"outside temp" accuracy

[Muleears]

It is getting hotter here in SC but I don't think we have broken the 100 mark as my car told me yesterday. I am a new owner of an '01. I realize the reading will be high after the car has been sitting in the hot sun for a while. But after driving a few miles it should moderate, I think. Where is the sensor for outside temp? Mine is consistantly reading 10 to 15 degrees high, according to the weatherman. Are these nororiously inaccurate? Any advice?

[auricchio]

It's guaranteed that the weatherman is not taking his temperature readings where your car is! Weather readings often come from local airports, where it's necessary to make observations for aviation. Airports typically are located in areas that get hotter or cooler than the surrounding population centers.

You also must take into account the heat reflected from hot roadways. On some cars, the temp sensor is low enough to be strongly affected by this.

That said, I'm also curious as to the location of the car's temp sensor.

On a side note, it was years before I learned that wind chill doesn't affect mechanical devices. Wind chill causes increased evaporation from skin, giving the appearance of greater cold. The car's temp sensor---or the Golden Gate Bridge---don't care about how quickly they're cooled to the ambient temperature. People and animals, of course, care, because our bodies must create additional heat to compensate. Just today's science bit.

[Maytrix]

I have a 2005 and I'm not sure where it's located, but mine does seem to be very accurate.

[Jeannie]

My 'outside temperature' is fairly accurate. I left my white Prius in a parking lot all day, left work with the National Weather Service reporting a temp of 73 at their station about 6 miles from where my car was. When I turned on the car, it said outside temp was 75 degrees. Five minutes later, when I was on a rural road that's mostly shadowed by trees, it said outside temp was 73.

[SAPrius]

Ditto! My OAT (pilot talk for outside air temperature) appears to be quite accurate. It's normally within a degree or two of what the radio/weather DJ announces.

Last summer, the hottest outside air temp I noted on the display was a "cool" 108F! Ouch!

[rdenneyutmb]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SAPrius @ Apr 27 2006, 03:57 PM) [snapback]246274[/snapback]</div>

Ditto! My OAT (pilot talk for outside air temperature) appears to be quite accurate. It's normally within a degree or two of what the radio/weather DJ announces.

Last summer, the hottest outside air temp I noted on the display was a "cool" 108F! Ouch!
[/b]

The thermometer on my new '06 (bought March 20th) is fairly close, too.

[gippah]

I'd have to say that mine is high as well. It has shown it to be over 105 already this year.

There are some sites on the internet which will list several weatherstations for most cities. If you think it might be high, look around a bit and see what all of the weatherstations are reporting in the area. If you're higher than all of them, you can bet that your car is on the high side.

[hycamguy07]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gippah @ Apr 27 2006, 06:20 PM) [snapback]246319[/snapback]</div>

I'd have to say that mine is high as well. It has shown it to be over 105 already this year.

There are some sites on the internet which will list several weatherstations for most cities. If you think it might be high, look around a bit and see what all of the weatherstations are reporting in the area. If you're higher than all of them, you can bet that your car is on the high side.
[/b]

Hmmm, where is the temp probe located?

[ghostofjk]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Muleears @ Apr 27 2006, 07:16 AM) [snapback]246077[/snapback]</div>

It is getting hotter here in SC but I don't think we have broken the 100 mark as my car told me yesterday. I am a new owner of an '01. I realize the reading will be high after the car has been sitting in the hot sun for a while. But after driving a few miles it should moderate, I think. Where is the sensor for outside temp? Mine is consistantly reading 10 to 15 degrees high, according to the weatherman. Are these nororiously inaccurate? Any advice?
[/b]

First (if you haven't been properly welcomed), welcome to PC!

No, they're not notoriously inaccurate. I've owned 4 Priuses, starting with an '01, and they've all been almost dead on. In fact, sometimes when I'm driving around sunset and the car goes through a cooler or warmer pocket of air (say, of about half a mile in size), I'll notice the temp readout adjust a few degrees, which I verify by sticking my arm out the window.

I think the sensor's inside the driver's side fender, and should get no influence from the engine. (Galaxee will know, and respond, if she sees this---her hubby's a Prius mechanic---or you could find her name and PM her.)

It DOES take mine about 5 minutes or so sometimes after it's been sitting in the sun to shake down to the actual temp.

Don't know what to suggest---other than perhaps taping a cheap outside thermometer ($.99) to something as far toward the front of the engine compartment as you can---just to double-check your car's sensor for a while.

Good luck.

[alanh]

It's located behind the front bumper.
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Mine's pretty accurate. I've only noticed it off after a car wash.