Fehleranzeige

Fehleranzeige is a term used in German to denote an indication of an error or fault within a device, system, or process. It encompasses signals, messages, or indicators that alert users or operators to a malfunction, so that corrective action can be taken. In engineering, fault indications may be visual, audible, or textual and are designed to convey information about the existence, location, and sometimes severity of a fault.

Forms of Fehleranzeige include visual indicators such as LEDs, LCD text displays, and annunciators; audible alerts such as beeps or alarms; and digital fault codes or messages presented by software interfaces or diagnostic tools. In many systems, fault indications are accompanied by data such as error codes, timestamps, and status flags to assist troubleshooting.

Applications span consumer electronics, automotive, industrial automation, and software systems. In consumer electronics, devices may display fault codes or illuminate indicators to signal malfunctions. In automotive contexts, the term often corresponds to the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and to onboard diagnostics fault codes. In industrial settings, control panels show fault indicators to pinpoint which subsystem is affected, while software systems display exception messages or crash reports.

Design considerations include reliability, avoidance of false positives, clear user comprehension, and multilingual support. In safety-critical or mission-critical environments, diagnostic messaging is integrated with structured methods such as failure mode and effects analysis, and with standardized diagnostic interfaces.

Etymology: Fehleranzeige combines Fehler ("error, fault") and Anzeige ("display, indication").