DTC Codes: Everything You Need to Know to Manage Your Fleet
Tracking and monitoring the DTC codes for your vehicles can help you better optimize your fleet and even save money. Learn more here.
Tracker Device Diagnostic
Trouble Codes
Get even more valuable data from your vehicles with alerts
and monitoring of vehicle diagnostic trouble code signals
DTC Alerts are integrated into our GPS alert system
With Linxup Diagnostic Trouble Code Monitoring, you will be alerted to check engine lights when they happen and find the information you need to make maintenance decisions. This feature is automatically available with compatible Linxup devices.
- When a vehicle has a check engine warning, an icon will appear next to that vehicle’s device in the Map view.
- Click details to see the exact trouble code and determine the severity of the issue. No need to rush to a mechanic for every check engine light.
- Choose to receive text, email, or app notifications when a check engine light is triggered.
I've got vehicles where I can see fuel in the tank, air pressure, trouble codes. The other company was not providing me with any of that even though we were plugged into the computer in the truck. With Linxup I have full capability to see what's going on.
Jason Gerard
Fleet, Finance & Sales Manager, One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Baton Rouge
Keeping Your Fleet Vehicles on the Road
Linxup can help you stay ahead of breakdowns and other vehicle emergencies with proactive reminders and technical information about what's going on inside your vehicles. Here are some additional resources on the topic of keeping your vehicles out there earning you money.
Maintenance Tracker
Lower break-fix risk and extend the life of your vehicles and assets with maintenance reminders.
Creating a Vehicle Maintenance Program — Linxup
Build a strong vehicle maintenance program that helps reduce downtime, extend fleet lifespan, and keep every vehicle running safely.
Frequently Asked Questions about DTC Codes
Diagnostic Trouble Codes provide you with a heads up about what's happening in your vehicles. These are some questions and answers we hear most.
A DTC is an alphanumeric code your vehicle's onboard computer generates when it detects a problem — it's what triggers the check engine light. The codes are generated by the vehicle's onboard diagnostics system when it detects abnormalities or malfunctions, and provide specific information about the nature and location of the problem. Each of the five characters in a DTC corresponds to a specific part of the issue — the first character is always a letter indicating which vehicle system is affected
It depends on the code, which is exactly why knowing what triggered it matters. Critical codes represent urgent issues that can cause severe vehicle damage — like high engine temperatures or low coolant levels signaling impending engine failure — while non-critical codes don't require immediate action, though they still need attention. Without visibility into the specific code, a driver has no way to tell the difference between a loose gas cap and a serious mechanical issue.
Traditionally, yes — a technician plugs a handheld OBD scanner into the vehicle's diagnostic port to read the code, which means direct access to the vehicle is required. However, with a telematics system in place, a fleet manager can receive real-time alerts anytime a vehicle generates a DTC code — without needing anyone at the vehicle with a scanner.
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