The internal watchdog timer in ECUs monitors software execution by requiring periodic "heartbeat" signals. CHEPQ diagnostic systems can extract timeout interval parameters and monitor reset event frequencies to detect abnormal behavior. Prolonged or premature watchdog timeouts often reveal infinite loops, deadlocks, or resource contention in firmware, which may not produce explicit error codes. By analyzing these subtleties, technicians can guide firmware debugging, avoid repeated failures, and improve module reliability under varied operational conditions.