Failure mode

Within the terms of a description of a failure by the supplier, this is the description of the type of failure, or the more precise circumstances which have led to the failure – for example, : "The CD player mechanism is sluggish at temperatures below -10°C and this causes a mechanical overload on the loading mechanism“. It part of the "failure description from the supplier's standpoint".

Reference Volume (and volume-specific, additional or differing definitions to the standard):
Standardized process for handling customers complaints