KADE

Just recently my temp reading has been starting to count downward as soon as I turn on my car. This morning it was around 46F and started to count down until it stopped around -6 degrees? weird! Anyway idea of what this may be? Shot sensor?

JimPurdy

It sounds like the external temperature sensor has been broken. This is easy to replace. The sensor is mounted in a hole in the black plastic panel next to the driver's side fog light. The sensor is plugged into a cable at the back of the panel.

Musikmann

The opposite happened to me. On a cold morning, the outside temp reading was believeable. I drove about 4 blocks, turned the car off to run into a place for a mug of coffee, and when I started the car again it had shot up about 30 degrees. I got on the interstate and it worked it's way back down over the next 20 miles. I mentioned it to the dealer (I was on the way there at the time) and they could not replicate it. The tech said worse case was to replace the sensor.

KADE

Any how to intructions for this? Is that piece next to the fog light easy to remove, to check connection?

ProV1

the sensor is cheap, like $15. if you have small hands, u can open the flap for driver's side foglight and replace it through the hole.

i have the same problem in my E55, it reads 70-79 when it's 35 outside. one time i cleaned the socket and the problem went away for a few days, this time i'll just replace the sensor.

JimPurdy

If you can't get your hands into the cavity, you can press the bottom of the black plastic panel with a screwdriver through the flap to pop it out. The sensor can then easily be unplugged from the cable and replaced. The sensor snaps into the panel from the back and the panel snaps back into place by placing the top into the groove and pushing on the bottom of the panel.

KADE

Thanks JimPurdy,ProV1, and musikmann . Now its back to normal today, I don't know if its because I washed all the salt and dirt off of my car yesterday But if it acts up again, I will try to check connection or just replace senser, since the part isn't expensive.

Racin_fool

One other thing you guys need to make sure of is that the sensor is in the proper position. Sometimes these things get knocked out of the front bumper and dangle between the engine belly pan and the radiator and give all sorts of weird readings. Usually when this happens, it will be normal when you are driving but when you come to a stop and idle for a few minutes like it traffic you can see it jump up maybe 30-40 degrees in a few minutes with no airflow..

KADE

Okay now the thing is stuck at around 37 degrees; So I guess I'm going to have to replace the part. Do you guys know if the part is plugs-in play or is there any special instruction to install?

JimPurdy

My sensor was plug & play. Unplug the old one from the end of the cable and replace it with the new one.

KADE

Now I just need a lift to get under the damn car, probably just take it to my indie and let him put it in. Thanks again JimPurdy and everyone