Patent ID: 8376908

Claim:
A vehicle control apparatus that controls a vehicle having a torque converter provided on a power transmission path between an internal combustion engine and a transmission, wherein the torque converter includes a pump impeller, to which rotational power from the internal combustion engine is input to rotate, a turbine runner that receives oil from the rotating pump impeller and transmits the rotational power toward the transmission, and an impeller clutch that is configured to connect and disconnect the rotational power transmission from the internal combustion engine to the pump impeller, wherein the vehicle control apparatus controls the internal combustion engine and the impeller clutch such that when a throttle opening degree is equal to or larger than a first threshold value during control of the impeller clutch from a non-engaged state to a completely engaged state, an output torque of the internal combustion engine is lowered, and wherein the vehicle control apparatus controls the internal combustion engine such that when a rotation number or the output torque of the internal combustion engine is equal to or larger than a second threshold value during the control of the impeller clutch from the non-engaged state to the completely engaged state, the output torque of the internal combustion engine is lowered.