KB 831053 - GPU Temperature Critical alert - Troubleshooting Guide

KB 831053 - GPU Temperature Critical alert - Troubleshooting Guide

Purpose

This article provides guidance for engineers to identify and respond to the GPU Temperature Critical alert in GPU compute nodes. It outlines the alert meaning, possible causes, and the required L1 and L2 troubleshooting steps.



Alert Name

GPU Temperature Critical


Alert Description

This alert is triggered when the GPU temperature exceeds 85°C.

High GPU temperature typically occurs due to heavy workloads, insufficient cooling, or hardware issues affecting airflow.


Severity

P3 – Medium Impact

The system may still be operational, but prolonged high temperature can lead to:

  • GPU thermal throttling

  • Performance degradation

  • Potential hardware damage if not resolved


Possible Causes

  • High GPU workload or sustained compute jobs

  • Cooling system inefficiency

  • Fan malfunction or reduced airflow

  • Data center ambient temperature increase

  • Blocked air vents or dust accumulation

  • Thermal throttling conditions


L1 Engineer Actions

Follow these steps when the alert is received.

Step 1 – Log the Alert

  • Record the alert in the Alert Summary sheet


Step 2 – Create Ticket

  • Open an incident ticket for tracking


Step 3 – Escalation (If Required)

If the issue appears significant:

  • Create an internal ticket

  • Inform L2 Engineer


Step 4 – Documentation

After confirmation with L2:

  • Update the Issues Master Sheet


L2 Engineer Actions

Perform deeper analysis and corrective actions:

Step 1 - Detailed GPU and process check

Use:
nvidia-smi
free -h

Identify processes consuming excessive GPU memory.

Step 2 - Check airflow and cooling

Verify:
Fan functionality
Airflow obstruction
Rack cooling conditions

Step 3 - Check thermal throttling

Confirm whether GPU is throttling due to high temperature using:

nvidia-smi -q | grep -i throttle

Step 4 - Analyze system workload

  1. Identify abnormal or stuck GPU-intensive jobs.
  2. Consider stopping or redistributing workloads if required.

Step 5 - Reboot the Server

  1. Check the server by performing the power cycle.

  2. Also, if possible, check with the Hard Reset. 


Resolution

Depending on the root cause:

  • Reduce GPU workload temporarily

  • Improve airflow or cooling

  • Replace faulty fans if detected

  • Clean air vents or filters

  • Adjust environmental cooling in the data center

  • Server reboot / Hard reset


Escalation

Escalate to hardware support/vendor if:

  • GPU temperature remains critical despite normal workload

  • Cooling components are faulty

  • GPU shows repeated thermal throttling