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Outside Air Temperature Display Not Working

13K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  jackpine 
#1 ·
Recently, I found that my ambient air temperature display was not working right. It would show -40 degrees (F) at startup and then would simply display three dashes (---). An internet search told me this was likely a failure in the air temperature sensor that is located UNDER (not inside) the bumper over on the passenger side. So, I ordered a new sensor for a little over $6.00, and when it came, I removed the bumper cover so I could replace it. You might wonder why I didn't simply take my car to the dealership for the repair, since it's still under warranty and the answer is that the dealership is over 70 miles away in Phoenix and I didn't want to make that trip for such a simple repair.

This is more than a minor display annoyance though. It seems to effect the climate control in the car - essentially turning the A/C off, probably because the BCM "thinks" that the outside air coming in is sub-zero. (Of course, here in Aridzona, it's still in the 80s).

Well, I found out that my OEM sensor is just fine, but one of the two wires leading to it was broken, so the sensor display was simply seeing an "open circuit". After studying the break, which also had some damage to the covering to that wire in two different places, I've come to the conclusion that the break was caused by a rodent chewing the wire there. I know this kind of damage would not be covered by the warranty, so my decision to repair it myself was justified. I've spliced in a short section of new wire and ti works again. Time to set out some rat traps!

I'm posting this for two reasons:
1. To let everyone know this failure is not limited to the sensor, but includes the wiring too.​
2. To let you all know it will effect the climate control in the car, which is a good reason to get it fixed.​

Hope this helps someone!

- Jack
 
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#5 ·
I've put a heavy wire screen around that particular wire, which they will not be able to chew through. However, there are more wire looms in this car than I think I've ever seen before. Don't know how I'd be able to protect them all, or even get at them, because they're so buried behind/under/within/etc. components. I Think I'm just going to have to be more intentional about setting rodent traps in the garage. I DO have the hood up in the garage, so the engine compartment is somewhat less inviting.

There's no way to seal the (detached) garage and I live up in the Ponderosa Pine forest in Arizona, so rodents are a fact of life. I typically get mice, rats and ground squirrels in there - they find it a comfortable place to overwinter.

- Jack
 
#6 ·
I can relate Jack. I once had a possum living (and traveling) under the headlight, in the space created by the radiator and the driver's wheel well. I had been noticing the presence of dry leaves and snail shells all over the engine bay and thought at first that it was a squirrel. Thankfully the critter didn't cause any damage and didn't return after my polite admonition.

I think you could use some tape to protect the accessible areas, and also set traps as another line of defense. There should be some sort of spray that would make the engine compartment uninviting. The deterrent tape is not cheap, but rodents have caused thousands of dollars in damages to dealerships so they had to come up with something.

Hope you get this sorted out soon.
 
#7 ·
I've got the Honda tape bookmarked. It's too bad I can't block off access to all the wiring like I did when I blocked access to the cabin air filter compartment in my 2013 Accord with hardware cloth. Thanks, Abe - so far, nothing like a possum!

- Jack
 
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