my outside temp reading seems "stuck" sometimes. Its about 92 outside and I get in the car (its been parked outside in the sun for several hours) and temp reads 83 when I start the car. I would expect it to be over not under since it has been in the sun. I go for a short trip 10 minutes to store and 10 minutes back and temp does not change on either leg of trip.

is this common to anyone else?

 

This does not sound like normal behavior. Warranty time. You can also verify through MID set up that your thermometer is set at +/- 0, but it is doubtful that has anything to do with it. See the manual about Pages 73 and 94-97 depending on the year of the car.

 

already went through the MID set-up
temp setting at default.
I'm wondering if this is also related to HVAC issues that I have and others have reported as well. The issue usually occurs in the morning when temp outside is cool, but not cold (50 to 65 range). The HVAC seems to either not do anything for 15 to 20 minutes or blow hot air so that I have to adjust temp in car down to below 70. Then later (+20 minutes), have to adjust back up to 72/73

 

I have seen this problem on both our RL and tsx. Mainly after a run through the laser wash. Sometimes it takes a day for it to start working again.

 

Glad to see your post as I have the same problem with my 06 RL. Outside temp works OK one day then seems to get stuck on a lower temp the next day. I don't have any HVAC issues. Anyone out there had this fixed??

 

The HVAC uses the outside temp as an input when determining what to do. If the sensor is messed up, it could definitely throw off the HVAC system.

 

My RL does the same thing too. I brought it in last week for this and they replaced the sensor. Its still doing it though. When it was in the 90s my temp was still reading low 70s. Crept up slowly but took an hour to reach the real temperature.

 

As an update - when I drove home last evening, real outside temp was around 95 and my temp reading was 83 - same as it was at lunch. I have a fairly long commute, so I monitored the tmep. It took 20 minutes for it to make it up to peak temp at 97.

 

Did you go through a car wash when you had this situation?

 

no - have never put it through a car wash and it has been dry all week.

 

my RL is the same, and my TL was the same. I think that the sensor is well insulated and it takes a long time for the temperature takes awhile to reach.

 

Here is how it is supposed to work according to the manual. I have not really ever had a problem.

The temperature sensor is in the
front bumper. The temperature
reading can be affected by heat
reflection from the road surface,
engine heat, and the exhaust from
surrounding traffic. This can cause
an incorrect temperature reading
when your speed is under
19 mph (30 km/h). When you start
your trip, the sensor is not fully
acclimatized, therefore it may take
several minutes until the proper
temperature is displayed.

Several is not a whole trip. I think something is wrong. I have not had the problems you describe. 06 RL (and hot black too)

 

Lately mine is stuck, too. It's a baking 100 degrees outside and my RL shows 78 degrees.

If anything, I'd expect the reading to be too high rather than too low. There isn't a part of the car that isn't at least 85 degrees once I pull into the street! If the readout is continuous, the I'd expect an accurate reading within a minute or two.

Rob144

 

Rob - that is same behavior I see. After paying more attention to it with the hot weather, it seems that the temp does not change at all for about about 5 to 10 minutes (varies). Then after that, the temp creeps up about 1 degree per minute even if the differential is 20 degrees.

 

So that the temp is not affecting by other "sources" the temp prob does not work until the car is moving at or above 19mph. AT that point it takes readings once every so often. This way if you are stuck in traffic, behind a exhaust, the affect on the temp probe will be minimal

 

Same experience with my 2 2003 CLS's I've had. I wish it was more accurate. it's slow to respond, and lags quite a bit. I think every Acura I've had with outside temp reading has operated the same way. You'd think with current electronics a more accurate system could be devised.

 

I think that is a lame excuse in the design. So, my temp reading is inaccurate for 20 minutes everyday to make sure that it is not affected when I'm stuck behind a hot exhaust? If the probe doesn't work below 19 mph, then the hot exhaust would not matter!

