A sensor located behind the front grille measures the outside air temperature. If there is insufficient air flow across the sensor, heat from the radiator may warm the sensor above the actual ambient temperature. In order to prevent a false temperature display, the electronic module monitors the vehicle speed. The module affects the sensor readings as follows:
| • | If the vehicle speed is less than 28.8 km/h (18 mph), the temperature display is not updated. |
| • | If the vehicle speed is between 28.8 km/h and 57.6 km/h (18-36 mph), the temperature display is updated at a slow rate |
| • | If the vehicle speed is over 57.6 km/h (36 mph) for over 2 minutes, the sensor will be at the correct ambient temperature. The display will then be updated continuously to accurately reflect the ambient air temperature. |
Whenever the vehicle is first started, an internal timer in the electronic module enables the module to determine how long the vehicle has been turned OFF. If the vehicle has been off for less than 4 hours, the sensor may be warmer than the ambient air temperature. This occurs because the engine and the radiator may not have cooled down yet. In this case, in order to prevent a false reading, the module will display the same temperature as when the vehicle was turned OFF. A new sensor reading will not be displayed until the vehicle speed meets the criteria mentioned above. If the vehicle has been OFF for more than 4 hours, the module will take an immediate temperature reading from the sensor and the display will reflect the new reading. The module will then continue to update the display in accordance with the speed criteria mentioned above.
