ENGINE TEMPERATURE
GAUGE
DESCRIPTION
An engine coolant temperature gauge is standard
equipment on all instrument clusters. The engine
coolant temperature gauge is located in the upper
right corner of the instrument cluster, to the right of
the speedometer. The engine coolant temperature
gauge consists of a movable gauge needle or pointer
controlled by the instrument cluster circuitry and a
fixed 45 degree scale on the cluster overlay that
reads left-to-right from 120° C to 40° C for Canadian
vehicles, or from 250° F to 110° F for United States
vehicles. An International Control and Display Sym-
bol icon for “Engine Coolant Temperature” is located
on the cluster overlay, directly below the high end of
the scale. Just to the right of the icon, the nomencla-
ture “°C” or “°F” confirms the unit of measure for the
gauge readings.
The engine coolant temperature gauge graphics are
white against a black field, except for a single red
graduation at the far left (high) end of the gauge
scale, making them clearly visible within the instru-
ment cluster in daylight. When illuminated from
behind by the panel lamps dimmer controlled cluster
illumination lighting with the exterior lamps turned
On, the white graphics appear amber and the red
graphics appear red. The orange gauge needle is
internally illuminated. Gauge illumination is pro-
vided by Light Emitting Diode (LED) units soldered
onto the instrument cluster electronic circuit board.
The engine coolant temperature gauge is serviced as
a unit with the instrument cluster.
OPERATION
The engine coolant temperature gauge gives an
indication to the vehicle operator of the engine cool-
ant temperature. This gauge is controlled by the
instrument cluster circuit board based upon cluster
programming and electronic messages received by
the cluster from the Engine Control Module (ECM)
over the Controller Area Network (CAN) data bus.
The engine coolant temperature gauge is an air core
magnetic unit that receives battery current on the
instrument cluster electronic circuit board when the
instrument cluster detects that the ignition switch is
in the On position. The cluster is programmed to
move the gauge needle back to the low end of the
scale after the ignition switch is turned to the Off
position. The instrument cluster circuitry controls
the gauge needle position and provides the following
features:
• Engine Temperature Normal Message - Each
time the cluster receives a message from the ECM
indicating the engine coolant temperature is within
the normal operating range [up to about 120° C (250°
F), the gauge needle is moved to the actual relative
temperature position on the gauge scale.
• Engine Temperature High Message - Each
time the cluster receives a message from the ECM
indicating the engine coolant temperature is high
[above about 120° C (250° F) the gauge needle is
moved into the red warning zone on the gauge scale.
The ECM continually monitors the engine coolant
temperature sensor to determine the engine operat-
ing temperature. The ECM then sends the proper
engine coolant temperature messages to the instru-
ment cluster. If the instrument cluster moves the
engine coolant temperature gauge needle to red area
of the gauge scale, it may indicate that the engine or
the engine cooling system require service. For proper
diagnosis of the engine coolant temperature sensor,
the ECM, the CAN data bus, the electronic message
inputs to the instrument cluster, or the instrument
cluster circuitry that controls the engine coolant tem-
perature gauge, a DRBIIIt scan tool is required.
Refer to the appropriate diagnostic information.
FUEL FILTER CLOGGED
INDICATOR
DESCRIPTION
A fuel filter clogged indicator is standard equip-
ment on all instrument clusters. The fuel filter
clogged indicator is located near the left edge of the
instrument cluster, next to the tachometer. The fuel
filter clogged indicator consists of the International
Control and Display Symbol icon for “Fuel Filter”
imprinted within a rectangular cutout in the opaque
layer of the instrument cluster overlay. The dark
outer layer of the overlay prevents the indicator from
being clearly visible when it is not illuminated. An
amber Light Emitting Diode (LED) behind the cutout
in the opaque layer of the overlay causes the icon to
appear silhouetted against an amber field through
the translucent outer layer of the overlay when the
indicator is illuminated from behind by the LED,
which is soldered onto the instrument cluster elec-
tronic circuit board. The fuel filter clogged indicator
is serviced as a unit with the instrument cluster.
OPERATION
The fuel filter clogged indicator gives an indication
to the vehicle operator when the pressure in the fuel
system is low, which could indicate that the fuel filter
is clogged. This indicator is controlled by a transistor
on the instrument cluster circuit board based upon
cluster programming and electronic messages
received by the cluster from the Engine Control Mod-
VA INSTRUMENT CLUSTER 8J - 15
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