To detect “silent” crashes of communications processors in a mobile device, the mobile device analyzes signal strength icon images using a trained image processing model. During operation of a mobile device, the device captures images of a signal strength icon that is displayed by the device and that visually represents a telecommunications signal strength detected by the mobile device. The mobile device applies the captured images to the trained image processing model, which is configured to output a prediction of whether the communications processor in the mobile device crashed.