What Is Mack’s GuardDog Connect System?

Mack is a world-renowned manufacturer of semi-trucks, and they’re known for equipping their high-end trucks with some of the most advanced technology around. One of the cutting-edge systems they’ve introduced to trucking is the GuardDog Connect system, which was added to trucks beginning in 2014. Keep reading to learn more about GuardDog, how it works, and how it benefits truckers and trucking companies alike.

What Is GuardDog?

GuardDog is a product that uses telematics to identify 30 different fault codes in the engine and other systems in the truck to catch potential issues early on. That data is passed on to the Mack customer service center, which is available to truckers 24/7. The customer service center can then relay that information to a fleet via phone, text, or email. They can also contact dealers in your area to ensure that the parts you’ll need to repair the issue are available. This makes GuardDog a service as much as it is a product for truckers.

How It Works

The system’s ability to detect error codes and immediately communicate them to customer service is an exceptional feat of technology. As mentioned above, the GuardDog system constantly monitors your truck’s diagnostics for fault codes and informs Mack’s customer service center immediately upon detecting one. The 30 different error codes it can read are divided into categories based on their severity, with the most urgent category being conditions that will force your truck to an unplanned stop within the next 3 hours.

How It Benefits Truckers

By detecting these fault codes immediately and alerting customer service, the fleet, and the trucker, GuardDog helps truckers avoid driving in unsafe situations. If a serious error code arises, the driver can ensure that they find the next safe place to stop for service, so they’re not left stranded in the middle of nowhere. Additionally, the ability to notify nearby dealers and have the part available helps reduce downtime for your truck. That means you get back on the road sooner and are more likely to stay on schedule.

What Trucks Have It?

As mentioned, Mack rolled out GuardDog in 2014. It became standard equipment for Granite, Pinnacle, and Titan models built after January 2, 2014 (2015 truck model year), so many used Mack trucks for sale will already have this equipment built in. However, if you purchase a model that doesn’t have GuardDog, you can retrofit it so long as the truck has the OBD-13 onboard diagnostic system.