Technical Temperature Sensor Issue

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Technical Temperature Sensor Issue

Joined
Jun 6, 2008
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Location
Cardiff
Hi all,

During the cold snap we had before Christmas 2010, my external temperature sensor was intermittently reporting wildly inaccurate readings. For example, one mild morning it reported -10, but then was apparently fine again for a few days. Then it reported -17!
I booked it in over Christmas to have it looked at, but there was 'no fault found'.

Now during the hot weather we've been having over easter, it's reporting anywhere between 0 and -22, and is occurring every day. I've managed to take some photos this time, and its booked in to be fixed at the end of the month.

Anyway, onto my question: Does anyone know if this temperature sensor has any bearing on any of the cars systems, or is it purely just to tell me how hot/cold it is outside?
 
Hi all,

During the cold snap we had before Christmas 2010, my external temperature sensor was intermittently reporting wildly inaccurate readings. For example, one mild morning it reported -10, but then was apparently fine again for a few days. Then it reported -17!
I booked it in over Christmas to have it looked at, but there was 'no fault found'.

Now during the hot weather we've been having over easter, it's reporting anywhere between 0 and -22, and is occurring every day. I've managed to take some photos this time, and its booked in to be fixed at the end of the month.

Anyway, onto my question: Does anyone know if this temperature sensor has any bearing on any of the cars systems, or is it purely just to tell me how hot/cold it is outside?

The only thing I can think of would be the air conditioning which won't turn on if it's too cold.
 
Where is the temperature sensor?

I know that some cars now use the induction temperature, rather than an old fashioned sensor on the car exterior. Input air temp can be used as part of the engine mapping to improve mixture ratios and therefore efficiency (but I have no idea if this is true on the 500).
 
aircon has a different sensor inside, between ASR and rear window heater buttons.

Whilst the models with climate control do have a sensor there, the aircon also uses an external sensor because it will not operate under a certain temperature if it's too cold. T will probably be able to confirm whether or not it's the one on the door mirror or elsewhere.
 
the aircon also uses an external sensor because it will not operate under a certain temperature if it's too cold.

This seems to be the case. It's got to the point where the car is almost always showing negative temperatures when I get in it now. The air con (climate control) blows and I can set the temperature, but it doesnt seem to be blowing as cold as I would normally expect. After a while, the temperature reading tends to fluctuate between negative and positive (about 6 degrees earlier today), and the air con started blowing very cold air at that point.

As long as its not damaging anything, I can live with it like that until it goes in for repair.
 
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