sheet correctly completed indicating correctly functioning braking system The check sheet may be electronic. The check sheet may specify ‘ABS’ 6. (ii) A defect reporting log which must include date, time, location, mileage (at time of incident), details of action taken (including any rectification if applicable) Note. ‘Action taken’ must contain information such as driver checked no visible defect evident or OBD interrogation occurred and note that brake performance and operation appears to be normal. 7. Vehicle Examiner If the examiner is satisfied that, from the evidence provided, the defect occurred within the present journey, and/or the vehicle is en route to a place of repair (or a repairer is travelling to the scene) and that no other obvious braking defect is present then an Inspection Notice is to be issued Andrew Cattell Vehicle Standards Manager Heavy Vehicle Scheme Management March 2011