Nissan North America, Inc.

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Fca US LLC

Yichao Guo

Robert Stack

Janean Kowalkowski

Gopichandra Surnilla

Joseph Lyle Thomas

Ethan D Sanborn

Robert Baskins

Kenneth John Behr

Zhijian James Wu

Adithya Pravarun Re Ranga

Nelson William Morrow, Jr

Mark Thomas Linenberg

Marcio V Quiles

Tamra Green

Christopher Weber

Wei Lu

Gang Wu

Sean Locke

Brent Crary

Eugene Danquah

C Scott Langley

Marcio Quiles

A vehicle diagnostic apparatus includes a receiver, an electronic controller and a display. The receiver is configured to receive information from a vehicle monitor. The electronic controller is configured to determine a status of the monitor, and output the status in an 8 bit format based on the information received from the vehicle monitor, at least two of the bits in the 8 bit format indicating a predetermined status of the vehicle monitor. The display is configured to display the output.

Vehicle diagnostic apparatus

A thermostat monitoring method includes measuring an engine coolant temperature with an engine coolant temperature sensor a predetermined amount of time after engine startup, comparing, with a controller, the engine coolant temperature to determine whether the engine coolant temperature has met a predetermined threshold, when the engine coolant temperature has met the predetermined threshold, measuring a plurality of engine coolant temperatures with the engine coolant temperature sensor, comparing with the controller each of the plurality of engine coolant temperatures with a corresponding predetermined temperature model, and increasing a passing index with the controller for each of the plurality of engine coolant temperatures that is greater than the corresponding predetermined temperature model or reducing the passing index for each of the plurality of engine coolant temperatures that is less than the corresponding predetermined temperature model.

Thermostat monitoring system and method

Systems and methods for operating an engine operated by a controller that has a capacity to determine whether or not misfire occurs in the engine are presented. In one example, an operating region of the engine is broken into a plurality of zones and a misfire threshold level is dynamically provided for each of the plurality of zones based on slowly updated zone-level statistical parameters and quickly updated buffer-level parameters. The real-time dynamic misfire thresholds provide a basis for determining misfire within the engine.

Method for determining and applying an engine misfire threshold

An exhaust gas temperature sensor diagnostic system includes an exhaust gas temperature sensor, a controller and a storage device. The controller is programmed to wakeup after a predetermined time after engine shutdown, determine a temperature of the sensor and ambient temperature, calculate a difference in the temperature of the sensor after wakeup to a temperature of the sensor at engine shutdown, determine an estimated temperature of the sensor based on the ambient temperature and the predetermined time, add the difference in the temperature of the sensor at wakeup to the estimated temperature to determine a compensated estimated sensor reading, determine a difference between the compensated estimated sensor reading and a corrected sensor reading, compare the difference between the compensated estimated sensor reading and a corrected sensor reading to a threshold to determine whether the sensor is operating properly. The storage device is configured to store information related to the sensor.

Exhaust gas temperature sensor diagnostic system

A self-correcting exhaust gas temperature sensor system includes an exhaust gas temperature sensor, a controller and a storage device. The exhaust gas temperature sensor is configured to be disposed in an exhaust manifold of a vehicle. The controller is programmed to determine a reading of the exhaust gas temperature sensor at a predetermined time, determine a comparative temperature value, calculate an offset difference between the comparative temperature value and the reading of the exhaust gas temperature sensor, and based on the offset difference relative of the comparative temperature value, replace an exhaust gas temperature sensor offset value with the offset difference or with a threshold value. The storage device is configured to store the offset difference or the threshold value.

Self correction for exhaust gas temperature sensor system

Methods and systems are provided for detecting spark plug fouling and cleaning up fouled spark plug during pre-delivery phase of a vehicle. In one example, a method may include updating a spark plug fouling index saved in the non-volatile memory of the vehicle based on engine operating parameters, and indicating spark plug fouling based on the updated index. The method may further include cleaning the fouled spark plug by driving the vehicle along a planned route.

Method and system for plug fouling monitoring and cleaning

A fuel cap detection system includes a charcoal canister, a notification system, and an electronic controller. The charcoal canister is connected to a fuel tank of a vehicle, the charcoal canister includes a vent valve. The notification system is configured to notify a user when a fuel cap is incorrectly positioned. The electronic controller is configured to perform a leak detection test on the fuel tank by activating the vent valve in the charcoal canister to determine whether the fuel cap is positioned incorrectly, and determine an intent of the user to reposition the fuel cap while the notification system notifies the user that the fuel cap is incorrectly positioned.

Fuel cap detection system

Systems and methods for determining air-fuel error in an engine fueled via direct and port fuel injection. Errors associated with individual fuel injection systems are distinguished from a common error based on trends in the error correction coefficients of the individual fuel injection systems. Adaptive fuel multipliers for each injection system are updated to account for the common error.

Methods and system for engine control

Misfire detection techniques for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) including an internal combustion engine and an electric motor involve utilizing a crankshaft speed sensor configured to generate a crankshaft speed signal indicative of a rotational speed of a crankshaft of the engine that is coupled to the electric motor via a flywheel. The techniques also utilize a controller configured to control the electric motor to provide a vibrational response to dampen disturbances to the crankshaft, receive the crankshaft speed signal, selectively modify the crankshaft speed signal to obtain a modified crankshaft speed signal, and detect a misfire of the engine based on the modified crankshaft speed signal and a set of thresholds including at least one of a negative misfire threshold and a positive vibrational response threshold.

Response amplitude modification for hybrid electric vehicle misfire detections

Rationality diagnostic techniques for an intake oxygen sensor are utilized to detect sensor malfunction. A non-intrusive diagnostic technique includes passively detecting when an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve position crosses low/high position thresholds, whereas an intrusive diagnostic technique includes actively commanding the EGR valve to predetermined low/high positions. During a period after the EGR valve position reaches/crosses at least one of the low/high positions/position thresholds, respectively, maximum and minimum intake oxygen concentration is monitored. When the EGR valve position has crossed both the low/high positions/position thresholds and a difference between the maximum and minimum oxygen concentrations is less than a respective difference threshold, a malfunction of the intake oxygen sensor is detected. A malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) could be set to indicate the malfunction. The intrusive technique is additionally or alternatively implemented, such as part of a verification or backup to the non-intrusive technique.

Intake oxygen sensor rationality diagnostics

A method of diagnosing rationality of a humidity sensor output signal determines that the humidity sensor output signal has passed a rationality diagnostic if the output signal is changing sufficiently. If the output signal is not changing sufficiently, the method determines whether it should be changing sufficiently by whether a humidity capacity index determined based on temperature and pressure local to the humidity sensor is changing sufficiently. If the humidity capacity index is changing sufficiently and the humidity sensor output signal is not, the method determines that the humidity sensor output signal has failed a diagnostic check. Upon determining that the humidity sensor output signal has failed the diagnostic check a predetermined number of times, the method determines that the humidity sensor output signal has failed the rationality diagnostic.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Yichao Guo