Guide
Severity levels: Stop, Check soon, OK to drive
What the three severity badges on each fault-code sheet mean, how they relate to commercial-vehicle roadside criteria (CVSA), and what they do not replace.
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Why sheets show a severity badge
Every code sheet on TruckCodeLookup can carry one of three practical labels: Stop the vehicle, Check soon, or OK to drive. The badge answers a driver’s first question—what should I do right now?—before the deeper causes, symptoms, and checks.
The level on each sheet is set per code by the editorial team. This guide explains what those labels mean on the site. It does not invent new classifications, and it does not change any code’s existing badge.
The three levels (working definitions)
These working definitions match the short guidance already shown on each sheet. Finer decision criteria (exactly when a given fault tips from “soon” to “stop”) remain under technician review and will be published here only after validation.
- OK to drive — You can usually keep driving for short trips, but schedule a diagnosis soon.
- Check soon — Have the vehicle checked soon; avoid long trips if symptoms worsen.
- Stop the vehicle — Stop driving when safe and have the vehicle inspected before continuing.
How a level is assigned to a code
Assignment is sheet-by-sheet. It reflects symptoms, likely failure modes, and driveability or safety risk as understood by the team—not an automated rule from the code letter alone.
If you believe a specific code’s badge is wrong, treat that as an editorial correction to validate with field experience (including heavy-duty / PEP inspection context). Do not assume the badge is a legal determination.
Heavy truck context: CVSA Out-of-Service Criteria
For commercial vehicles in North America, roadside inspectors use the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria (OOSC). Those criteria are updated on a fixed cycle (historically effective each April 1) and decide whether a vehicle or driver is placed out of service at an inspection.
Some fault conditions discussed on TruckCodeLookup may relate to themes covered by those official criteria (brakes, lighting, cargo securement, steering, and similar). The site may show a separate “CVSA Out-of-Service” mention on a truck sheet only when that correspondence has been confirmed for that code by editorial review.
Until a sheet explicitly carries that mention, do not treat the severity badge as a CVSA OOS finding. Always verify against the current CVSA publication and the rules that apply in your jurisdiction.
- Official reference: CVSA — Out-of-Service Criteria (cvsa.org)
- Badge on a sheet = confirmed editorial note, not an automatic mapping
- No confirmed CVSA flags are inventored here without per-code validation
What severity labels do not replace
Manufacturer service information, a hands-on inspection, and—for commercial operations—the applicable official criteria (CVSA OOSC, National Safety Code provisions, carrier policy) always take priority over a website badge.
Symptoms matter: the same code can be mild in one case and urgent in another. When in doubt, stop when safe and get a qualified technician involved.
Severity labels on TruckCodeLookup are general driving guidance based on technical experience. They do not replace a professional inspection, manufacturer service information, or the official out-of-service / safety criteria that apply in your jurisdiction (for example the CVSA North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria for commercial vehicles, or applicable National Safety Code rules in Canada). Only those official criteria determine whether a vehicle may be placed out of service during a roadside inspection.