Tripminder Self-Test

[pro-five-oh]

Though I have always used this self test feature when I check out a Mark or Continental, I have yet to find any errors. Still this is a good check for anyone buying a Mark VII...it could be a good way to see if the wiring in the car was screwed up...

For those of you who don't have an owner's manual for your Mark VII, check this out. If you do have one, look at pg. 93 and recite after me: http://www.lincolnsonline.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

THE SELF TEST FEATURE!

1. Push clock and miles/km button at the same time. Display should show "00:00 TIME 1" and counts from 00:00 to 99:99.

2. Push the ALARM button. You will see ".0 FLOW 2" and the number will vary between 0 and 25.5...depending on how much gas is in the tank. Yes, actual GALLONS!

3. Push E/TIME. You will see ".0 FUEL 3". The number will vary between 0 and 25.5...depending on how much gas is in the tank.

4. Push ETA. You will see a number changing between 0 and 25.5 while the car is moving.

5. Push DEST. You will see a number between 0 and 1.0 and "DIST 4" with headlamps off. This checks the headlamp wiring. Turn on the headlamps and the number will vary from 9.0 to 25.5.

6. Push DIST. You'll get "66:66 NNNNNN" if the Tripminder is working correctly.

7. Push AV SPD. You'll get "777.7 ZZZZZZ" if the Tripminder is working correctly.

8. Push F/ECON. You'll get "8888 ++++++" if the Tripminder is working correctly.

9. Push DTE. You'll get "777.7 ZZZZZZ" if the Tripminder is working correctly.

10. Push SET. You'll get a tone, the message "CTM", and the number "7" or less on the screen.

11. Push Miles/Km. You'll get "66:66 NNNNNN" OR "CCCC FLOW S" if the Tripminder is working correctly.

12. Push RESET. You are back to the main menu for your little dashboard marvel.

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pro-five-oh http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/street/3545/cougarview.jpg
88 Cougar XR-7 5.0 HO
15.0@93mph, 3740lbs
83 Continental 5.0 LO
My Mark VII Page (http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/street/3545/mark.html)

[Michael VII LSC/SE]

Great lesson I don't think I read that far Pro 5.0. Hope you might be able to help. The first problem was the low fuel warning coming on with fuel aplenty. Then back to normal after a few restarts or toppin fuel off. One extremely cold morning (About 10 to 20) I started the car and got a constant alarm and nothing worked. I finally pulled the fuse. Tried the fuse a few more times same alarm. Finally lost the fuse. I miss my button toys. Any ideas?

[pro-five-oh]

Michael,

Well the first thing to do is to put that fuse back in! http://www.lincolnsonline.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

I have the manual for my Continental, and though the procedure is PROBABLY the same I can't be sure. Now that I added the disclaimer, here goes:

You need to run through the other functions of the tripminder and make sure that everything besides the low fuel warning still works. If DTE function is NOT reasonable with the level of fuel from your gas gauge, the Tripminder itself is probably bad...

Then, do test #3. Check to see if the number on the computer (gallons in tank) corresponds with the fuel gauge. Do this right after you fill the tank so you know that you have 22+ gallons in the tank.

According to my manual, if you don't get a display, the Tripminder is bad. If the value does not correspond with the fuel level you are gonna have to check the wiring harness. If the value is right..well let me just see what you get.

From here, the manual needs more input from you. I'll stop here and you can tell me if this actually helped you with the problem. If not, that means my book is useless in Mark VIIs. (let's hope not!)

Good luck!

[This message has been edited by pro-five-oh (edited April 08, 2001).]

[Michael VII LSC/SE]

Your response gave me some hope so I located a fuse, reinstalled it and turned on the ignition. The screen on the tripminder remained blank and that constant high pitched whine-hum noise greeted me. I read my manual and found nothing for a blank screen or whine. I would expect it is dead and needs replacing. Any suggestions? Hoped there might be some trick to reincarnate it.

[pro-five-oh]

The screen on the tripminder remained blank and that constant high pitched whine-hum noise

Eh, sounds like your Tripminder is toast! Something like that happened to my 1991 Mark, but it was under warranty so they replaced the "Tripminder display." I really don't know how to get just the display, but you certainly need a new one. I bet yours shorted itself out. I also heard that the trunk pull down feature is on the same circuit, because ours failed at the same time as the computer!

Other than that, the Tripminder is totally self contained. Just get another tripminder unit from a junkyard and buy the warranty...should be less than $30...you can probably grab one from a 1984-87 Continental or 1984-89 Mark too and just re-use your angled buttons.

This SHOULD cure it! Good luck!!! http://www.lincolnsonline.com/ubb/wink.gif

[sotexlscman]

I did the self test on my '90 LSC and everything tested ok. Has anyone had a problem with starting the car and the Tripminder sometimes displays DTE 01 and beeps until you hit the clock button twice??? It doesn't always do it, but it
does about half the time.

What a cool ride I just bought!!!

[JustinMarkVII]

That means your gas tank is amlost empty and the car is alerting you..

[sotexlscman]

The tank is full. Does that mean the computer is beginning to fail?

[sotexlscman]

I have a correction to my last entry. When I first enter the car, the time and date are correctly displayed on the Tripminder. Then after a few seconds the Tripminder shows...

0
DTE MI

Then it will show the actual mileage left on the DTE, for instance 208. When I start the car, it then goes back to

0
DTE MI

and starts beeping until I press the clock button twice. Any suggestions???

[90LSCdrvr]

Either the sending unit is on it's wayout, or you have a bad ground back by the tank somewhere.

[Lost Boy]

Does any one know where that ground is for the 90 LSC?

thanks

[pro-five-oh]

Guys,

I'll look up these conditions in my shop manual a bit later...right now all my stuff is in boxes ready to go to my new house!

Later!
pro5