Duty Cycle
Duty cycle is the percentage of time a pulsed signal is switched on during each cycle.
What is Duty Cycle?
Control units use it to drive solenoids, fans and valves. A higher duty cycle means more average power. Scan tools often display it in live data. Examples are the EGR valve, the fuel pump control in some cars, cooling fans and the turbo actuator. If the commanded duty cycle is high but the component does not respond, the fault may be in the wiring or the part itself.
How it works
Switching a component on and off quickly controls its average power.
Why it matters for your car
Comparing commanded and actual values helps diagnosis. An oscilloscope shows the signal shape.
Other terms
- Badge (Emblem)
- Balance Shaft
- Body Control Module (BCM)
- Carbon Fibre Body Parts
- Chip Tuning (Engine Remapping)
- Coil-on-plug Ignition
- Dielectric Grease
- Engine Number
- Engine Valve
- Goodwill Repair
- Halogen Bulb
- High-pressure Fuel Pump
- Ignition Advance
- Launch Control
- Power Tailgate (Electric Boot Lid)
- Public Charging
- Secondary Air Injection
- Synchromesh (Synchroniser)
- Telematics Control Unit
- Wiring Diagram (Circuit Diagram)