Abstract: In a charging apparatus and method for charging a battery of a battery driven electric vehicle, when a communication abnormality between a charger side of a charging station and the battery side of the electric vehicle is determined to occur, a power supply of the charger starts the charge to the battery in a special charge pattern (protocol) of mode in the occurrence of the communication abnormality.

Abstract: A predetermined control on an engine, i.e., a fuel-cut operation, is executed after an accelerator has been released under predetermined conditions when vehicle speed is higher than a fuel-cut vehicle speed value and engine speed is higher than or equal to a fuel-cut engine speed value. In an automatic transmission drivingly connected to the engine via a torque converter, a gear shift is initiated after the accelerator has been released. During a shift of the same kind, there occurs a variability in shift shock between the cases with and without the execution of the fuel-cut operation. In order to reduce this variability, the execution of the fuel-cut operation is inhibited until completion of the shift after the accelerator has been released under the predetermined conditions.

Abstract: A hydraulic pressure, i.e., a line pressure, of a hydraulic fluid supplied from an engine driven pump toward a hydraulically actuable coupling of an automatic transmission is held at the maximum pressure value when a temperature of an automatic transmission oil is less than a predetermined temperature value. However, the hydraulic pressure is temporarily decreased from the maximum pressure value to the minimum pressure value for a period of time after cranking of the engine when the transmission oil temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature value. Owing to a decreased load on the engine by the oil pump, smooth cranking and subsequent warming-up operation of the engine is assured under cold whether condition when the automatic transmission oil temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature value.

Abstract: In order to determine a malfunction which results in the loss of torque reduction control, the engine speed and the torque converter characteristics are monitored when a torque down signal is issued. The maximum engine torque which should be produced under such circumstances is used to derive a corresponding maximum engine speed value. If the actual engine speed exceeds the estimated value, appropriate torque down control can be assumed to have been lost. In response a fail safe such as boosting line pressure to switching to an alternative source of torque control can implemented. A suitable warning signal can also be generated.