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outside temp is stuck at 62 - SOLVED

47K views 18 replies 14 participants last post by  Miker 
#1 ·
Just noticed toady that my AC was not acting correctly when I looked down and noticed that the car thought the outside temp was only 62 degrees. See photo, has any one else had this problem? I'm planning on swinging by the dealer in a couple of days.
 

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#2 ·
Have you tried a system reset? Go through all your settings in the iMid and write them down first so you can reprogram everything. I don't remember where the reset is, but it is in the imid somewhere. I had to do it when my clock disappeared on my nav screen. this may not address the temp though.

Another option to try would be to remove the negative battery cable for 30 seconds or so. I'd maybe try the battery thing first then go to the dealership if that doesn't work because it could be a bad sensor. Good luck.
 
#3 ·
Sorry, but what does the indicated outside temperature have to do with the a/c system? That reading from the outside sensor under the front bumper is not connected to the interior climate controls at all. It's purely an outside reference display for information only. For automatic climate control, the sensors for the interior cabin are up in the dash and front console.

And the outside sensor reading can be calibrated by the owner (page 92 in the 2015 sedan owners manual).
 
#5 · (Edited)
Sorry, but what does the indicated outside temperature have to do with the a/c system?
The Automatic climate control does use it. The A/C (and heating) system takes into account the outdoor temp and temp inside the car in deciding whether or not to use the compressor.

I installed the outside temp sensor in my 2007 Accord. In the process, I read up about it. It is incredibly complicated for what it is.

Models without automatic climate control, (thought it was 2007 EDIT: 2012 and older EX and below) don't have the outside temp sensor/display simply because manual climate control doesn't use it.

I'm not sure about the reset procedure or if it will help the OP. However, manually overriding the automatic climate control settings will at least get you A/C until the you get everything else fixed.
 
#4 ·
Sorry that I might be hijacking your thread a bit, OP. But I have never seen the outside temp display go over 99 degrees. Does it?

I don't live in a hot enough place to tell for sure.
 

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#8 ·
The AC system does take inputs from the outside air temperature according to the service docs. The first step is to look for trouble codes in the AC system, if there aren't than they test/replace the outside air temperature sensor.
 
#10 ·
The AC is strongly reduced if you have the Eco button on (if equipped). When the car interior is really warm I turn off the ECO until it cools down and then put it back on.

I thought their was a problem with the AC when I first used it on a hot day. Once I turned the ECO off the AC was more robust. The ECO button on my Equinox does not reduce the AC as rge ECO button does on the Accord
 
#13 ·
Ever wonder how the temperature display figures out the temperature?

Logic for Outside Temperature Display

Somewhere out there - is a more readable version, I couldn't find it.

Here is an example in simpler words: If you drive your car until it reaches operating temperature and shut the engine off, the outside temperature last displayed is saved. If you come back to your car and restart it, and the coolant temperature is still hot, it will display the temperature from when you shut the car off, if the outside sensor senses a temperature higher than it was when the car was shut off.
 
#14 ·
Check to make sure the harness on the sensor, which should be behind the grille, is secure. Usually it will default to a certain temp if the connector comes out. Start there.

Jay
 
#16 ·
Received the official answer from the dealer and yes it returned to normal the next morning when my coolant cooled below the 140 degree threshold. I was in city with very heavy traffic and I apparently never stayed above the speed of 19mph for more than the 30/60/90 second intervals.

At least everyone can see now what the logic is from the attached service news article.

Outside Temperature Indicator Logic Explained
Currently Applies To: ALL Models
The A/C, the solar blocking glass, and the heater do such a good job keeping the temperature of the passenger’s compartment at a comfortable level that it’s easy to lose track of just how hot or cold it really is outside. An outside temperature indicator in the gauge assembly gives you a reality check. But keep in mind, this indicator isn’t a laboratory-grade thermometer, and it might not show the same temperature as you’d see on signs or buildings with outside temp displays.
The outside air temperature sensor is mounted behind the middle of the front bumper. The gauge control module uses measurements from that sensor to display the outside air temperature.
Because of where the sensor is mounted, it may be affected by heat coming off the road, the engine, the radiator, or even the exhaust pipes from other vehicles. To minimize bogus readings, the gauge control module follows a certain logic. Here’s how that logic works:
When you turn the ignition switch to ON (II). . .
• If the engine coolant temperature is 139°F or lower, the indicator shows the current outside air temperature.
• If the engine coolant temperature is 140°F or higher, the indicator shows the temperature that was stored in memory when you turned the ignition switch to LOCK (0), no matter what the sensor behind the bumper currently measures.
The indicator doesn’t refresh until certain criteria are met:
• If the measured outside air temperature is more than the indicated temperature, the indicated temperature rises 1°F every minute once the vehicle reaches and maintains a speed of 19 mph or faster for at least 30 seconds. As long as the vehicle speed doesn’t drop below that, the indicator refreshes every 60 seconds until the two temperatures match. If the vehicle speed drops below 19 mph, the indicator doesn’t start to refresh again until the vehicle speed climbs to
19 mph or faster for more than 90 seconds.
• If the measured outside air temperature is less than the indicated temperature, the indicated temperature drops 1°F every 2 seconds until the two temperatures match, no matter what the vehicle speed is.
So here’s the bottom line: The outside temperature indicator seldom delivers readings in real time because of the many heat sources that could skew the indication.
 

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#19 ·
@RickBlaine please update title to - SOLVED

Thank you
 
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