I have slightly different problem. Every day I have different unit (14,64,15 plates MANs) and only one 64 plate does cause problems.
For example, I stop for brake I switch the mode onto rest and lest say during my brake after 40 minutes I have to open the window… So what I’m doing? Turning the ignition on obviously, (tachograph changes made by itself onto other work!!!) . and then 5 minutes later happy that I’ve done 45 minutes and wiped the slate clean I drive only to find out that only 15 minutes had been registered, this has caused my doing infringements. I understand that driver is to operate tachograph correctly so I do. I don’t change it to other work, tachograph does it. Is tachograph faulty or not? My office doesn’t accept my vor for it and say it’s my fault. I understand the only interruption of my brake it should be driving or my deciding to end my brake by switching to other work when I want it to end and do other work. I as a driver should be fully of control of my tachograph not the ignition switch mode. It also could be anything else for example turning a radio on to interrupt my brake or you name it.
Is there anything like leaflet / Web site link I could show in the office which could help change thier minds?
vanderbart:
I have slightly different problem. Every day I have different unit (14,64,15 plates MANs) and only one 64 plate does cause problems.
For example, I stop for brake I switch the mode onto rest and lest say during my brake after 40 minutes I have to open the window… So what I’m doing? Turning the ignition on obviously, (tachograph changes made by itself onto other work!!!) . and then 5 minutes later happy that I’ve done 45 minutes and wiped the slate clean I drive only to find out that only 15 minutes had been registered, this has caused my doing infringements. I understand that driver is to operate tachograph correctly so I do. I don’t change it to other work, tachograph does it. Is tachograph faulty or not? My office doesn’t accept my vor for it and say it’s my fault. I understand the only interruption of my brake it should be driving or my deciding to end my brake by switching to other work when I want it to end and do other work. I as a driver should be fully of control of my tachograph not the ignition switch mode. It also could be anything else for example turning a radio on to interrupt my brake or you name it.
Is there anything like leaflet / Web site link I could show in the office which could help change thier minds?
Your company are right not to agree to the vehicle being VORd because it’s not a defect, it’s a pita but it’s not a defect.
When you turn the ignition on to open the window or whatever you will see the tachograph activity flashing for about 5 seconds, if you change the mode back to break while the activity is still flashing the tachograph should record the break as not being interrupted.
Why dont you leave the key in postion 1 then you dont have to worry.The windows and the radio will still work and you dont need to worry about your break then.
I don’t think it’s a truck make problem, so much as a tacho problem, but unfortunately those in the office don’t seem to realise it can magically do this. Had it on so many newer trucks which presumably have newer tacho units and seems to be a default for a lot of the new Seimens ones. Even more of a pain when you switch from older to occasionally newer trucks.
Watch out for the ones which change the mode again when you switch either on or off, even AUX setting. Most do it only on igniton “on”, but a few try to trick you this way.
I think it’s just so VOSA officers can get us all on infringements and make themselves feel better about their job, so they collectively give backhanders to Seimens to programme them this way - sounds a good conspiracy theory.
Mine automatically switches to rest once the ignition is off. Tbh i dont find it a problem, in fact i find it handy as theres no need to switch over. The only real time i have ‘other work’ is if i have to help unload on a groupage load around portugal but still leave the tacho to its own devices…chances of anyone watching is pretty much zero.
If as you say though Tachograph the Siemens unit fitted to your current truck switches to rest every time you stop (with ignition on) then it needs re programming…
AndrewG:
If as you say though Tachograph the Siemens unit fitted to your current truck switches to rest every time you stop (with ignition on) then it needs re programming…
Thanks for the advice but this thread is nearly 8 1/2 years old
AndrewG:
If as you say though Tachograph the Siemens unit fitted to your current truck switches to rest every time you stop (with ignition on) then it needs re programming…
Thanks for the advice but this thread is nearly 8 1/2 years old
Oops so it is Never looked to see it was a resurrected thread…
Well since it has risen from the dead i will add this, on containers a few years which doesn’t require a lot of other work the company had the tacho revert to rest rather than other work because I am forgeful and sometimes forgot to put it on rest, and to minimise the unnecesary other work the way to do that was when it was twist lock time or door opening closing time which is about the only time you do any and can be less than a minute i didnt turn the engine off do the dead and go with out actually recording any work activity.