 

The logic behind the outside temperature indication operation is fully explained in the factory service manual in the Body Electrical, Gauges, Outside Air Temperature Indicator Calibration, Page 22-413 in the '05 manual. The logic includes the 19mph speed for 90 seconds continuously, the coolant temperature less than or greater than 140 degrees and the true outside temperature being greater than or less than the initially displayed temperature to determine the rate at which the display reading changes. It may take several 90 second cycles to get to a more accurate temp reading

Based on this variable logic, there may be nothing wrong with all the previous posters outside temperature displays.

 

Take the information about the manual and throw it out the window. 19MPH or not, if the temperature is off by an unusual amount, the sensor is bad.

I've had my outside temperature gauge replaced TWICE. Actually the second one was replaced twice as the replacement itself was bad.

My TL had a bad sensor too. Acura should really find a new supplier of temp gauges.

 

For what its worth, my temperature reading was more or less back to normal the next day. Coolant temperature could be an interesting variable. On the hot day where the temperature read low, the car was driven only a short distance after not being used the day before. The car was then used the next morning (reported 83 degF) and then sat for 3 hours. Upon leaving the temperature reading was a more realistic 105 degF, and it drifted down to 101 on the short drive home.

Given the short-haul driving I tend to do, my average speed after a tank of gas is usually 24-27mph, so getting 90 seconds of 19mph driving is pretty rare.

Rob144

 

It's time for you to visit the dealer. My works fine. It's ambient is accurate. It reads too hot if it is parked after a drive but it comes down immediately after moving a block down the road. I've seen it read from 23 to 106 and I have no reason to believe that it was inaccurate on those occasions. It is consistant and very close to the readings I get in the Pilot.

 

Whatever their logic is, my experience is that every other car I have owned does a much better job. Even my old 99 Durango gets to a "real" temp reading in less than 5 minutes no matter how fast or slow I am driving or any other condition of the car.
Maybe they should rethink the logic.

 

So the Durango is as good as my RL then?

 

lol - far from it, but as for reading the outside temp, YES!
Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of my RL. Its just a few little things that bug me - like the range indicator and outside temp that are not new technology. These are things that have been around for years and they should just work.

 

Agreed, only I compare mine against an 02 Toyota Sienna. I have been down into the single digits on the cold side.

 

Just for the record, the temp sensor on my RL works great and is very accurate. Never had a problem. When I leave my garage in the morning it takes a few minutes to acclimatize, but that's it.

 

Strange - yesterday for the first time that I can ever remember the temp reading was higher than the acrtual outside temp by about 5 degrees when I got in the car at lunch. Then it quickly settled to actual temp within 5 minutes. Did the same when I drove home in the evening.
Maybe posting this thread made it fix itself . I was ready to take to the dealer. Now, it will probably be an intermittent problem that they cannot duplicate.

 

Did a lot of local (i.e. slow traffic) driving today and the temp was stuck at 74 even though it was more than 85 outside. I did not notice this problem until I read this thread last night, which prompted me to "monitor" the temp readings.

 

after one day of working right, mine is back to its troubling ways
I'm due for service soon, so will mention to Dealer. My bet is he will do nothing.

 

The complete explanation of the operation is as follows from Sticky: Acura ServiceNews Bulletins, March 2007 issue:

Outside Temperature Indicator Logic Explained
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 throw
off that indication.

 

Thanks cat. I guess that explains most of symptoms as I definitely observe temp reading falling faster than it goes up. However, there are times when reading "Sticks" and does not change at all for at least 5 minutes and I am going more than 19mph. Also, I wonder why they chose 1minute. That's a long time per degree when the actual outside temp is 15 to 20 degrees above the reading which I regularly experience in summer.

 

I replaced my temp. sensor last month. 20$+ and few minutes of work. Mine temperature was allways to high 20+ degrees then actual autside temp.

 

ya mine is consistently running 10 degrees warmer. going to get it fixed when I take it in for the recall (warrantied)