This article covers Polish regulations and market practice. The principles apply elsewhere, but check the rules in your country.
An unexpected tachograph failure is a serious complication for a driver, who is obliged to record their working time and vehicle parameters as the kilometres go by. In such a situation, many questions naturally arise about the correct way to proceed. Can a driver drive with a broken tachograph, and for how long are they entitled to keep driving? What steps should they take when the tachograph fails on the road? What should they do if the recording device stops working properly while they are in another country? Knowing the answers to these questions is essential to act in line with the regulations and avoid problems in the event of an inspection.
That is why in the rest of this article we explain, among other things, what to do in the event of a tachograph failure, and how the driver should record their activities when the equipment is not working.
What is a digital or analogue tachograph and why is its correct operation so important?
A tachograph, analogue or digital, is a device that records the driver's working time, routes travelled, vehicle speed and rest periods. It is essential for settling drivers' pay correctly and complying with the law. A tachograph failure can lead to serious consequences: errors in the records, problems during Road Transport Inspection (ITD) checks and the resulting financial penalties.
The tachograph is not working properly: what are the most common causes of failure of the driver working time recording device?
A digital tachograph failure can be caused by many different factors. Potential causes of a recording device malfunction include:
- internal damage to the tachograph caused, for example, by vibration or power surges,
- a problem with proper communication between the tachograph and the driver card,
- software errors or a damaged GPS module,
- motion sensor faults and errors,
- a power supply failure in the digital tachograph.
How can a tachograph failure manifest itself? Signs of a problem with the device's correct operation often include:
- error messages,
- the tachograph failing to respond as expected to the actions taken,
- difficulty inserting or removing the driver card from the tachograph, or complete inability to do so,
- errors in data recording or inability to record data.
Error messages play a particularly important role in identifying tachograph malfunctions. They make it possible to identify the problem the recording device is facing and take appropriate action, including scheduling a visit to a workshop.
Digital tachograph failure: what error messages might you encounter?
From the driver's perspective, it is useful to know the codes for errors that can occur in a digital tachograph. Taking a VDO device as an example, the user may be shown, for instance, a notification of:
- internal tachograph fault (10): the notification signals damage to the cable between the tachograph and the control unit, or a problem with output B7 or the control unit connected to it,
- internal tachograph fault (13): the notification indicates a problem with the vehicle's CAN bus, which may require checking the recording device's settings, the CAN power supply or the wiring,
- internal tachograph fault (14): this information relates to the state of the CAN controller and indicates that the bus is switched off,
- internal tachograph fault (15): the notification indicates that the connection between the tachograph and the display unit is weak or missing altogether,
- sender fault affecting tachograph operation (20; 21): this is how the tachograph reports an error in the connection with the sender and the potential need to check the motion sensor,
- sender fault in the tachograph (22): an error in the connection with the sender is signalled, which may require checking the pulse sender's wiring harness and the sender itself,
- data integrity violation (49; 67): information about disruptions in data integrity, possibly a problem with the tachograph card,
- sender fault affecting tachograph operation (87): a notification that an error occurred while connecting to the sender and that signal B4 data is missing.
The examples of errors above do not exhaust all the possibilities you may encounter while using a digital tachograph. They can relate to various areas, from a tachograph sender fault, through a data integrity problem, to serious failures requiring the tachograph to be replaced. Sometimes the displayed errors disappear once the driver acknowledges them or takes simple actions, such as reinserting the card, closing the printer drawer or replacing the paper roll. If they recur or prevent proper use of the device, this usually indicates more serious problems and the need to visit an approved workshop. If in doubt about the next steps, it is worth contacting a specialist who can advise whether a given error requires a workshop visit.
What to do in the event of a tachograph failure
The tachograph has failed: what should you do in this situation? The guidelines on the appropriate procedure are set out in Article 37 of Regulation (EU) No 165/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 February 2014.
First, the driver should immediately notify the company of the tachograph fault. In the event of a breakdown or faulty operation of the tachograph, the transport undertaking is obliged to have it repaired as soon as possible. Such repairs may be carried out only by an approved fitter or an approved workshop.
How much time do you have to repair a damaged tachograph? Under the regulations, this should happen as soon as circumstances allow. So if a tachograph malfunction is detected while the vehicle is still at the company depot, the vehicle should not set off. More problematic situations are not uncommon, however, such as a tachograph failure abroad. The correct procedure in such circumstances is also governed by Article 37 of Regulation (EU) No 165/2014. It states that if the vehicle cannot return to the transport undertaking's premises within a week, counted from the day of the breakdown or the discovery of the faulty operation, the repair must be carried out en route. The driver should go to an approved workshop for this purpose.
