Outside Temp going nuts.

tldr; Outside temp display much lower than temp, and jumping all over during long drive.

Halfway through an 8 hour drive home yesterday we hit a snow storm on a mountain pass- Outside Temp display dropped as expected, but then continued to drop all the way to "- -", even after we were down the other side in the sunshine..

I pulled over thinking maybe there was snow blocking the sensor but it was clear. After a restart the display still read -- but would jump to -32c, -25c, -11c .. I could see intake air temp c on the Scanguage and it was solid at 5c which was the actually what the outside temp was.



Never had an issue with it before, but this trip did have some new things;
-We towed a little trailer so had it connected for the whole drive.
-Also I had ECT on the entire time (I've noticed SGII act up with ECT on).

I see post from way back on checking the connectors. Was hoping for an easy reset before I get into the harnesses.

 

Can’t offer anything on the “going nuts” temp display but was wondering what SGll acting up was about. What are you monitoring that’s acting up? I run ECT on when towing and SGll appears to operate normally.

 

Happened to me at a grand total of 120 miles on the truck. Took it in and they were baffled on what it could be but they ordered a couple parts (backordered) but then after unplugging and plugging in the sensor wires, the problem went away and is still gone. (knock on wood) Service guy was unamused when I told him life was easier when you didn't care what the outside temp while driving a truck. His counter of well now it's tied into the rest of the computer and hvac. To which I said, exactly.

 

Switching ECT on and off while driving has made my Scanguage drop instant mpg as well as AVG readings in the past, restart brought them back.. I've never had it happen when I switch it on while stopped.

 

Thanks. I don't use the mileage gauge so never have seen that.

 

Seems fine again today, handles the in/out of the parkade switch. Glitch in the Matrix I guess..

 

I've had it happen in extremely cold temps. I was in northern Ontario in -35c, and it decided that it was suddenly -99, then 50, then 65, then gave the error you mentioned (the --). Next day it was fine, never did it again. My old super duty had done it a few times before. I think that they just have bad days sometimes, lol.

 

Being Canada, and in the mountains, I would say it is operating correctly. It is so cold, the sensor just stops reading. I suggest parking it back in the igloo and take the polar bear instead. Way better cold weather traction.

 

lol, I was picturing a snowball stuck on the sensor but it was clear. Should've dipped it in my Timmies.
Polar bear is in the shop, it blew a seal..

 

damn thats cold

 

-4°C last night

 

Use my solution. Move to Florida.

 

I hear they get hurricanes down there...

 

Why yes, yes we do. A bit less frequently than you get frigid temperatures that cause thermometers to commit suicide, but we do get the occasional hurricane.

I'm actually trying to get the wife to consider Arizona. No humidity, bugs, or natural disasters, but that's going over about as well as the guy on another thread who is trying to stop his wife from buying a Tucson.

 

Nah, not quite like that. We adore the freshness. Winter is beautiful and yes it can and it does drop to -40°C but we are tough enough to deal with that. I get it that you are a former resident on Canuckland. I love Alberta with all It's beauty, been here 34 years plus *Romanian transplant .

 

That's a temperature I can enjoy. It is a sweltering +4°C here on the wet coast.

 

Close, but not quite. Former Vermont resident about 20 min from the Quebec border. I have been up to Lethbridge and Calgary for work however. I have never felt anything so cold in my life as winter in Lethbridge.

 

79 F here at 9:52 a.m. Just the way I like it

 

I suspect you have a loose connector or wire or ground somewhere.

Temperature sensors tend to send whacky signals when something isn't right. Rarely do they send the wrong temperature signal.

-999 or -- are indicators of wire issues or a broken sensor.

 

Lethbridge is also known for some nasty winds, but as you know people live there and will continue to live there. I'm up the road from Lethbridge about 650 kilometers. Family and I were just in that area about a month ago.