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Outside Temperature Sensor Problem

95K views 191 replies 59 participants last post by  croco0_5 
#1 ·
Firstly, let me say that I am disappointed in the remote start feature (a feature I was very excited about) due to the HVAC not coming on until I enter the vehicle. To add to the problem, the remote start comfort features aren't working because the temperature sensor reads 10-15 degrees warmer than it really is. I have given it ten minutes to adjust the temperature several times with no luck. Because I live in an area where it might get into the 20s once or twice a year, I haven't been able to reach the 40 degrees necessary to activate the comfort features. Any ideas?

Additional info:
2013 5.7L Limited
 
#2 · (Edited)
Don't idle it, drive it for a few miles. After that mine is within 2-3 degrees of the local temperature on Travel Link which is located locally a few miles from my home. My HVAC works great with remote start, summer or winter. I am not sure that the temperature readout in the vehicle is the same as used for the HVAC.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I should have mentioned that after driving it, the temperature comes down to where it should be, but that isn't the issue. It needs to have the correct temperature upon remote starting so it can accurately control the Remote Start Comfort Features. AAAA, just curious, do you have automatic temperature control? Also, I'm fairly certain the temp in the evic is the temp they use, because I drove to work this morning and it read 38, the correct temperature, so I remote started and the heated seat and steering wheel came right on... no HVAC though.
 
#9 ·
Yep, it does drop down after driving (not just running parked though). It always starts 10 degrees high. Left the house this afternoon, 13 degrees outside, jeep showed 23. I've never noticed that it's interfered with the startup of the "comfort" features with remote auto-start though, so it's never bothered me. I just thought it was strange that it's always exactly 10 degrees high and wondered where the sensor was.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Ambient temp sensor is near the center front behind the grill/bumper.

The sensor reading high until there is air flow doesn't make much sense to me unless there is something insulating the sensor, blocking airflow, or warming it up. If its inaccurate you would think it would be inaccurate regardless.

I dunno, maybe the 5VDC reference being applied to the sensor to take the reading (the sensor is a resistor) is heating some of them up enough to be off 10 degrees when stationary. The airflow then removes the bit of heat.

BTW, my heated seats/wheel as well as AC after remote start have always worked as expected.
 

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#11 ·
This is interesting - the outside air temp sensor on my 2014 Grand Cherokee Limited seems to be malfunctioning. This thread has observed high temps. Mine is fixed low and eventually eases up after 10 minutes or more. Example. Today, it insisted that it was 42 degrees out. It was 26 degrees warmer (68). The other day it was fixed on 39 when I drove it two times during the day - it was 58 out. We've had several cars and I've never had one where the car didn't just display the outside temp right off and right where you'd expect it to be (i.e. the actual outside temperature). This isn't a complicated bit, so I'm surprised to have the issues and see these posts. Is Jeep using a poor quality part or are these too hot / too cold stories the odd exceptions? I'll be taking it in for its first service visit to get the problem resolved.
 
#12 ·
This is interesting - the outside air temp sensor on my 2014 Grand Cherokee Limited seems to be malfunctioning. This thread has observed high temps. Mine is fixed low and eventually eases up after 10 minutes or more. Example. Today, it insisted that it was 42 degrees out. It was 26 degrees warmer (68). The other day it was fixed on 39 when I drove it two times during the day - it was 58 out. We've had several cars and I've never had one where the car didn't just display the outside temp right off and right where you'd expect it to be (i.e. the actual outside temperature). This isn't a complicated bit, so I'm surprised to have the issues and see these posts. Is Jeep using a poor quality part or are these too hot / too cold stories the odd exceptions? I'll be taking it in for its first service visit to get the problem resolved.
I have the same problem with my 2014 Overland. It was 60 degrees outside but Jeep only showed 50
 
#13 ·
I think this is a Chrysler thing. I had a 2006 Charger R/T and the temp readout was always off at first. I assumed it was the last reading from the night before or something until it adjusted after driving for a few minutes. My 2010 Challenger is the same way, and my 2013 GC does it too. As far as remote start, my HVAC has always activated on my GC when I use it. If it's cold, HVAC runs, and seat warmers activate.
 
#14 ·
My 2011 Overland had no issues. My 2014 Summit will display the same wrong temperature for hours and suddenly correct itself. Seems as though its not updating the reading as often as it should.
 
