Narrative:

We were late arriving to the airport; due to traffic. Upon doing my flows and checking the logbook; I realized that the logbook showed two separate mels; yet our release only listed one MEL. I called dispatch; and they confirmed that MEL 21-xx-xx had been added by the previous crew when they terminated. The release didn't show [the MEL]; so I amended the release. This three-way call with maintenance control and dispatch took additional time. I read MEL 21-xx-xx pack temperature control systems (electronic pack/zone controller); and then I read the logbook write-up which read; verbatim; 'left pack caution light illuminated during recall.'truthfully; I was confused between the logbook verbiage that the yellow pack light had illuminated; versus the title of MEL 21-xx-xx; which makes reference to temperature control systems. When I read an MEL title of temperature control systems; I'm think [of] zone temperature control; trim air; etc.; so it seemed odd that this MEL; regarding temperature control instead of a pack issue; was applied. Maintenance control confirmed it on the phone.I read the MEL carefully; and it has an (O) step in paragraph B; which only needs to be complied with at the time of initial deferral (i.e.; by the previous crew). I did not perform that section; as it didn't apply to us.on taxi out; we ran the before takeoff checklist; and we performed the recall step. The air cond and pack lights illuminated. I wasn't expecting the pack light to illuminate; as I somehow was thinking temperature control; given the title of the MEL. Taking a precaution; we exited the taxi lineup and moved onto the parallel taxiway; where we re-read the MEL. We agreed that the (O) section; which didn't apply to us (because we were a subsequent crew); made sense; it read that the pack light should illuminate and then extinguish; which it did.this process took additional time; due to confusion in the MEL title wording and the fact that a subsequent crew (us); essentially; does nothing regarding this MEL. Only the initial crew has to do something with this MEL (at the time of deferral).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Boeing 737 Captain reported that an MEL item appeared inconsistent with the fault light that illuminated.

Narrative: We were late arriving to the airport; due to traffic. Upon doing my flows and checking the logbook; I realized that the logbook showed two separate MELs; yet our release only listed one MEL. I called Dispatch; and they confirmed that MEL 21-XX-XX had been added by the previous crew when they terminated. The release didn't show [the MEL]; so I amended the release. This three-way call with Maintenance Control and Dispatch took additional time. I read MEL 21-XX-XX Pack Temperature Control Systems (Electronic Pack/Zone Controller); and then I read the logbook write-up which read; verbatim; 'Left pack caution light illuminated during recall.'Truthfully; I was confused between the logbook verbiage that the yellow PACK light had illuminated; versus the title of MEL 21-XX-XX; which makes reference to Temperature Control Systems. When I read an MEL title of Temperature Control Systems; I'm think [of] Zone Temperature Control; Trim Air; etc.; so it seemed odd that this MEL; regarding temperature control instead of a pack issue; was applied. Maintenance Control confirmed it on the phone.I read the MEL carefully; and it has an (O) step in Paragraph B; which only needs to be complied with at the time of initial deferral (i.e.; by the previous crew). I did not perform that section; as it didn't apply to us.On taxi out; we ran the Before Takeoff Checklist; and we performed the Recall step. The AIR COND and PACK lights illuminated. I wasn't expecting the PACK light to illuminate; as I somehow was thinking temperature control; given the title of the MEL. Taking a precaution; we exited the taxi lineup and moved onto the parallel taxiway; where we re-read the MEL. We agreed that the (O) section; which didn't apply to us (because we were a subsequent crew); made sense; it read that the PACK light should illuminate and then extinguish; which it did.This process took additional time; due to confusion in the MEL title wording and the fact that a subsequent crew (us); essentially; does nothing regarding this MEL. Only the initial Crew has to do something with this MEL (at the time of deferral).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.