PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To set a slip lockup region contributing to improvement in fuel economy more widely while fully securing the lifetime of a lockup clutch by easily judging the lifetime of the lockup clutch in a method and an apparatus for judging the lifetime of the lockup clutch to be mouted to a torque converter in a vehicle, or the like, is equipped with.;SOLUTION: The slip lockup region of the lockup clutch is tentatively set by an inputting means 1, and a virtual map in the slip lockup region is created by a virtual map creation means 4. Then, actual drive data stored at a storage means 3 are referred to, a frequency for using the slip lockup region of the virtual map is estimated by a use frequency estimation means 5. Based on the frequency, the amount of wear in the lockup clutch is estimated by an amount-of-wear estimation means 6. After that, the lifetime of the lockup clutch is judged by a lifetime judging means 7, based on the amount of wear, and the judgment result is displayed by a display means 2.;COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI
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