Inaccurate outside temperature display

[hushypushy]

Originally Posted by reeves

There's a temperature gauge somewhere on our car..?

Not only does it tell you the coolant temperature...it tells you the outside air temperature too! (I'm not sure if you're serious)

Press the DISP button until you see it.



edit: on a thread-related note, my thermometer seems to work very well. No complaints here. When I get in the car after work, the car is parked in the shade and it tells me the right temp (well, it seems right. I've never cross-checked with another thermometer). There is a cold, shaded road I drive on before the highway, and the temp display duly shows the temp going down when I drive there, then going back up a couple degrees when I get to the highway.

[LeeMaster]

Originally Posted by WolfpackS2k

^that leads me to believe this is something wrong and should be looked at by the dealership.

Please dont, they're just going to laugh at you. If you want be to be hard on them and they have another BRZ/FRS in the lot, they will make the comparison and tell you that your car is either too hot or their car is too cold that could fluctuate the temperature readings. They will not do anything to fix it so long as it is within the range of temperature readings.

Obviously, if you live in a 90 degree weather and it is reading 50 degree then I would have them look at it. If not, why even bother wasting your time.

[BRZnut]

I noticed that since it has gotten hot outside mine is almost 10 degrees off and takes forever to come down when driving after sitting in the sun. It seemed more accurate in the winter

[Clembo]

The ones in earlier Toyotas and Lexus were much more accurate, even when the car was sitting. Very important when driving at or near freezing temps in bad winter weather and I relied on them to help keep me safe. They have cheapened them up since and I don't trust them now - my new Corolla's is exactly the same as in the FR-S - close but no cigar.

[CaptainSlow]

I've never run into a situation where having the outside temperature indicator be slightly inaccurate has affected my life in any way...not even slightly.

[whaap]

I wouldn't even trust an accurate temperature gauge to influence my driving. It might show you that it's a little above freezing outside and if you allow yourself to think that means you don't have to worry about ice on the road you could be in big trouble. When you go around the corner and that part of the road that is in the shade of those large trees might still have some black ice on it. Instead of trusting the gauge, learn to trust your instincts and your common sense.

[WolfpackS2k]

^I agree, definitely need to be careful and use common sense when there's any sort of precip on the roads in the wintertime.

Originally Posted by CaptainSlow

I've never run into a situation where having the outside temperature indicator be slightly inaccurate has affected my life in any way...not even slightly.

There's no need to be a jerk here. Something on the car isn't working properly. The autodown feature for the passenger window on most people's car doesn't work properly either (mine included). Will it affect MY LIFE? No, it won't. Does the fuel pump chirping impact my life? No, it doesn't. But if you spend your hard earned money on a brand new car with a warranty you want everything to work correctly.

Would I make a trip to the dealership just so they can look at the temp gauge? No, I wouldn't. But when I go back for other items I will have them look into it.

[7thgear]

[deucethemoose]

Originally Posted by WolfpackS2k

I've become quite frustrated with this reading. I've noticed two things about the exterior temperature display:
-it takes forever to level out after being somewhere hot (like in a garage or parked in the sun)
-it never displays the correct temperature. It always reads 5-7 degrees too high.

Has anyone else had problems like this? I'm wondering if my temperature sensor needs to be recalibrated/replaced or is the sensor just located in a really crappy location where its readings are corrupted by artificial heat sources.

Any info on this would be appreciated. (I did a topic search but nothing came up).

First. World. Problems.

[retoocs]

Your car thermometer isn't in a white wooden box (Stevenson screen) sitting 1-2m over grass.

The thermistor is located between the horn and the radiator. It will always be warmer than the weather report since you aren't taking the air temperature without other influences such as the ground. The air temp near asphalt will always be higher than the weather report.

[7thgear]

your car is definitely a lemon,

return it now

[WolfpackS2k]

Originally Posted by retoocs

Your car thermometer isn't in a white wooden box (Stevenson screen) sitting 1-2m over grass.

The thermistor is located between the horn and the radiator. It will always be warmer than the weather report since you aren't taking the air temperature without other influences such as the ground. The air temp near asphalt will always be higher than the weather report.

I've already stated that my previous car's outdoor temp sensor didn't suffer these inaccuracies. In fact neither does any other vehicle (such equipped) that I've ever been in/driven. I'm fully aware of the facts. But clearly other automakers do a better job with this, from the evidence presented.

^^^I would say any minor issue at all with a brand new car is a FWP

[Dezoris]

As mentioned the sensor is connected to a clip on the radiator/condenser.
So until you get moving its going to read whatever heat or cold is trapped in that area.

I just mounted one of these on the hood of my car with suction cups.

[Razz]

Funny, my two new cars are only off by two degrees.

And that's by the radio station so mine are are pretty accurate.

I even compared one of my cars consistently with a thermometer in and outside the car. Still only off by two degrees max.