Failing Thermometer
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,234
Likes: 355
From: Albuquerque, NM
The outside air temp (OAT) sensor is under the nose of the car, in the radiator air intake area. If you get under the front of the car and look on the passenger side of the air intake area you'll see a small rectangular black plastic box. It is mounted to the passenger side of the air intake area. The front and back of the box have a plastic sceen to let air flow through. You can see the OAT sensor in this box if you use a flashlight.
I've had a similar problem with the OAT "sticking" on one temp. I think I found a way to fix the problem. Due to its location the OAT sensor gets a lot of road grime on it, especially if you drive the car in rain. Mine seems to work fine after a good cleaning. I used cotton swabs soaked in clean water, and stuck them through the screen holes in the plastic box to clean the sensor. It's hard to see and hard to get to so it takes a bit of time and patience. Be sure to clean the front AND back of the sensor, and be gentle with it.
Cleaning the sensor seemed to fix the problem for me, and I'd be very interested in knowing whether this works for others as well. Try cleaning yours and please post back and let me know if it works.
I've had a similar problem with the OAT "sticking" on one temp. I think I found a way to fix the problem. Due to its location the OAT sensor gets a lot of road grime on it, especially if you drive the car in rain. Mine seems to work fine after a good cleaning. I used cotton swabs soaked in clean water, and stuck them through the screen holes in the plastic box to clean the sensor. It's hard to see and hard to get to so it takes a bit of time and patience. Be sure to clean the front AND back of the sensor, and be gentle with it.
Cleaning the sensor seemed to fix the problem for me, and I'd be very interested in knowing whether this works for others as well. Try cleaning yours and please post back and let me know if it works.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 208
Likes: 8
From: Austin TX
Originally Posted by BlackbirdZ07
The outside air temp (OAT) sensor is under the nose of the car, in the radiator air intake area. If you get under the front of the car and look on the passenger side of the air intake area you'll see a small rectangular black plastic box. It is mounted to the passenger side of the air intake area. The front and back of the box have a plastic sceen to let air flow through. You can see the OAT sensor in this box if you use a flashlight.
I've had a similar problem with the OAT "sticking" on one temp. I think I found a way to fix the problem. Due to its location the OAT sensor gets a lot of road grime on it, especially if you drive the car in rain. Mine seems to work fine after a good cleaning. I used cotton swabs soaked in clean water, and stuck them through the screen holes in the plastic box to clean the sensor. It's hard to see and hard to get to so it takes a bit of time and patience. Be sure to clean the front AND back of the sensor, and be gentle with it.
Cleaning the sensor seemed to fix the problem for me, and I'd be very interested in knowing whether this works for others as well. Try cleaning yours and please post back and let me know if it works.
I've had a similar problem with the OAT "sticking" on one temp. I think I found a way to fix the problem. Due to its location the OAT sensor gets a lot of road grime on it, especially if you drive the car in rain. Mine seems to work fine after a good cleaning. I used cotton swabs soaked in clean water, and stuck them through the screen holes in the plastic box to clean the sensor. It's hard to see and hard to get to so it takes a bit of time and patience. Be sure to clean the front AND back of the sensor, and be gentle with it.
Cleaning the sensor seemed to fix the problem for me, and I'd be very interested in knowing whether this works for others as well. Try cleaning yours and please post back and let me know if it works.
