Outside Temperature inaccuracy

[smashweights]

You all must have driven some accurate thermometer cars in the past. I don't recall ever driving a car that was spot on especially on start up. My '09 Legacy would read like 105 when it was in the high 80s outside and in the sun, same for me wife's old Impala, my old Jetta, and my new Ram. Unless the temp probe is suspended in air, it's going to be affected by radiant heat from nearby material and that includes the hot black plastic housing it's in. It impacts the climate control in that if it's hot out and reading higher then it's more likely to run the vented seats, which is fine by me. Same goes for reading too cold, it'll run the heated seats more often.

 

[MJP]

You all must have driven some accurate thermometer cars in the past. I don't recall ever driving a car that was spot on especially on start up. My '09 Legacy would read like 105 when it was in the high 80s outside and in the sun, same for me wife's old Impala, my old Jetta, and my new Ram. Unless the temp probe is suspended in air, it's going to be affected by radiant heat from nearby material and that includes the hot black plastic housing it's in. It impacts the climate control in that if it's hot out and reading higher then it's more likely to run the vented seats, which is fine by me. Same goes for reading too cold, it'll run the heated seats more often.

My 3 other vehicles are very accurate and even when in direct sunlight are only a few degrees higher. My Limited has been off by over 10 degrees routinely.

 

[KNGSNK11]

Mine will read 112 sometimes higher sitting in the Houston sun for hrs, I did notice the temp wont change till your actually moving and I mean within a few miles. If I start my truck at lunch and go to the front gate of the plant I work at the temp barely falls, it starts to get closer the more I drive but just sitting there and idling the temp will stay the same.
It would be nice for the temp to read what that actual temp is on start up.

 

[MJP]

Mine will read 112 sometimes higher sitting in the Houston sun for hrs, I did notice the temp wont change till your actually moving and I mean within a few miles. If I start my truck at lunch and go to the front gate of the plant I work at the temp barely falls, it starts to get closer the more I drive but just sitting there and idling the temp will stay the same.
It would be nice for the temp to read what that actual temp is on start up.

Yeah it seems like such a simple thing to get right. I don’t understand how Ram screwed this one up.

 

[Rollint]

Yeah it seems like such a simple thing to get right. I don’t understand how Ram screwed this one up.

it was 90 degrees out today and my ambient temp sensor showed 64 degrees for for my entire 20 minute drive and didnt change either directions

 

[jeffauclair]

anyone tried that unplug sensor thing? Might give it a try. My sensor is also being lazy or stay at his last read temperature which affects the interior auto climate

 

[RunsWithBeer]

Forgive me but this sounds like a "first world problem".

 

[MJP]

it was 90 degrees out today and my ambient temp sensor showed 64 degrees for for my entire 20 minute drive and didnt change either directions
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That’s crazy.

 

[robber98]

Just curious, what is everyone basing the actual outside temperature on?

 

[Matt_T]

Has anyone who has had an inaccurate outside temperature reading been able to get it working correctly?

If so, what did the dealership do to correct it?

Thanks

Mine is always off 5-7 degrees if the truck has been sitting in the sun the temps could read as much as 20 off and take an unreasonable amount of time to get to the standard 5-7 off.

 

[jeffauclair]

it makes me laugh at a certain point because a freak** thermometer cost 3$ at any shop around and its always bang on and accurate. But our 80k (cnd) truck cannot do what a dollar store thermometer can.

 

[Neurobit]

Forgive me but this sounds like a "first world problem".

Except that the vehicle depends on it to set thresholds for AC and heating.
Apologize for expecting stuff to work as it’s supposed to...

 

[RunsWithBeer]

Except that the vehicle depends on it to set thresholds for AC and heating.
Apologize for expecting stuff to work as it’s supposed to...

Apologies. My truck has manual knobs for setting the environmental controls, so I wasn't thinking about automatic thermostats.
Still seems like a first world problem... but I understand that if you have those gizmos you have expectations for their functionality.

 

[tdager]

Forgive me but this sounds like a "first world problem".

Nothing to forgive, though I think a fair rebuttal is "I live in the first world, thus I deal with first world problems". Once I live in the 3rd world, or 2nd, I will deal with those problems.

 

[Rollint]

Forgive me but this sounds like a "first world problem".

these are first world trucks lol. people that pay $60k for a truck likely expect that the sensors actually work. I mean, an accurate instant read thermometer costs less than ten bucks, so not really an excuse here. I agree if it's off by 3 or 4 degrees, then whatever, but if it's off by 10, 20, or 30 degrees that actually has impacts on automatic features inside the vehicle

 

[Rollint]

Apologies. My truck has manual knobs for setting the environmental controls, so I wasn't thinking about automatic thermostats.
Still seems like a first world problem... but I understand that if you have those gizmos you have expectations for their functionality.

the impact is for things like auto-start...if its 80 degrees outside and you autostart it will automatically turn on the AC, but if the truck believes the outside temp is 50 degrees because of an error in the sensor then it won't turn on the AC and might even turn on the heater or heated seats.

 

[PowerJrod]

Mine is off 10 - 15 degrees most of the time. Sometimes it's spot on. Service tech said air must be flowing over it for it to adjust. I call ******** on that.

Nope...it's 100% true. Notice if you ever start your vehicle after it's been sitting in the heat, sensor says it's like 10-15 degrees hotter than what it is outside? It's the same concept of how your truck can feel hotter when you first get into it. The surrounding parts/steel is turning the area near the sensor into an oven. That's why it adjusts after about 3-5 minutes of driving. It goes off of the current air temp that's actually reaching the sensor. Hope this made sense lol.
If this wasn't true....why would the temp readings adjust at all when you start driving..? That wouldn't make sense.

 

[Raydar]

I get it. The temp sensor is in the mirror. Unless the truck is moving, it's going to read high, if it's been sitting in the sun.
My question is, Why? Why couldn't Ram put the stupid sensor behind the grill, out of the direct sunlight, where everyone else puts them?
If my truck had heated seats, and automatic A/C that was actually controlled by this madness, I'd be pizzed. As it is, (with my Bighorn) I can just look at it and go, "Really? Ummm... no", and crank the A/C down a couple of clicks.

Edit - This is not to minimize some of the complaints, above. Some of you have honest-to-god issues that need to be fixed. (60 degrees off? Yeah... no.)