New job i asked my employer if I could have the tacho changed to revert to break and they agreed mainly because i forget and when you only have 48 hrs a week average work time its a big help to keep it down.
Will also add in the very few times I have been pulled by vosa, they have never quiryed the amout of break on the card, all they have said is, they like to see lots of breaks through the day and believe me there was a lot…this thing is down to prefference, there isnt a right way or a wrong way on how a tacho works legally.
My taco goes to rest on ignition off. Ignition ON does nothing.
I enter hammers in the morning, and forget about it till 12:00. Turn the keys off, Have my 47. Normally 50 Then i have to enter hammers again. forget the taco till 17:00.
I had few cases where i forgot the card over weekend, but becoz of Bed on ignition off i had rest recorded
We have 13 vehicles in our yard and my is the only one who does this.
My m8 had hammers thro weekend multiple times as he is forgetful.
We work from 7:00 till 17:00 with 45 min break around 12:00. 5 days a week. It is impossible to max out driving or working hours.
If a vehicle is fitted with a digital tachograph the tachograph resets to “other work” when the vehicle stops moving, but the Siemens digital tachograph in a vehicle I’m driving at the moment automatically goes onto “rest” every time the vehicle stops moving, I know this isn’t supposed to happen but is it illegal even if I change the mode manually every time I stop ? (not very practical I know)
I want to get this sorted but as the tempory agency job could possibly become permanent I need to be a bit tactful about how I go about it, hence the need to know the law regarding the automatic change of mode.
Seriously though, I’m not sure about the legality, but their is no doubt that it is faulty and should be reported as so. No doubt the truck is still under warranty so it’s a dealer problem.
I’m sure that incorrect use of mode is an offence, not to mention the implications of being distracted at every junction.
Edit: I’m sure that you know about the post 09/07 changes to VDO that default to rest when ign is switched off.
It is ok to have your digitac programmed to go to other work or rest when stationary,
This was only agreed this year.
Too many drivers were leaving it on other work overnight, so the Dft allowed the settings to be reprogrammed.
I think that Renault & Volvos new Digital tachos are set to go to rest when they stop instead of other work, it is not illegal providing you are not in the back of the truck doing other work!!
But if the mode changes to rest every time the vehicle stops moving, you need to change the mode to “other work” manually every time you stop in heavy traffic or at traffic lights ec’t if you’re to stay legal
Surely that can’t be right
I could end up either spending an hour a day doing manual entries on printouts or running bent, not much of a choice is it
tachograph:
If a vehicle is fitted with a digital tachograph the tachograph resets to “other work” when the vehicle stops moving, but the Siemens digital tachograph in a vehicle I’m driving at the moment automatically goes onto “rest” every time the vehicle stops moving, I know this isn’t supposed to happen but is it illegal even if I change the mode manually every time I stop ? (not very practical I know)
I want to get this sorted but as the tempory agency job could possibly become permanent I need to be a bit tactful about how I go about it, hence the need to know the law regarding the automatic change of mode.
This has been covered recently before. Are you sure it reverts to rest when you stop moving or just when you switch the ignition off? Ours revert to rest when the ignition is switched off. Apparently thats how they are programmed, they can be changed , at a cost. VOSA do not like the idea of them either. You’re in between a rock and a hard place though if you query it. Probably no gaffer will pay to have it changed as you can ‘just ensure its in the right mode’ for free !! If you where to be queried by VOSA about it and said it keeps doing it, then you’ve admitted you know about it. The thing is a load of crap !! I don’t believe its working to ‘type approval’ at all and someone should kick up about it. Appart from automatically recording ‘driving’ it should not make any assumptions of its own.
Bah !!
Never looked to see it was a resurrected thread… 
