Control apparatus for vehicle

A control apparatus for a vehicle that includes (i) an engine, (ii) drive wheels, (iii) a fluid transmission device provided in a power transmission path between the engine and the drive wheels and configured to perform a power transmission for transmitting a power of the engine from an input member of the fluid transmission device to an output member of the fluid transmission device and (iv) a direct clutch configured to connect between the input member and the output member of the fluid transmission device,

• the control apparatus comprising:
• a state determiner configured to determine whether there is a possibility of occurrence of a lost drive state in which performance of the power transmission in the fluid transmission device is reduced;
• a reduction suppressing controller configured, when it is determined that there is the possibility of the occurrence of the lost drive state, to suppress reduction of the performance of the power transmission in the fluid transmission device, by controlling the direct clutch, which is in a released state when the vehicle is stopped, to switch the direct clutch from the released state to an engaged state upon start of running of the vehicle;
• and
• a limit value setter configured to set an upper limit value of a rotational speed of the engine, such that the upper limit value is lower when it is determined that there is the possibility of the occurrence of the lost drive state, than when it is determined that there is no possibility of the occurrence of the lost drive state.