CONTROL METHOD AND CONTROL DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE FOR VEHICLE

A control device and method controls a vehicle having an internal combustion engine connected to an automatic transmission via a torque converter with a lockup device. The torque of the internal combustion engine is limited the by a torque limit value based on a speed difference between an input rotational speed and an output rotational speed of the torque converter during acceleration in a non-lockup state. The torque-limiting of the internal combustion engine is prohibited torque-limiting upon a prescribed condition being met. The prescribed condition is met by a heating request, during hill climbing/towing, during travel at high vehicle speeds, when the accelerator pedal opening angle exceeds or is equal to a prescribed opening angle, when the torque limit value is greater than a target torque, in a range other than a D range, or in a mode other than normal mode.