Communications Network: Notes

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2010 Lincoln Town Car. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

Vehicle communication utilizes a high speed controller area network (HS-CAN), International Standards Organization (ISO) 9141 network and standard corporate protocol (SCP) network. Information is sent to and from individual control modules that each control specific functions. All 3 networks are connected to the data link connector (DLC). The DLC can be found under the instrument panel between the steering column and the audio control module (ACM).

The 3 module communication networks are:

ISO 9141
Standard corporate protocol (SCP)
High speed (HS) CAN

ISO 9141 is for diagnostic use only, while SCP and HS-CAN allow multiple modules to communicate, or transfer data, with each other on a common network. HS-CAN is used for module to module communication, as well as diagnostics. The HS-CAN enables each module to share information with any module on the same network. Any module that is directly wired to a sensor may broadcast its data using a network message to any module requiring that information on the network.

Fig 1: Network Topology

Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

Module Name	Network Type	Termination Module
ABS module	HS-CAN	Yes
Driver door module (DDM)	SCP	N/A
Driver seat module (DSM) (if equipped)	SCP	N/A
HVAC module	SCP	N/A
Instrument cluster (IC) (gateway module)	HS-CAN SCP	Yes N/A
Lighting control module (LCM)	SCP	N/A
Liftgate/trunk module (LTM) (if equipped)	ISO 9141	N/A
Parking aid module (PAM) (if equipped)	ISO 9141	N/A
PCM	HS-CAN	No
Rear audio and temperature control (RATC) module (rear audio controls) (if equipped)	SCP	N/A
Restraints control module (RCM)	ISO 9141	N/A
Vehicle dynamics module (VDM)	HS-CAN	No