#16 ·
This is what my '14 Limited with RA4/nav is doing - always displays far lower outside temp than actual; sometimes it corrects itself as I'm driving and sometimes it doesn't. I'll probably have a dealership look at this at some point, but I dread should they have to remove the RA4 for any reason just to check the temp reading.
 
#18 ·
It's interesting to hear that I'm not the only one with a 2014 that's doing this. I've continued to observe it. This morning it moved after awhile to 43. Then it stayed there on two errands today - it was 70 out. Later on, my drive was longer and it moved ... up to 53. Then driving back home, it made it up to 64 after awhile. Strange. I'll take it in for service and report back. It's also interesting to read about the other Chryslers that have had odd temp sensor issues. It seems like this is a simple sensor and straightforward bit of data. The note about calibration is an interesting one. Are there folks on the forum who would know if there is a service bulletin on this or who have seen this issue in service departments and know if there's a fix?
 
#21 ·
Same problem here, outside air reads 15-20 degrees lower that actual temperature. This causes the heated seats and steering wheel to come on until the sensor starts reading correctly. This morning it was 55 degrees outside and the sensor read 35 and it slowly increased and took about 15 minutes to reach the correct temperature.
 
#22 ·
Not normal. Mine works fine. Temp changes as soon as I back out of my garage.
 
#25 ·
Sigh. It seems that my 12 Overland suffers (or has suffered) from every known problem, including this one. If theres a TSB, my Jeep most likely has the problem.
Temp today was showing 81, when it was barely 65 outside. Takes forever to adjust, you have to drive fast and for a long distance before it seems to register the correct temp. I've been noticing that the temp is way off and adjusting slower over the past few weeks.

This is hardly new technology, and the first vehicle I've ever owned to have this sensor problem.
 
#26 ·
2014 model year vehicles

"Ambient Air Temperature Slow To Update, Will Not Update, Or Inaccurate"

Slower ambient temperature updates, primarily noticed during lower speed stop and go driving or after the vehicle was driven and parked, engine off, for less than 4 hours and 15 minutes.

If the vehicle is started, within the off time period, the last known ambient temperature display strategy displays the last temperature at vehicle ignition off (or possibly a colder temperature than period up to 4 hours and 14 minutes later) and displays it.

Updated temperature readings will not update until the programmed speed and time criteria are met, this during low speed stop and go conditions can take in excess of 8 minutes to update. This ambient temperature display strategy is unique for the 2014 MY vehicles.

Therefore, if there are no diagnostic fault codes “Active” or “Stored” related to the ambient air temperature sensor no further updates or repairs will change the operation.

The ambient temperature display strategy will be updated with revised software update for 2014 MY vehicles and should be available fourth quarter of 2013.

--Milous
 
#28 ·
2014 model year vehicles

"Ambient Air Temperature Slow To Update, Will Not Update, Or Inaccurate"

Slower ambient temperature updates, primarily noticed during lower speed stop and go driving or after the vehicle was driven and parked, engine off, for less than 4 hours and 15 minutes.

If the vehicle is started, within the off time period, the last known ambient temperature display strategy displays the last temperature at vehicle ignition off (or possibly a colder temperature than period up to 4 hours and 14 minutes later) and displays it.

Updated temperature readings will not update until the programmed speed and time criteria are met, this during low speed stop and go conditions can take in excess of 8 minutes to update. This ambient temperature display strategy is unique for the 2014 MY vehicles.

Therefore, if there are no diagnostic fault codes “Active” or “Stored” related to the ambient air temperature sensor no further updates or repairs will change the operation.

The ambient temperature display strategy will be updated with revised software update for 2014 MY vehicles and should be available fourth quarter of 2013.

--Milous
Thanks for the update. It doesn't seem like this strategy was well thought out.
 
#27 ·
Thanks for the update Milous and glad they are fixing this. It's a big problem for me now that summer is here and it's heating up quick. I drove into work yesterday with the temp. at 75F, then when I went out to lunch about 5 hours later it still displayed 75. The true reading should have been near 100, but it never updated since I didn't hit the driving requirements.
 
#29 ·
On my 2012, it is pretty darn close. I compared to my other vehicles temp display and they match by a degree or less (sometimes, they are the same).
 
#33 ·
You should be able to set it so the drivers vented seat comes on automatically when it's 80*+. It will only come on in the low setting though.
I have mine set this way but low is not effective so have to bump it to high anyway! Another goofy set up by Chrysler!
 
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