Patent ID: 6161767
Filing Date: 2000-12-19
Classification: F01P,F02D,Y02T

Abstract:
A method of sensing failure of a thermostat in a vehicle comprising the steps of:sensing signals from various kinds of sensors after starting of an engine, and determining whether the signals are normal;determining whether an amount of intake air among the sensed signals from the sensors in the above step is larger than an amount of intake air during a predetermined period;accumulating an elapsed time by a given time at every predetermined time depending on the determination in the above step;determining whether the accumulated time obtained in the above step has reached a predetermined time for determining the failure;sensing the temperature of the coolant when the accumulated time in the above step has reached the predetermined time for determining the failure, and determining whether the sensed temperature of the coolant is below a predetermined temperature of the coolant; andindicating failure alarm when the sensed temperature of the coolant in the above step is below the predetermined temperature of the coolant.