2013 Temp Display Not Accurate

I searched this out and only find threads on it not working completely but my problem seems to be it reads 4-5 degrees warmer than it should. Anyone else have this issue and is there a fix?

 

Feel the same about my 2013. Never seems very accurate.

Our 2011 Kia's temp gauge always seems balls-on though.

 

Mine will read a higher temp when I first turn it on but then will slowly get to the right temp and stabilize. It's not always the sun beating down on the sensor because it happens when ever I turn on my truck no matter the time or weather.

 

Don't know if this is related but recently installed a new rear view auto-dim mirror with a temperature and compass option on my 2014 double cab. Most install instructions for the mirror provided to me indicated mounting the temp sensor near the factory one on a metal support in front of radiator however I did see some other owners choose different locations. I was getting several degree warmer readings during recent re-start-ups due to engine heat and outside heat and it took several minutes to return to a somewhat normal reading. My other vehicle is a 2013 RAV4 which has a factory temperature sensor located just behind the lowest part of the grill area and it's been fairly accurate. I also understand a factory sensor may have a buffer to help reduce false readings also. However, I designed a small bracket from some scrap aluminum which was used to relocate the additional mirror sensor to the lower part of my Tacoma grill area within the front bumper and approximately 1" just inside the opening. Since heat rises, this revised lower location did help reduce initial start-up temperature issues. A simple solution and it looks similar to what a factory install may be. Good luck!

 

If you are talking about the factory-supplied coolant temp. gauge, I am curious as to how you would suspect the reading to be off 4-5 degrees?

The small graduated marks have no numerical value.

 

Referring to outside temp displayed in the mirror...

 

My apologies.

Several of my vehicles are equipped with ambient temp. gauges and I have a couple of temp gauges outside the house in different parts of the yard. None of them read the same.

 

There was a post on here about splicing a potentiometer into the sensor wire and adjusting it until the gauge was accurate. Then remove the potentiometer and messure the resistance to determine what resistor to put in it's place. Don't know if this would work. Added an image of a temp sensor circuit for reference.

 

Sometimes the numbers on the gauge aren't accurate, they get stuck. It will fix itself eventually.

 

How are you determining it is off?

 

like others said mine will read a little high initially but after a minute or two it will be spot on.

 

Another first world problem. A few degrees makes what amount of difference? Really you aren't baking a cake.

I am not trying to be contrary, but I really do not see an issue here. As others have said above What are you using for comparision? The bank gauges you see on the signs? I'm sure they are no more accurate than the truck.

 

I gueuss if its not important to you then its not important to anyone? Sheesh..
I'm comparing it to a real thermometer as well as another vehicle I know is accurate. I thougbt everybody knew bank reader boards are never accurate...

 

like others have stated, if its been sitting in the sun, or if the motor is warm, all it takes is a couple min of driving for it to get to the normal temp. I have found mine to be spot on.

Also using a potentiometer to figure out the value for an an inline resistor probably wont work. Usually the thermalsistors used for temp readouts like this, are inverse. Meaning the higher the temp the lower the resistance.

 

Mine is off first thing after sitting all night and stays inaccurate all day long. Any other vehicle I have had doesn't do this. Its been 20 degrees every morning here for a few days and it says 25-27 every time and only goes up as the sun comes up and it warms up outside. Clearly not working correctly

 

I'd try a different/new temp sensor. If you know of anyone with a Taco, ask if you can plug their sensor in and see if a different value displays.

.. it has to do with resistance in the sensor.

 

**thermistor

 

It looks like you like things accurate. I am the same way after being in a master machinist for over 40 years.

The reason I asked how you were determining if it is accurate is because it may actually be accurate within reasonable parameters. Comparing it to other thermometers is not how to determine if your truck is accurate or not unless the parameters are exactly the same and you positively know the others are accurate. Also you can NEVER use the local weather report to determine what the actual temperature is. They almost always use a local airport plus they are always too far away from you to be accurate.

Most people are not aware of this but outside temperatures are not the same even within a 50 foot distance. There can easily be a 5 degree, sometimes more, change in just 50 foot distance or less. How close to a building or structure, trees, human or animal bodies, standing water, quick changes of just a few inches in elevation, jet streams, and much more all effect temperatures over a certain area. Also some thermometers are less sensitive to temperature changes and will take several seconds to a few minutes to register a severe degree change. So comparing one thermometer to another or even several thermometers will not tell you anything reliable.

At my place I have several digital thermometers, some are radio transmitted and some are wire transmitted, including a weather station around the place that are all separated from each other by 50 to 150 feet and they almost always give different reading of up to 5 degrees and sometimes more. Sometimes a couple of them will read within a few 10ths of each other, but not very often.

Here is an article about how to test any home thermometer, but you will have to be able to get to the sensor.
http://cjonline.com/stories/112103/ksp_jones.shtml

The only way to check your truck thermometer with another thermometer is have one that is calibrated and certified by the National Weather Service and setting in the exact same place as the sensor on the truck. It will also have to have the same sensitivity ability to register change if the truck is moving. In other words if the test thermometer can register a change within 5 seconds of a change the truck would also have to be able to do that which I doubt that it can. So bottom line is that you may have a reasonably accurate thermometer on the truck but the variables are making it seem not to be accurate.

 

Noticed mine was off today about 4° (warmer),,,,,,,,I just rolled the window down to confirm it was dang cold.