Odd exterior temperature

M

merlintilly

Member
I have noticed that the exterior temperature has been higher than actual and now it has gone to - 40 C When it rained today it went slowly up to ) and then back to -10 . Is this a faulty sensor or connection, where is the temperqture sensor?
 
Strange to ask in the M specific section, as the sensors are the same in all models. I'm sure someone will come along with some guidance soon though... :thumbsup:
 
Fault sensor. Need to get that sorted otherwise the aircon won't cool if it's showing negative and you run the risk of the system trying to cool the car too much thinking it's hot outside if it's showing 40 degrees
 
I think the climate control measures the temperature inside the car and tries to bring it to the requested set point regardless of the outside temperature. I lost the temperature sensor from my 320d when I ran over some debris on a dual carriageway and it bounced up under the car tearing it from its wires. My outside temperature now reads -50C on dry days and anywhere from -50 to +50C when it rains heavily. The climate control works fine regardless of the erroneus value indicated for outside temperature.
On the E46 320d the temperature sensor is behind the nearside front fog light. Check http://www.realOEM.com for the exact location in your car OP.
 
It's on the same place on the Z - you get to it through the lower inspection hatch in the wheel arch on my car... I think on an M you would have to remove the air duct, right ?
 
I have a E46 vert and this caused issues with the auto aircon temp until it went back up to the classic 40 degrees. The air con uses the outside and inside temperature I believe. All sorted once sensor was replaced.

On a hot day, if you've set the temperature to a cooler temperature than the temperature inside the car, the car's computer checks the temperature outside the car. If the temperature outside the car is cooler, the car will try to cool the car by simply blowing in outside air and will not turn on the air conditioner. It's trying to save you energy.

If your outside "ambient temperature sensor" has been ripped off, and is missing, the resistance between the two wires that lead to it will be infinite (the circuit is not complete). The car interprets this to be very cold, and will display a very cold temperature (-40 degrees) on the display inside the car. The car thinks that because the resistance is high, the outside air is cold, so it will just blow outside air into the car, and will not turn on the air conditioner. The air could be very hot, which it will be on a hot day. The car doesn't know this.
 
Interesting - I wonder if BMW changed the way the climate control works. Mine is a 2003 build (so after a minor facelift) but perhaps it is of an older design :idunno:
 
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