Patent ID: 6684154
Filing Date: 2004-01-27
Classification: F01P,F02D,Y02T

Abstract:
A failure determination apparatus for determining failure of a temperature sensor that detects a temperature which changes according to an operating condition of an internal combustion engine,the failure determination apparatus comprising: operation progress parameter calculation means for calculating an operation progress parameter indicative of a degree of progress of operation of the engine after the engine has started; temperature memory means for storing a value of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor when the engine is stopped; stop time measurement means for measuring a stop time period from a stoppage to a start of the engine; and failure determination means for determining that the temperature sensor is faulty, when a difference between a value of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor at the start of the present operation of the engine and the value of the temperature stored in said temperature memory means is equal to or smaller than a predetermined reference value, on condition that the operation progress parameter calculated during an immediately preceding operation of the engine is larger than a predetermined value, and that the stop time period before the start of the present operation of the engine is longer than a predetermined time period.