A vehicle control device controls a vehicle control system, which includes a shift range switching system configured to switch a shift range by controlling a drive of a shift actuator, and an electric brake system configured to brake a vehicle by controlling a drive of a brake actuator. The vehicle control device includes a shift control unit and a brake control unit. The shift control unit controls a drive of the shift actuator. The brake control units control a drive of a brake actuator. When the start switch of the vehicle is turned off, the power of the brake control units is turned off after the shift range switching system completes switching to the P range.

A recreational vehicle is provided including a power source, such as an engine or an electric motor, and a transmission having a variable gear ratio. A sub-transmission coupled to an output of the transmission includes a plurality of selectable gear configurations including park gear and at least one of a forward gear, a neutral gear and a reverse gear. An electronic controller is operative to electronically control the gear configuration of the sub-transmission in response to a set of conditions.

A shift range switching system includes: a motor that includes a motor winding and generates a cogging torque by a permanent magnet; a drive circuit; an output shaft; a shift range switching mechanism that includes a trough providing member with troughs and crests and integrally rotates with the output shaft, an engagement member that fits in one trough corresponding to a shift range, and an urging member that urges the engagement member toward the one trough; and a control unit. The engagement member drops into the one trough with an allowance. When an abnormality occurs in a motor drive system in an ascending action in which the engagement member moves from one trough toward one crest, the shift range switching system reduces an occurrence probability of an intermediate range stop abnormality.

Air ingestion into a transmission hydraulic system may lead to a number of issues. For example, the time to engage a hydraulically actuated parking mechanism may be excessive. As another example, the pump may not prime properly on a subsequent engine start. The air ingestion issue may be detected based on variability of transmission line pressure. When the line pressure variability exceeds a threshold, actions are taken to mitigate the potential issues.

A method for controlling a shift-by-wire (SBW) transmission may include detecting whether a shut-down condition is met in a state in which a parking gear stage of a vehicle is released, when it is detected that the shut-down condition is met, starting to drive a parking release device of maintaining release of a parking gear on the basis of an oil pressure of a parking piston or an RPM of an engine, and controlling an ON/OFF duty ratio of electric power of driving the parking release device on the basis of oil pressure of the parking piston, after starting to drive the parking release device.

A recreational vehicle is provided including a power source, such as an engine or an electric motor, and a transmission having a variable gear ratio. A sub-transmission coupled to an output of the transmission includes a plurality of selectable gear configurations including park gear and at least one of a forward gear, a neutral gear and a reverse gear. An electronic controller is operative to electronically control the gear configuration of the sub-transmission in response to a set of conditions.

An internal combustion engine control device is provided. The internal combustion engine control device is provided with a generator that is driven by exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine control device is capable of increasing the power generation of the generator. The internal combustion engine control device includes an exhaust amount control unit. The exhaust amount control unit increases the amount of the exhaust gas supplied to the generator in a coasting state.

Disclosed herein is a method of controlling a system for neutral range parking of a vehicle. The power of the vehicle is turned off based on operation of a start button when a shift range of a vehicle transmission is a P-range. It is determined whether a brake pedal is operated after the power is turned off and, when the brake pedal is determined to be operated after the power is turned off, an automatic lever solenoid valve of the transmission is operated to allow the transmission to shift from the P-range to another shift range by releasing engagement between the automatic lever solenoid valve and an engaging lever.

A power transmission device mounted on a vehicle in which operation of an engine is stopped when vehicle speed has been reduced to a predetermined vehicle speed. The device includes an oil pump driven by the engine; a hydraulic control device regulating pressure from the oil pump; a continuously variable transmission mechanism in which groove widths of a primary pulley and a secondary pulley are set by hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic control device; a hydraulic engagement element engaged by hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic control device to couple the continuously variable transmission mechanism to the engine; a clamping pressure sensor that detects clamping pressure of a belt of the continuously variable transmission mechanism; and a control device disengaging the hydraulic engagement element when the detected clamping pressure of the belt reaches less than or equal to a threshold value after operation of the engine is stopped.

Air ingestion into a transmission hydraulic system may lead to a number of issues. For example, the time to engage a hydraulically actuated parking mechanism may be excessive. As another example, the pump may not prime properly on a subsequent engine start. The air ingestion issue may be detected based on variability of transmission line pressure. When the line pressure variability exceeds a threshold, actions are taken to mitigate the potential issues.