VS trip computer

Does your mates car have big wheels or yours for that mater that could be altering the rolling diameter of the wheel changing the speedo reading. Maybe your mates is out and yours is correct?

 

Trip Computer Calibration

The level 3 cluster has a trip computer that can be calibrated.

There are three calibrations, one for distance, one for fuel quantity and one for fuel usgae. The available range of calibration is + or - 20%.

The distance calibration does not affect the odometer, only the tripmeter. I suggest that you compare the tripmeter versus the odometer. If they agree, then you have an error that can only be fixed by an instrument specialist.

If they do not agree (which I would suggest is very likely), then a calibration of the distance could resolve the problem.

The standard tank is supposedly 59 litres, but it is the same as the earlier 63 litre models. The lower quantity allows for refuelling to the first click, as recommended by Holden. (In fact I think it is actually 63.6 litres, or 14 gallons).

There was also a long range tank of 73 lites (80 litres absolutely full), which was fitted as standard to some models, and available as an option on others. You could have the bigger tank. Have you ever put in more than 60-odd litres?

If you need to recalibrate, PM me and I will explain.

 

The factors involved.

While wheel/trye combinations have an effect, bigger wheels usually have lower profile tyres, which tends to largely negate the effect of the bigger wheels on rolling diameter.

I suspect that a previous owner has re-calibrated the trip computer to minimise the distance readings, perhaps erroneously thinking that this would affect the odometer reading over time. The 20% difference between you and your mate equates to the maximum calibration range of the trip computer distance readout.

If you record your odometer and tripmeter reading as the odometer clicks over a Km, any difference, especially 20%, will be quickly evident. I expect the most likely result will be a 20% discrepancy between the odometer and trip eter.

 

Trip Computer Calibration

I believe the calibration process is explained in the VR Calais/Berlina Owners Manual, but has been deleted from the VS one.

There are three calibration figures, distance, fuel flow and fuel tank quantity.

The calibration windows are entered by holding the "SET" button with the ignition on. Each calibration window corresponds to a different set of trip computer displays.

The distance calibration is selected from the set of windows containing the tripmeter distance from memory.

The default setting is 625, with a range of 497 to 752 available.

Keep holding the "SET" button in, and use the up or down buttons to adjust the setting back to 625. I am sure that it will be way out.

You can fine tune the setting against say the five Km odometer checking posts by applying a percentage adjustment.

You can also get the fuel usage very accurate with the calibration process, and get more accurate results from the distance to empty.

Let us know how you go.

Cheers

 

I had the same problem in my statesman with my trip computer reading fast.

10km's travel on the odometer was 12km's on the trip.
This ment that over a 100km's it was actually showing 120km's on the trip computer and so on. Over a 500km trip it was telling me i had done 600km's.

No wonder fuel economy seemed to be awesome regardless of how i drove it.

I can't recall what my setting number was before i changed it,
but it is now on 625.

I went to holden but they wouldn't tell me the code number, but suggested i book the car in to be looked at by a technition! Like hell.
I have better things to spend my money on.
I cross referenced mine with a mates VS Series II Berlina,
and another VS Series 1 Statesman i found in a car yard.

Another quick check on the highway and its now reading correct.

Hope this is of some help to you.

 

My Settings

I have calibrated my trip computer, and ended up with the following settings:

Distance: 625, though it got to 630 towards the end of the last set of tyres as the rolling diameter reduced with wear.

Fuel: 645, as it was giving pessimistic fuel consumption figures.

Tank quantity: I have set it at 0.0, though I have thought of setting +3.0. The tank quantity full to the brim I believe is 14 gallons (63.6 litres). The VR and earlier were listed as 63 litres, and the VS as 59. However, it was the same fuel tank, and the change was made to discourage trickle filling and to accept stopping refuel at the first click on the bowser.

I am going to install a long range tank when I get the chance (it's been sitting in the shed for about 3 months so far), and then calibrate the trip computer to show empty with about 1 litre in it.

Calibration of the trip computer is best done over an extended period. Keep records of fuel added and fuel used (from the trip computer) for a few thousand Km, and then apply a pro rata correction to the calibration number.

 

What settings are best settings?

What settings are best? What are the default settings?. What do the settings mean?
My Fuel Tank settings say 34.0L in the middle window and .0 CAL in the third window.
Does that mean how much fuel is left in tank? And to fill on empty?
My Distance setting says 625 CAL in the middle window.
My Fuel setting says 632 FLOCAL.
Being a VS I don't have any info on the Trip Computer settings, what do all these numbers mean? I'm confused! :b:

 

Trip Computer Settings

There are three settings available.

1) Distance calibration, for which the default in Australia is 625 (It is 1000 for the US market that still travels by miles).

2) Fuel calibration, for which the default in Australia is 625. That yours is set to 632 indicates that some one has been calibrating it. Check the computer litres used versus actual fuel added over an extended period to see if it is accurate.

3) Fuel quantity, for which the default in Australia is 0.0.

You can check the distance calibration was checking your trip meter against distance markers on the freeways. I vary mine with tyre wear, from 625 with new tyres to 630 with tyres nearing the end of their lives.

My fuel calibration is set to 645, as the default gave pessimistic results.

I have left my fuel quantity at 0.0, which indicates 62.8 L when the tank is trickle filled, i.e. about right.

The variations to the 625 default settings are linear percentage changes.

The 34.0 you refer to is the current fuel tank quantity according to your trip computer.

Hope that this helps.

 

Here is one way!

Using the default numbers (625, 625 and 0.0) will be reasonably close, unless you have played with wheels/tyres/diff ratios.

Some of us like it to be as accurate as possible. That means setting the best calibration number for your car.

In my case, I even change the distance calibration to allow for tyre wear over an extended period.

To set the distance calculation, reset the trip meter to zero and then cross check the trip meter reading with a 5 Km stretch on a Freeway (the distance check ones are best). If you really want to be accurate, stop the car abeam the 0 Km sign and reset the trip meter. Drive to the 5 Km sign and stop again abeam that sign. Record the trip computer distance. I think the formula to use is as follows:

Revised distance calibration number = 625 x trip meter distance / 5, i.e. if the trip meter over reads, you set a proportional higher number.

For the fuel usage (flow), it is harder to get an accurate benchmark. How do you fill the car to the exact same level each time. Therefore, an accurate calibration needs to be over a number of fills, probably somewhere between 300 and 500 litres. It would also help if the initial fill and final fill were at the same pump to about the same level - indicated on the trip computer calibration window.

Here the appropriate formula is as follows:

Revised fuel calibration number = 625 x trip computer litres used / actual litres used, i.e. if the car is using less litres than the trip computer implies, then you end up with a higher calibration number.

The 0.0 setting makes an adjustment to the tank quantity from the fuel sender unit for purposes of distance remaining. If you want to reset that, perhaps the best way is to drive around with 20 litres (known exactly) in the boot until the car runs out. Add the known quantity and adjust the 0.0 setting until the correct quantity is shown on the trip computer.

All cars are slightly different so there is no magic instant 100% accurate short cut. I guess you have to want accuracy so much that you will go to the trouble. Otherwise the factory defaults are normally not a long way out.

Hope this helps.