I drove back to GA (from Pittsburgh) last Thursday. According to my car's ambient temp display, it was 122*. That's, ohhhhh, *slightly* euphemistic.

Multiple things happened as a result of this -- my washer nozzles (they're heated, right? With the CWP?) remained cold and frozen and I, subsequently, had to pull over every 20-30 miles to wash the windscreen because washer fluid was an impossibility; and my ACC ceased functioning consistently. Speaking with Leif, who is the King of All Things Mechanical (his crown is in the mail), the higher ambient reading was causing the ACC to improperly mix outside air with heated air to maintain set cabin temperature. The only way I could keep the heat consistent was to set it to high. This, as you can imagine, kept it consistently boiling. So I spent a lot of time fidgeting with climate control when I wasn't washing the windscreen.

Does anyone know just where this blasted temp sensor can be found? Leif checked the Bentley Manual and the only thing it shows is that they exist -- not their location or function. And can anyone confirm that this type of malfunction seems to indicate, as we thought, a busted (or salt encrusted) ambient temp. sensor?

Thoughts?

 

It's located in the front bumper. Driver's side, IIRC. I *think* the system defaults to 122 when it gets disconnected.


edit: reader's digest version of location

 

Thanks Eric It actually fluctuated quite a bit, though it was pegged at 122 for awhile. Now it seems to be running higher than actual ambient temp, but as I'm back in GA, where it's perpetually spring (until it's deathly summer) it's been less noticeable.

 

The ambient temperature sensor is located just behind the lower grill in the front of the car. If this circuit is open the temperature will default to -40 degrees.

 

Yeah, I would check to see if it's not pegged onto the radiator or some other situation where it is not in it's holder, you'll have to remove the front bumper.