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My OAT read 8 to 10 degrees warmer than it actually is. It's not a huge deal but I do like knowing the temperature, especially when it is near freezing.
Is there any way to calibrate the thermal sensor, or might there be an easy fix? Or is this just a thing with this year/model?
My OAT read 8 to 10 degrees warmer than it actually is. It's not a huge deal but I do like knowing the temperature, especially when it is near freezing.
Is there any way to calibrate the thermal sensor, or might there be an easy fix? Or is this just a thing with this year/model?
Isn’t the ambient air temp sensor still installed in the front bumper?
If so, the reading will be off due to the higher temp of the road surface…
So, this air temp gauge has a sensor that is very low in the front grille. Mine is in the lefthand corner of the bottom center grill and measures 9 inches from the ground. The air temp reading is what I call one of the "lazy gauges", others in the car like the trans fluid temp gauge do the same. It is designed NOT to read instantaneous changes in air temp, instead it "accumulates" instant changes, then reads out periodically. If it did report instantly, the temp readout would almost take on a flash as the temps around the sensor change because of certain driving conditions; but also, with the sensor so close to the pavement, in the hot summer, the readout would look crazy in stop/go traffic in July.
Keep in mind the intended purpose of the air temp info to the driver. It occurs at the other end of the spectrum, when temps are cold, very cold, and when the street temp is reaching the freezing point. This is the entire point of the outside air temp readout to the driver and is why these sensors are always found as low as possible in the front grill. Here it is really important the sensor is close to the street surface, the closer the better as in all cases, the ambient air temp varies in layers always coldest in the lowest layer except where high heat radiates off the pavement where the sensor is. Every car I've owned with an ambient air temp is/was designed to warn me at about 37*F that the street surface could possibly be icing. At the higher end of the spectrum, the readout has less value...maybe to the tracked car it is helpful.
In Scottsdale where I live, and in June/July, I can see air temp readouts on my dash at 120*F, when the given air temps are not nearly that high, but I'll only see that if I am standing still in traffic and the sensor is reading the heat radiating off the hot pavement (long traffic light; stop/go crawls; stopped at a train crossing at high noon). Otherwise, BECAUSE of the "lazy gauge" design, once I get out of the garage ambient air temps, the readout will eventually rise to somewhat match the real outside air temps, but only really when I am in constant motion such as driving on the highway.
Last edited by Acta_Non_Verba; Jul 12, 2022 at 05:47 PM.
So, this air temp gauge has a sensor that is very low in the front grille. Mine is in the lefthand corner of the bottom center grill and measures 9 inches from the ground. The air temp reading is what I call one of the "lazy gauges", others in the car like the trans fluid temp gauge do the same. It is designed NOT to read instantaneous changes in air temp, instead it "accumulates" instant changes, then reads out periodically. If it did that, the temp readout would almost take on a flash as the temps around the sensor change because of certain driving conditions; but also, with the sensor so close to the pavement, in the hot summer, the readout would look crazy in stop/go traffic in July.
Keep in mind the intended purpose of the air temp info to the driver. It occurs at the other end of the spectrum, when temps are cold, very cold, and when the street temp is reaching the freezing point. This is the entire point of the outside air temp readout to the driver and is why these sensors are always found as low as possible in the front grill. Here it is really important the sensor is close to the street surface, the closer the better as in all cases, the ambient air temp varies in layers always coldest in the lowest layer except where high heat radiates off the pavement where the sensor is. Every car I've owned with an ambient air temp is/was designed to warn me at about 37*F that the street surface could possibly be icing. At the higher end of the spectrum, the readout has less value...maybe to the tracked car it is helpful.
In Scottsdale where I live, and in June/July, I can see air temp readouts on my dash at 120*F, when the given air temps are not nearly that high, but I'll only see that if I am standing still in traffic and the sensor is reading the heat radiating off the hot pavement (long traffic light; stop/go crawls; stopped at a train crossing at high noon). Otherwise, BECAUSE of the "lazy gauge" design, once I get out of the garage ambient air temps, the readout will eventually rise to somewhat match the real outside air temps, but only really when I am in constant motion such as driving on the highway.
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