A control device for a vehicle includes a failure detector to detect failure in a cooling device to cool an internal combustion engine of the vehicle. An acceleration operation sensor is to detect an acceleration operation amount indicating a target acceleration. Circuitry is configured to control a power output from the internal combustion engine in accordance with the acceleration operation amount, control an air fuel ratio of air-fuel mixture in the internal combustion engine to be in a richer side with respect to a predetermined air fuel ratio if the acceleration operation amount exceeds a high load threshold, limit the power output from the internal combustion engine if the failure detector detects the failure, and prohibit the air fuel ratio from being controlled to be in the richer side even if the acceleration operation amount exceeds the high load threshold if the failure detector detects the failure.

A method of operating a cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The engine is equipped with an engine head, and the cooling circuit includes a pump configured to deliver a variable flow of coolant through the cooling circuit. A coolant flow rate to be delivered by the pump is calculated as a function of an engine load, an engine speed and a desired engine head temperature, and the pump is operated to deliver the calculated coolant flow rate.

A waste heat recovery (WHR) and coolant system with active coolant pressure control includes an engine cooling system, a WHR system, and a coolant pressure control system. A coolant heat exchanger positioned along each of the engine cooling and working fluid circuits, and is structured to transfer heat from the coolant fluid to the working fluid. The coolant pressure control system includes a pressure line operatively coupled to an air brake system and to the coolant tank. A valve is coupled to the pressure line upstream of the coolant tank. A coolant pressure controller is in operative communication with each of the valve, an air pressure sensor, and a coolant temperature sensor. The coolant pressure controller is structured to determine a target coolant pressure based on a coolant temperature and control a valve position of the valve so as to cause the air pressure to approach the target coolant pressure.

An apparatus for a vehicle includes a cooling fan installed in an engine compartment of the vehicle. A fan motor is connected with the cooling fan to drive the cooling fan. A state detector is configured to detect state data, and a controller is configured to control the cooling fan based on the state data when an intake temperature is within a predetermined range, to determine whether the state data satisfies a decision reference condition, and to lock the fan motor according to a change rate of air conditioner refrigerant pressure during a measurement time when the state data satisfies the decision reference condition.

A method for operating an engine compartment fan for an engine compartment of a motor vehicle, in which at least one component, in particular for the drive of the motor vehicle, is situated, including the following: ascertaining a present engine compartment temperature as a function of a thermal energy input into the engine compartment and a thermal energy discharge out of the engine compartment; and activating the engine compartment fan as a function of the ascertained present engine compartment temperature.

A method of initializing operation of a shutter arranged relative to a grille opening in a vehicle having a power-plant includes detecting a start-up of the power-plant. The method also includes sensing a temperature of ambient air. The method also includes commanding the shutter to achieve a fully-opened position when the temperature of ambient air is above a predetermined value such that a flow of ambient air to the power-plant through the grille opening is substantially unrestricted. The method additionally includes commanding the shutter to achieve a fully-closed position when a temperature of the power-plant is maintained below a threshold value such that the flow of ambient air through the grille opening to the power-plant is substantially blocked. A vehicle using a controller configured to perform the above method is also provided.

A vehicle control apparatus includes a detector that detects an external temperature of a vehicle, a vehicle speed, and a coolant temperature of an engine, an input device that receives a signal for ON or OFF operations of a heating control, and a controller configured for determining a heating load depending on the heating control when the external temperature is less than a predetermined temperature and the signal for the ON operation of the heating control is input, and controls an operation of an integrated thermal management valve, a deactivation operation of cylinders included in the engine, and an operation of an active air flap, according to at least one of the heating load and the coolant temperature.

To provide a shutter grille device that can reduce the number of opening and closing operations and extend product life. A shutter grille device includes: a shutter grille provided in an air intake for guiding air into a power station in which a power source of a vehicle is provided; and a controller that controls opening and closing of the shutter grille. The controller disables closing of the shutter grille during a first interval after opening of the shutter grille, and has a second interval before enabling opening of the shutter grille after closing; and the first interval is set longer than the second interval.

A cooling-fan control device for a vehicle that increases the cooling capacity of a cooling oil that cools a brake rapidly and inhibits a brake damage in a case where the brake is applied during traveling or, in addition to the above-described problem-to-be-resolved, suppresses engine horsepower consumption and avoids consumption increase, while increasing the cooling capacity of the brake cooling oil. The rotation speed of the cooling fan is controlled to obtain the higher target rotation speed of a first target rotation speed corresponding to a detected cooling oil temperature and a second target rotation speed corresponding to a detected brake operation amount. The present invention is applicable to a vehicle in which an engine power is distributed to a travel power train and a hydraulic pump, drive wheels are operated via the travel power train, and the cooling fan is actuated via the hydraulic pump.

A thermostat failure detection device sequentially calculates a normal-time minimum water temperature on an assumption that a thermostat is normal and an internal combustion engine is operated in a state where the engine water temperature is less likely to rise, sequentially calculates a failure-time maximum water temperature on an assumption that the thermostat is in a stuck-open failure state and the internal combustion engine is operated in a state where the engine water temperature is likely to rise, determines the failure of the thermostat if the engine water temperature is lower than the normal-time minimum water temperature, determines the normality of the thermostat if the engine water temperature is higher than the failure-time maximum water temperature, and determines neither the normality nor the failure if the engine water temperature is between the normal-time minimum water temperature and the failure-time maximum water temperature.