Patent ID: 8223006

Claim:
A temperature warning system for a vehicle, said vehicle including a wheel end assembly rotatably mounted on an axle spindle end of the vehicle, said vehicle temperature warning system comprising: a) an air supply; b) a thermal plug having a non-activated state and an activated state, said thermal plug being disposed on said wheel end assembly in said non-activated state, said wheel end assembly including a bolt, said thermal plug being disposed adjacent said bolt, the thermal plug being in fluid communication with said air supply and blocking fluid flow through the thermal plug from said air supply when said thermal plug is in the non-activated state; and c) a flow sensor operatively connected to a warning device, said flow sensor being in fluid communication with said thermal plug and with said air supply, whereby when said axle spindle end or said wheel end assembly become excessively heated during operation of said vehicle, said thermal plug is activated and allows fluid to flow from said air supply through the thermal plug, said fluid flow being sensed by said flow sensor which in turn activates said warning device.