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Temperature display accuracy?

3K views 11 replies 9 participants last post by  calibered 
#1 ·
My temperature dash display is anything but accurate. It seems to have a mind of its own. Last week I drove 1/2 hour to work and it read 72 degrees the entire time. It was about 85 out. Today on the way home it started out saying 108 and increased to 113. It was 105 out. Sometimes it seems to stick saying the same temperature for an hour when I know the temperature is climbing or falling considerably. I have a calibrated very accurate thermometer for comparison to outside temp.
 
#2 ·
Mine was off by a couple of degrees but nothing different than any other vechicle I've had with outside temp guages.
 
#3 ·
Happy to report that mine is bang on, whenever a radio station calls out the temps in the city my caliber is always right on the money.
 
#4 ·
I wonder if being in Phoenix causes mine to have a 5 to 10 degree error. It is over 100 degrees here. That means the pavement temp is around 120-130. Maybe the temp sensor is effected by all that heat coming off the pavement. It reads about high most of the time.
 
#6 ·
superbang said:
does anyone know where the temperature sensor is located and whether or not it's affected by the colour of your car? i figure if the sensor is close to the body of the car and if the car is black, it'd be hotter than a white car...
Most cars, the temperature probe is located in or near the grill, to get air passing from the outside of the car, at standstill, the probe does pick up engine heat and that can change the temp when you aren't moving.
 
#7 ·
Most car thermometers are in bad positions to get reliable readings. In hot temps they will almost always be hotter than real life. As ejfb mentioned, you need air flow to aspirate the thermometer to get a halfway decent temp. All bets are off when the car is standing still. Another factor is the color of your paint. In my black SXT, I was getting temps 5-7 hotter than real life (Trust me... I didn't want the 105 it was measuring to be real!)
 
#8 ·
Huff said:
Maybe the temp sensor is effected by all that heat coming off the pavement.
That's the exact problem in the valley. Speaking of the valley, where are you at? I'm looking at renting a house in Queen Creek.
 
#9 ·
RobMR3 said:
That's the exact problem in the valley. Speaking of the valley, where are you at? I'm looking at renting a house in Queen Creek.
I'm in far north Phoenix up near loop 101 and I-17. Queen Creek is way out there! Hope your commute isn't bad.
 
#10 ·
Straight up I-10 if I get the job.
 
#11 ·
My temp is usually about 2 degrees off, no biggie for me, sometimes it takes a while to adjust. I am surprised it is even there in a base model, so I am happy.
 
#12 ·
Mine acts like it is stuck sometimes. This can usually be cured by turning the engine off and take the key all the way out and reinsert it, then restart the car. I strongly advise you to do this at a red light and not while you are rolling down the road.
 
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