The thermometer on my 2003 TL type S seems to be forever stuck on the temperature in my garage--about 77 right now Is anyone else having this problem? The dealer says it takes about 10 miles or more for the guage to start going up. When I was in Phoenix recently, the guage started at 83 and finally reached the outside temp of 109 about 40 minutes and 60 miles later. This is a dud! I had a 2002 loaner during the day and the outside temp info worked just fine. New is not always better!

 

Something isn't right there.... my thermometer usually adjustes in a minute or two.. and that's after being in the sun all day. I'd check with another dealer, or go back to your regular one and compare it to the loaner or another TL on the lot.....

 

FYI: My oustide temp usually states the temperature is hotter than it really is. I don't know where the thermometer is located on the car, but I would venture a guess that it is near the hood of the car. For example, sometimes my temp reads at 108 degrees, but we haven't had a day over 100 here in Washington D.C. area this entire summer. I doubt that our thermometers can gauge perceived temperature indexes.

 

I agree... they aren't always accurate, although mine is usually within 2-3 degrees of the reported temperature in my area. A lot of times, probably around 60% or so... it's dead on....

 

Had the same problem with my 02 NBP. My temperature gauge would always show 79 degrees. Even throughout the 9 day 90+ heat wave we have had in NY. I park in a garage at home and at work.

Took it to the dealer and he tested it during the day while they changed my oil. When I picked up the car, after it sat outside for a good day, the gauge read 103 degrees.

I've heard that the gauge is in the bumper, but the dealer said it is under the hood. Either way, it would make sense that once the car gets going, the gauge would get some "fresh" air and then approach the actual temperature. Similarly, it came down to about 95 degrees on the trip home from the dealer.

By the way, my commute is about 10 minutes, which would give some merit to what the dealer told jancookz. Either way, its definitely not 100% accurate, but I don't think its faulty. Probably just not located in the best place.

 

My swampass-o-meter is usually in sync with the outside temperature gauge! It only takes a few minutes to adjust one it gets moving.

 

I had/have the same problem 77 degrees or 83 degrees. But I think is was Edgalang that told me you have me doing 20mph for some distance before the computer would start taking new temps.

 

I put in a call to Acura's 800#. I wonder what kind of story they will tell me??? Maybe they can replace my temp with one from another car. One that works.

 

Mine has been accurate since I picked my car up 32 months ago.
I have disagree with paxus about it not being 100 in Washington D.C. area. There have been several days this summer that have hit 100 or above. it all depends on where you are in the area.
I am not talking about heat index but actual temp it was 96 today the 8th straight day of 95 or above. The car needs to be going about 25to30 MPH to get a good reading of the outside temp.
You can also adjust your outside gauge to a + or - 3degrees.
For instance my car sits in the sun all day parked on concrecte.
If the actual outside temp is say 98 when I first get into the car it will read most likely 101 or slightly above that. When the car gets moving the outside temp will come down. If you are stuck in trffic & not moving the temp will go up slightly until you get up to about 20 to 30. I know my outside temp reading is correct when I got my car it was on the first day that the Temp had got down to 32 degrees. All your could here on the radio that day was how cold it was. My outside reading was correct & I past like thermometers on banks they had about the same readings.
It all depends on where you are & whats around. I you go into a shady area with trees the temp may drop slightly. The road heat can also cause it to go up. I have notice a location my temp reading has hit 102 a few time at the same spot & I was doing 75MPH. When I get into the city & go slower the temp has gone down to 98 & that was the actual outside temp in the city. This same location I have notice the temp being hotter. But the car needs to be moving about 25MPH for a good reading of the outside temp.

 

Tne sensor is mounted just inside of the front grill. It will read higher at idle due to heat from the car and the road. Most weather reports use readings from a shaded area so they tend to be lower.

The system starting point can be adjusted a few degrees up or down if you want to fiddle - read the procedure in your owner's manual.

 

To be more specific, it is just inside the *lower* front grille opening. If you look dead center inside the lower grille you'll see the sensor mounted horizontally onto the support. It has a plug on the end with a decent-sized wire coming from it. As others have stated, it is so low to the ground that heat radiating off the pavement is a big reason for false high readings, and why Acura says you need to be going at least 35 mph and not directly behind any other vehicle (picking up heat from their exhaust) to get an accurate reading.

 

I may be wrong about this area's temperature not going over 100. I just know that a few times my car will continue to say 106-108, when the temperature really wasn't that high. The inaccuracy could be explained by a few different factors already mentioned here such as the location of the thermometer, pavement heat radiating, etc. I was only trying to illustrate that my car's temp reading seems to be a little higher than the real ambient temp.

 

I have had my TLS for about a year now and the outside temperature guage has been pretty acurate. However, this week it constantly shows about 8-10 degrees higher than the outside temperature.

I checked to see if I had accidently adjusted the temp control when I reset my trip meter but it was sit set at 0, where it has been all along.

Anyone have any luck getting this sensor replace under warranty?

 

You don't have to be moving at all for the outside temperature gauge to adjust. However, the 2002 manual states that you have to be driving at least 19 MPH consistently for readings to be accurate.

I checked mine with ice water this winter. It read the ice water at 34 degrees - which I think should be about right. I wrapped the entire sensor in a plastic bag before I dipped it in the "Big-cup-o-icewater".

 

The adjustment always starts cycling from 0. It does not keep track of prior changes.

 

Don't think I mentioned anything about keeping track of prior changes.

I did say that I checked temperature setting to make sure that it was still at 0 and that I had not accidently made an adjustment to it will adjusting the trip meter. Checking to make sure that it was not showing +3 instead of 0.

Anyway, driving home today I watched the temperature more closely and it did seem to read more normal after about 10 minutes of driving above 40MPH.

My morning commutes rarely get over 30mph so it may have not been getting enough air to adjust to the correct temperature.

All is well.....

 

Hmm... I'm not sure you're getting what I'm saying...

From my experience, the adjustment of -3 to +3 degrees can be done over and over. 3 degrees is not the limit that you can change it it total - it's just the limit you can change it in one adjustment.

Hold your fingers on the buttons and you will see it change from setting to setting. You could make 70 degrees read as 0 if you wanted.... just not all in one change.

 

After an adjustment, even a +3 change, the next time you try to adjust it it starts from 0 again. It will never show you what the prior change you made was.

As was already stated, the car must be moving so that underhood temps from a hot engine, the baking tar under your parked car, and the heat from your car just being parked in the sun dont give you high readings which are inaccurate.

 

About the only time I do less than 20 mph is the school zone and my driveway. But the 2002 loaner I had when my 2003 was serviced worked like a charm. I think Acura just put in a cheap thermometer to replace a system that really worked. It's great for long trips, but around town it will never go up to the real outside temp. It's a dud.

 

My thermometer is off exactly 3degrees. It always reads 3 degrees higher. The thermometer has usually equilibrated after about 3-5minutes of driving.