Incorrect outside temperature reading (way off!)

[Barry]

Yesterday I hit the ski slopes for the first time this season. Drove up to the mountains yesterday morning and the outside temp was 19 F when I arrived. I have a condo there with indoor, heated parking. Temp in the garage is about 60 F. When I returned to the car in the afternoon, the car temp still indicated 19F. I sat there for a minute with my foot on the brake to see if it would update, but it didn't. After exiting the garage, it started climbing and settled in the mid 30s, the current outdoor temp.

My home parking is not heated, but in an underground garage, so the temp stays relatively constant and is often very different from outdoors. I've never noticed the temp staying at the last outdoor reading when parked at home. Anyone else ever notice this?

 

[jerry33]

There are a variety of things that can affect the temperature reading. Getting it wet is one of them. More often mine reads higher when charging rather than lower.

 

[Barry]

Was a dry, sunny day, and car was parked (not plugged in) for about 6 hours.

 

[jerry33]

Was a dry, sunny day, and car was parked (not plugged in) for about 6 hours.

I suspect that has to do with sleep mode. I've never noticed much of a difference when parked, not plugged in, at work. Then again, I haven't really been looking. I look in the morning to determine if I need to pre-heat or not.

 

[Thumper]

Probably unrelated, but a few mornings ago the speedometer was stuck on 19 mph for about two blocks before it corrected itself and has not repeated the behavior. I'v had the car almost 3 years and it has never done it before. Maybe 19 is a number the computer likes.

 

[Dborn]

I think it prefers 42.

 

[Ubbe]

Are you sure about the units? 19 degrees Celsius just about 60 degrees Fahrenheit (or 66.2), so did the settings for temp units switch over or did you perhaps see a conversion bug?

 

[RiverBrick]

This is very noticeable when I park in a heated garage during the Winter. No exterior temperature update while the car is stationary. A lot of ICE cars are designed this way, because when there's no air-flow the thermometer will be influenced by waste heat from the engine.

I don't think the reset occurs until you drive over a certain speed for a certain time. So, similar to the behavior of the TPMS, except the threshold is lower since I have seen the temp updated while driving slowly towards the garage exit.

 

[Barry]

Are you sure about the units? 19 degrees Celsius just about 60 degrees Fahrenheit (or 66.2), so did the settings for temp units switch over or did you perhaps see a conversion bug?

Yes, I'm sure. Once I got moving and was outside, the temp rose to about 35 and the snow wasn't melting :smile:

 

[Discoducky]

I wonder where the temp sensor(s) are located? Maybe had snow/ice on it or was being cooled by snow/ice?

I park in a heated/insulated car and have not seen that behavior...ever...as my garage is nearly a constant 55 degrees and the outside is much colder in the morning.

 

[Barry]

I wonder where the temp sensor(s) are located? Maybe had snow/ice on it or was being cooled by snow/ice?

That's not it. Road was perfectly dry and snow-free. It was a crystal clear, sunny day.

 

[pan]

Barry,

I know the temp and the car are important...What is more important how was the skiing?

 

[Barry]

Great question, Pan! Skiing was very good until about noon. After that, it got slick and crowded. There was one run open from top to bottom (at Keystone), and as you probably know, several of the big resorts aren't open yet. Should be much better the end of this week - more snow on the way and Breck is now open.

It was one of those "only in Colorado" moments - skied on Friday and bicycled in shorts on Saturday.

 

[Barry]

Follow-up for Pan:

Went back up to Keystone today. Outstanding conditions. Not surprising, given about 24" of snow over the last 3 days. Even though it was blue sky and sunny when I left Denver this morning, it was snowing at a good clip at the tunnel. The downhill side was messy, but no problems, other than worrying about the loonies flying by at 70 mph.

I lucked out and happened across a trail that ski patrol was just opening for the first time this season (they were opening and closing runs throughout the day.) Got some knee-deep powder! Went back to that same spot next run and all the powder was flattened. Apparently, I wasn't the only one on it :smile: