I have had my car for 1 1/2 years. I never knew I had GPS-linked Temperature Control. I guess living in sunny Seattle where 80 is HOT, I never had a need for it. Sounds like I need to take a road trip.

 

Do all RLs have this or only certain years???

 

All 2nd Gen RLs have it...kinda ridiculous if you ask me...over-engineering at it's best....I'd rather have something usefull...like auto-fold mirrors.

 

Agreed on the mirrors.

What do you mean GPS-linked temp control?

 

Heating and air conditioning systems are also tied into a solar sensor and GPS positioning so that cabin temperature remains constant in a mixed sun and shade situation. Based on sun position and cabin orientation, additional cooling air can be automatically added to the sunny side of the car to keep that occupant comfortable while not freezing out the occupant on the shady side.

 

Agreed! Or cool-vented seats in the 05-08 models.

 

Unless the mandatory state inspection sticker is placed in the prescribe area on the windshield so as to block the solar sensor just when you need it to start working as advertised!

 

^Haha! Finally a win or us in CA! We have the registration tags on the plates, not windshields.

 

Solar sensor? I read the the GPS determines where you are and are headed in relation to the sun, and then it adjusts the controls.

 

GPS does not know if it is sunny or cloudy.
That said, temperature control in my RL has never worked well. I have to change setting in morning and at night. It seems to be too dependent on outside temp versus inside temp.

 

Where is the solar sensor? My tags are on the driver's side of the windshield. I thought the only sensors are in the middle.

 

I don't know for sure, but I always assumed the sensor in the middle on dash next to windshield is the solar sensor.

 

That's what I was thinking and my only reason for questioning was, what state puts their sticker in the middle? That could also jack up the night/day detection.

 

My state has the sticker dead center under the mirror. I also have a toll transponder close to the center of the windshield. i don't notice any issues with temp fluctuations.

 

It makes sense

After all one side of the car may be getting more sun, necessitating more cool air on that side. I'd rather not have to fiddle with the temperature control. Besides, it keeps my wife happy.

And folding mirrors, I've never had to use them, not to mention needing a button to do it.

 

Our stickers are in the bottom left so cops can check them upon walking up. I was thinking they may be at the bottom of the middle which could interfere with the solar sensor. I am assuming now that the solar sensor also controls the night/day activation, right?

 

VA has a mandatory annual state mechanical/emissions inspection sticker, dead center lower windshield. The Acura dealer does its best to not shade the sensor when they put the sticker on. Registration tags are on the license plate as with many other states.

 

Damn, seems like an odd place and terribly inconvenient for cars the have a sensor there, which a lot of new cars do. Does your sticker have any effect on the light detection?

 

Where else would you locate it? I think where it is now is the only logical place to put it. Due to the curvature of the windshield you would need a very large sticker to have any chance of blocking the sensor.

All that being said, the only way I know it's working is when the nav reacts to the daylight or lack thereof. I keep the driver side temp at 67° year round and never notice the cooling system reacting if the sunlight is more intense on the driver side.

 

In Texas we have registration and inspection in the bottom driver's side corner. Seems like the only logical place to put it... until you are used to something else.

 

As I said, mine is super sensitive to outside temp. Example:
I live in SF Bay area, so we get large variances in temp over somewhat short distances.
Office is in East Bay and on typical summer day, I'll leave the office and temp will be 90+
Temp control set at 73 and does pretty good job at cooling the interior fairly quickly.
I drive westward and as I get closer to the Bay, the outside temp moves down to 80+
Then I cross the Bay on San Mateo Bridge which is about 8 miles long.
Outside temp gauge gradually goes down (does not change rapidly enough to reflect actual out side temp because of algorythm involved). About halfway, temp shows 69 and HVAC starts blowing warm air. In this 5 minute period, the temp inside the car has not changed, so I have to adjust temp control downward. By the time I get to end of bridge, outside temp shows 67 or sometimes less. By this time, I have reduced temp control to 69 or else it blows hot air and I am driving straight West into Sun which is shining directly on me.
Now, off bridge, temp gauge gradually starts to warm up, but even more gradually than going down again because of the weird algorythm employed.
So, now I'm driving in what I know to be high 70 or 80+ degrees outside, but temp gauge still reads low 70s. As temp gauge gradually goes up, I have to adjust control up a degree or 2 at a time until finally back at original 73 setting
This is over the course of a 40 minute drive

 

the AC in my rdx is also like this. i can never get the right temprature...its always too cold or too hot.