Description

The PCM is responsible for efficiently coordinating the operation of all the emissions-related components. The PCM is also responsible for determining if the diagnostic systems are operating properly. The software designed to carry out these responsibilities is call the "Task Manager".

Operation

The Task Manager determines when tests happen and when functions occur. Many of the diagnostic steps required by OBD II must be performed under specific operating conditions. The Task Manager software organizes and prioritizes the diagnostic procedures. The job of the Task Manager is to determine if conditions are appropriate for tests to be run, monitor the parameters for a trip for each test, and record the results of the test. Following are the responsibilities of the Task Manager software:

• Test Sequence
• MIL Illumination
• Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs)
• Trip Indicator
• Freeze Frame Data Storage
• Similar Conditions Window

Test Sequence

In many instances, emissions systems must fail diagnostic tests more than once before the PCM illuminates the MIL. These tests are known as 'two trip monitors.' Other tests that turn the MIL lamp on after a single failure are known as 'one trip monitors.' A trip is defined as 'start the vehicle and operate it to meet the criteria necessary to run the given monitor.' Many of the diagnostic tests must be performed under certain operating conditions. However, there are times when tests cannot be run because another test is in progress (conflict), another test has failed (pending) or the Task Manager has set a fault that may cause a failure of the test (suspend).

Pending

Under some situations the Task Manager will not run a monitor if the MIL is illuminated and a fault is stored from another monitor. In these situations, the Task Manager postpones monitors pending resolution of the original fault. The Task Manager does not run the test until the problem is remedied.

For example, when the MIL is illuminated for an Oxygen Sensor fault, the Task Manager does not run the Catalyst Monitor until the Oxygen Sensor fault is remedied. Since the Catalyst Monitor is based on signals from the Oxygen Sensor, running the test would produce inaccurate results.

Conflict

There are situations when the Task Manager does not run a test if another monitor is in progress. In these situations, the effects of another monitor running could result in an erroneous failure. If this conflict is present, the monitor is not run until the conflicting condition passes. Most likely the monitor will run later after the conflicting monitor has passed.

For example, if the Fuel System Monitor is in progress, the Task Manager does not run the catalyst Monitor.

Since both tests monitor changes in air/fuel ratio and adaptive fuel compensation, the monitors will conflict with each other.

Suspend

Occasionally the Task Manager may not allow a two trip fault to mature. The Task Manager will suspend the maturing of a fault if a condition exists that may induce an erroneous failure. This prevents illuminating the MIL for the wrong fault and allows more precise diagnosis.

For example, if the PCM is storing a one trip fault for the Oxygen Sensor and the catalyst monitor, the Task Manager may still run the catalyst Monitor but will suspend the results until the Oxygen Sensor Monitor either passes or fails. At that point the Task Manager can determine if the catalyst system is actually failing or if an Oxygen Sensor is failing.

MIL Illumination

The PCM Task Manager carries out the illumination of the MIL. The Task Manager triggers MIL illumination upon test failure, depending on monitor failure criteria.

The Task Manager Screen shows both a Requested MIL state and an Actual MIL state. When the MIL is illuminated upon completion of a test for a good trip, the Requested MIL state changes to OFF. However, the MIL remains illuminated until the next key cycle. (On some vehicles, the MIL will actually turn OFF during the third good trip) During the key cycle for the third good trip, the Requested MIL state is OFF, while the Actual MIL state is ON. After the next key cycle, the MIL is not illuminated and both MIL states read OFF.

Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs)

With OBD II, different DTC faults have different priorities according to regulations. As a result, the priorities determine MIL illumination and DTC erasure. DTCs are entered according to individual priority. DTCs with a higher priority overwrite lower priority DTCs.

Priorities

• Priority 1 One-Trip Failure of Non-Fuel or Non-Mis-Fire Fault (e.g., Cat Mon Failure)
• Priority 3 Matured Fault (either One-Trip or Two-Trip) Non-Fuel AND Non-Mis-Fire
• Priority 4 One-Trip Failure of Fuel System or Mis-Fire Fault
• Priority 6 Matured Fault for Fuel System or Mis-Fire (either One-Trip or Two-Trip)

Non-emissions related failures have no priority. One trip failures of two trip faults have low priority. Two trip failures or matured faults have higher priority. One and two trip failures of fuel system and misfire monitor take precedence over non-fuel system and non-misfire failures.

