Low Vehicle Battery, Gateway Offline, Unplugged, or Requires Investigation

Use the following workflow for the observed VG LED behavior if the Samsara dashboard reports the VG as Prolonged Offline, Temporarily Offline, Unplugged, Low Vehicle Battery or Requires Investigation.

LED State: None

Status: VG is not receiving power from the vehicle.

1. Verify that the cable connections are secure between the VG and the diagnostic port.

2. Confirm you are installing the VG using the appropriate cable. To view cable compatibility, reference the VG34 Cable Installation Guides.

3. Confirm the vehicle battery has charge. Jump-start the vehicle, if necessary.

4. Verify that the fuse associated with the diagnostic port is intact and properly seated in the vehicle fuse box.

5. If possible, test a different vehicle gateway or different cable to ensure that the vehicle is providing adequate power.

   If the LED is orange after a cable swap, contact Support to exchange the original cable.

6. Use a voltmeter to verify that the voltage across the CAN line is 12V DC. If the voltage is not 12V DC, refer to the vehicle maintenance manual for instructions on troubleshooting power supply to the diagnostics port.

   The following diagrams show the Molex pinout metering locations for the VG34 and VG54

   VG34 Molex pinout (metering locations 6 and 12)

   

   VG54 Molex pinout (metering locations 4 and 16) and 8-pin pinout for digital I/O accessories

   

7. If you experience continuous battery-related issues, Samsara recommends that you review Vehicle Battery Drain and Conservation and inspect any connected third-party devices for a potential battery drain.

8. If the LED does not illuminate on the VG, contact Support.

LED State: Solid Orange

1. Unplug the gateway and wait approximately 15 minutes for the light to go out completely. 

2. Reconnect the gateway. After approximately two minutes, verify the status of the LED on the front of the gateway and follow the steps for the corresponding light pattern.

3. If the issue persists, contact Support.

LED State: Blinking Orange

Status: Unsuccessful cellular connection.

1. Confirm your vehicle has an unobstructed view of the sky.

   If you are in an area surrounded by tall buildings, in a tunnel or any area underground, or in an area with an obstructed view of the sky, such as under an overpass, or in a parking garage, it can impact GPS signal. After you move your vehicle from these areas with obstructed sky views, the gateway should report location.

2. Confirm the gateway is in a location that has line of sight to the sky.

   Reinstall the gateway if it has poor line of sight to the sky. If the gateway has line of sight to the sky, it may be possible the gateway is in an area of poor GPS or cellular coverage. After the gateway is in an area with GPS or cellular coverage, it should reconnect.

3. If the LED is still blinking after two minutes, relocate the VG to an area with better reception.

4. Perform a hard reboot: Unplug the VG for 15 minutes, then plug it back in and take the vehicle on a short 20 minute trip.

5. If the blinking orange LED persists, test a different vehicle gateway in the same location:

   • If you observe the issue on both gateways, contact Support to investigate cellular coverage options for your area of operation.

   • If the other device displays a solid green light, drive the vehicle for 20 min so that the device can connect with a different cellular tower. If issue persists, contact Support to exchange the defective device.

LED State: Two Short Green Flashes

1. Start the vehicle or physically shake the gateway.

2. Check the status of the LED on the front of the gateway again and follow the steps for the corresponding light pattern.

LED State: One Short Orange Flash

1. Start the vehicle or physically shake the gateway.

2. Check the status of the LED on the front of the gateway again and follow the steps for the corresponding light pattern.

LED State: One short green flash

1. Start the vehicle or physically shake the gateway.

2. Check the status of the LED on the front of the gateway again and follow the steps for the corresponding light pattern.