The following conclusion can therefore be drawn: regardless of the situation, the tachograph must be repaired within a maximum of 7 days from the moment the failure is detected. During this period, a driver who is on the road may continue the journey in order to reach the depot or a workshop, but is obliged to record their activities manually.
Tachograph failure: how to record the driver's activities when the recording device is not working properly
How should you describe a tachograph failure and record activities while the recording device has not yet been repaired? The acceptable method is set out in Article 37(2) of Regulation (EU) No 165/2014. Under its provisions, when the tachograph is not working or is working faultily, the driver must record:
- data enabling their identification (surname, driver card number or driving licence number) together with their signature,
- information on the various periods that were not correctly recorded or printed by the tachograph, e.g. driving time, work, rest and availability.
To avoid potential problems during an inspection, it is also worth citing the legal basis permitting manual records, i.e. Article 37(2) of Regulation (EU) No 165/2014.
The records should be made on the reverse of:
- a tachograph printout, if one is possible, or tachograph paper (for a digital tachograph),
- the record sheet or sheets, or a temporary record sheet attached to the record sheet or driver card (for an analogue tachograph).
Below we present an example of how to describe a tachograph failure and record your activities when the tachograph breaks down.
- Record template: the driver's identification details, a note of the tachograph failure and a reference to the provision permitting manual data records (Article 37(2) of Regulation (EU) No 165/2014), date, start and end time of the activity, type of activity (driving, rest, work), driver's signature.
It should be added that a driver on the road should carry confirmation of the repair and the printouts or record sheets documenting the activities carried out during the periods when the tachograph was out of order. In the event of an ITD or police check, they must be ready to present the activity records and the documents confirming the failure and its repair.
Tachograph card failure: what to do if the driver card is damaged
A digital tachograph failure is not the only problematic event that can hinder data recording and require the driver to take appropriate remedial action. Other situations requiring a proper response are damage, loss or theft of the driver card. What should be done in such circumstances?
First of all, the driver should report the fact to the company and to the card-issuing authority (in Poland, PWPW) and apply for a replacement card. They will wait for the new card for up to 7 days on average (if a correct application is submitted online) or up to 30 calendar days (for a paper application), and during this time, to drive in line with the regulations, they must record all activities manually on the reverse of printouts or record sheets. They should also keep the annotated printouts or record sheets for 56 days so they can be presented in the event of a check.
What you must not do if the tachograph fails
Which actions and omissions should you avoid when the tachograph fails?
- Failing to record activity periods manually on printouts or record sheets.
- Tampering with the tachograph yourself, which compromises its integrity (this carries heavy penalties).
- Ignoring the failure: action to repair it must be taken as soon as possible. This means, for example, that acknowledging a significant error message with a button on the tachograph starts the one-week clock the company has to rectify the recording device fault.
What are the penalties for a faulty tachograph on the road?
A tachograph failure on the road or at the company depot requires the carrier to arrange repair of the recording device. For driving with a faulty tachograph and failing to keep appropriate manual records of the driver's activities, the competent authorities can impose serious penalties.
- If a check reveals that the driver is carrying out road transport with a faulty or completely broken tachograph more than 7 days after the failure was detected, they may be issued a fine of PLN 1,000.
- For each day on which the driver failed to note on the printout, record sheet or sheet attached to the driver card all the required information about periods not recorded during the tachograph failure, the driver may be fined between PLN 100 and PLN 2,000.
Tachograph failure: what to do in this situation? Summary
A tachograph failure is a situation that requires a quick response. The key points are:
- documenting working time manually,
- reporting the fault and having it repaired at an authorised workshop,
- keeping evidence and printouts,
- for the driver card: reporting it and keeping manual records.
These actions will help you avoid penalties and ensure regulatory compliance.
Want to learn more about using tachographs correctly? We encourage you to read the other articles about them on our blog, including:
- A new era of tachographs: replacement, key deadlines and the most important changes
- How to streamline settling drivers' working time: a guide to remote tachograph data download
- Tachographs in vans: what you need to know about the new regulations
- Tachograph: what it is, how it works, what it is for and who must have one
- How to insert a card into the tachograph: a practical step-by-step guide
- How to change the time on a tachograph: a practical guide for drivers and administrators
- Driving without a tachograph: when is it allowed?
Agata Świerczek
E-marketing Specialist
As a UX/UI design specialist I combine creativity with precise communication. I design intuitive interfaces and engaging digital content, and I write product copy and blog articles that hold attention and support business goals.
