Overview
A GoTag is a passive, one-time label — it isn't repaired once damaged. If a tag is torn, faded past legibility, or the chip underneath no longer responds, the fix is a straightforward replacement, not a fix on the tag itself. This article is the diagnosis path: how to confirm a tag is actually dead, what to do in the meantime, and how the replacement works.
Note
Your equipment's record is never lost when a GoTag becomes unreadable. The tag is only the scan point — the machine's full inspection history, defects, and audit trail live on the equipment record itself, not on the sticker.
First: confirm it's the tag, not the phone
Before treating a tag as damaged, rule out the two most common false alarms:
- 1
Try the other scan method. QR won't scan (torn, faded, glare)? Tap the NFC chip — it sits under the label and often survives damage to the printed face. NFC not responding? Try the QR code, and move the phone slowly across the tag rather than holding it still — see Scanning a GoTag.
- 2
Try a second phone. NFC antenna position and sensitivity vary by model. A tag one phone can't read is often fine on another — which makes it a phone quirk, not a dead tag.
- 3
Check for a second tag on the machine. Some machines carry a backup GoTag — one external, one in the cab. Both point to the same record, so scanning either works.
In the meantime: how work continues
An unreadable tag never stops an inspection. Scanning is the recommended way to start a pre-start, not a required one — the operator can open the same machine from the Start tab's Recent Equipment card or by browsing the equipment list, and the inspection proceeds normally. What you lose while the tag is dead is the convenience and the walk-up public logbook access, not compliance.
Warning
Don't build a workaround around a damaged tag — photographing the QR code or passing a serial around defeats the point of positive identification at the machine. Replace the tag instead; it's a few minutes' work.
Replacing the tag
Replacement is a single guided flow in the mobile app, run by a Technician licensed for the equipment's group:
- 1
Get a replacement GoTag — see ordering if you're out of spare stock.
- 2
Fit the new physical tag to the machine — see Fitting and Placing a GoTag. If the old spot contributed to the damage (abrasion, heat), pick a better one.
- 3
Run the Replace flow from the equipment's page in the app. The old tag is retired and the new one installed in one action, so the machine is never left tagless partway through — see Re-Tagging Equipment for the full walk-through.
The retired tag is permanently done — retirement is one-way, and the old serial stays in the machine's history as a record of when the scan point changed.
What NOT to do
- Don't peel, re-stick, or patch a damaged GoTag. It's a one-time consumable by design — once removed it can't be reapplied, and a patched tag isn't a reliable scan point.
- Don't move a tag between machines. A tag's identity binds to one equipment record; "moving" one is really retiring it and installing a fresh tag on the other machine.
- Don't leave a known-dead tag in place indefinitely. It reads as a broken promise to every gate officer or auditor who tries the public logbook and gets nothing.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| QR unreadable, NFC works | Face damage only | Keep working by NFC; replace at the next convenient stop |
| NFC dead, QR works | Cracked chip (crease, impact) | Keep working by QR; replace at the next convenient stop |
| Both dead on multiple phones | Tag fully failed | Replace now — the machine has no walk-up scan point |
| Tag intact but scan says "not found" | Tag was never installed, or was retired | A Technician can check its status and install or replace it |
| Replacements keep failing in the same spot | Placement problem (abrasion, heat, flex) | Choose a new location — see the placement reference |