DTC Self Erasure

With one trip components or systems, the MIL is illuminated upon test failure and DTCs are stored.

Two trip monitors are components requiring failure in two consecutive trips for MIL illumination. Upon failure of the first test, the Task Manager enters a maturing code. If the component fails the test for a second time the code matures and a DTC is set.

After three good trips the MIL is extinguished and the Task Manager automatically switches the trip counter to a warm-up cycle counter. DTCs are automatically erased following 40 warm-up cycles if the component does not fail again.

For misfire and fuel system monitors, the component must pass the test under a Similar Conditions Window in order to record a good trip. A Similar Conditions Window is when engine RPM is within +-375 RPM and load is within +-20% of when the fault occurred.

NOTE: It is important to understand that a component does not have to fail under a similar window of operation to mature. It must pass the test under a Similar Conditions Window when it failed to record a Good Trip for DTC erasure for misfire and fuel system monitors.

DTCs can be erased anytime with a scan tool. Erasing the DTC with the scan tool erases all OBD II information. The scan tool automatically displays a warning that erasing the DTC will also erase all OBD II monitor data. This includes all counter information for warm-up cycles, trips and Freeze Frame.

Trip Indicator

The Trip is essential for running monitors and extinguishing the MIL. In OBD II terms, a trip is a set of vehicle operating conditions that must be met for a specific monitor to run. All trips begin with a key cycle.

Good Trip

The Good Trip counters are as follows:

• Global Good Trip
• Fuel System Good Trip
• Misfire Good Trip
• Alternate Good Trip (appears as a Global Good Trip on scan tool)
  1. Comprehensive Components
  2. Major Monitor
• Warm-Up Cycles

Global Good Trip

To increment a Global Good Trip, the Oxygen sensor and Catalyst efficiency monitors must have run and passed, and 2 minutes of engine run time.

Fuel System Good Trip

To count a good trip (three required) and turn off the MIL, the following conditions must occur:

• Engine in closed loop
• Operating in Similar Conditions Window
• Short Term multiplied by Long Term less than threshold
• Less than threshold for a predetermined time

If all of the previous criteria are met, the PCM will count a good trip (three required) and turn off the MIL.

Misfire Good Trip

If the following conditions are met the PCM will count one good trip (three required) in order to turn off the MIL:

• Operating in Similar Condition Window
• 1000 engine revolutions with no misfire

Alternate Good Trip

Alternate Good Trips are used in place of Global Good Trips for Comprehensive Components and Major Monitors. If the Task Manager cannot run a Global Good Trip because a component fault is stopping the monitor from running, it will attempt to count an Alternate Good Trip.

The Task Manager counts an Alternate Good Trip for Comprehensive components when the following conditions are met:

• Two minutes of engine run time, idle or driving
• No other faults occur

The Task Manager counts an Alternate Good Trip for a Major Monitor when the monitor runs and passes. Only the Major Monitor that failed needs to pass to count an Alternate Good Trip.

Warm-Up Cycles

Once the MIL has been extinguished by the Good Trip Counter, the PCM automatically switches to a Warm-Up Cycle Counter that can be viewed on the scan tool. Warm-Up Cycles are used to erase DTCs and Freeze Frames. Forty Warm-Up cycles must occur in order for the PCM to self-erase a DTC and Freeze Frame. A Warm-Up Cycle is defined as follows:

• Engine coolant temperature must start below and rise above 160º F (71º C)
• Engine coolant temperature must rise by 40º F (4.5º C)
• No further faults occur

Freeze Frame Data Storage

Once a failure occurs, the Task Manager records several engine operating conditions and stores it in a Freeze Frame. The Freeze Frame is considered one frame of information taken by an on-board data recorder. When a fault occurs, the PCM stores the input data from various sensors so that technicians can determine under what vehicle operating conditions the failure occurred.

The data stored in Freeze Frame is usually recorded when a system fails the first time for two trip faults. Freeze Frame data will only be overwritten by a different fault with a higher priority.

CAUTION: Erasing DTCs, either with the scan tool, or by disconnecting the battery, also clears all Freeze Frame data.

Similar Conditions Window

The Similar Conditions Window displays information about engine operation during a monitor. Absolute MAP (engine load) and Engine RPM are stored in this window when a failure occurs. There are two different Similar conditions Windows: Fuel System and Misfire.