GAS CAP INDICATOR
DESCRIPTION
A gas cap indicator is standard equipment on all instrument clusters. However, on vehicles equipped with the optional diesel engine, this indicator is electronically disabled. The gas cap indication appears within the odometer Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD) unit. The gas cap indicator consists of a textual gascap message which appears in place of the odometer information in the odometer display.
The odometer VFD is soldered onto the cluster electronic circuit board, and is visible through a window with a smoked clear lens located on the lower edge of the tachometer gauge dial face of the cluster overlay. The dark lens over the VFD prevents it from being clearly visible when it is not illuminated. The gas cap textual message appears in the same blue-green color and at the same lighting level as the odometer information when it is illuminated by the instrument cluster electronic circuit board.
The gas cap indicator is serviced as a unit with the VFD in the instrument cluster.
OPERATION
The gas cap indicator gives an indication to the vehicle operator when there is a gross leak detected in the on-board fuel vapor recovery system. This indicator is controlled by the instrument cluster logic circuit based upon cluster programming and electronic messages received over the Controller Area Network (CAN) data bus from the Powertrain Control Module (PCM).
The gas cap indicator function of the odometer Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD) unit is completely controlled by the instrument cluster logic circuit, and that logic will only allow this indicator to operate when the instrument cluster receives a battery current input on the fused ignition switch output (run-start) circuit. Therefore, the odometer VFD gas cap indication will always be OFF when the ignition switch is in any position except ON or START. The instrument cluster will turn ON the gas cap indicator for the following reasons:
- Gas Cap Indicator Lamp-On Message - Each time the cluster receives an electronic gas cap indicator lamp-ON message from the PCM indicating there is a gross leak in the vapor recovery system, the gas cap indicator will be illuminated. The indicator remains illuminated until the cluster receives a lamp-OFF message from the PCM, or until the ignition switch is turned to the OFF position, whichever occurs first.
The PCM continually monitors the on board vapor recovery system to determine whether there are air leaks in the system. The PCM then sends the proper lamp-ON or lamp-OFF message to the ElectroMechanical Instrument Cluster (EMIC). If the EMIC turns ON the gas cap indicator due to a monitored gross leak in the vapor recovery system, it may indicate that the gas cap has been removed or is improperly installed.
For proper diagnosis of the on board vapor recovery system, the PCM, the EMIC, the CAN data bus or the electronic communication related to gas cap indicator operation a diagnostic scan tool is required. Refer to the appropriate diagnostic information.