If ACARS on say a routine flight quits working or trips a breaker does the crew get any notificiation? Audible or visiual cue?
Sort of. If the Satellite voice goes out, we get a message on the EICAS (engine instrument display). If Satellite data goes out, we get the message and a link to the short checklist. Out of VHF range if we lose satellite data, we lose the ACARS.
With other types of failures, we would figure it out when we went to use it. It's used all the time. Takeoff Data, weather, release verifications, ATIS etc. all come through the ACARS. Consequently, ACARS problems create a big increase in workload.