Outside thermometer accuracy
08-25-2006, 07:26 PM
#1
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 628
Outside thermometer accuracy
When the airport temp. reading of 73 F was reported, my Max--two miles away--said it was 84. Has anyone had problems with the accuracy of their outside temperature readings?
08-25-2006, 11:08 PM
#4
mmm its off because the temp sensor is around the front driver side
like the front bumper area. its always off. in nyc two weeks ago it read 120 on a sunday. felt like 120! but im sure its the outside temp + engine heat.
like the front bumper area. its always off. in nyc two weeks ago it read 120 on a sunday. felt like 120! but im sure its the outside temp + engine heat.
08-26-2006, 12:57 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
Posts: 8,143
Wow! I'm very surprised at the wide discrepancies reported here.
I have commented many times to my wife that the thermometer on our '04 SL is the first accurate one I have ever had on a vehicle.
When we get into the Maxima to go somewhere, the Maxima thermometer reading is always within one degree of the big thermometer on the inside garage wall.
Once we are underway, within a few miles, the thermometer adjusts to around the average of whatever the reading was on our three outside thermometers when we left home (none of which are in the sun). That always pleases me.
Airports are notorious for reporting lower highs than all surrounding reporting stations in the summer, and higher lows than all surrouding reporting locations in the winter. I have noticed that same discrepancy in many different places for over fifty years. I'm not positive why that is, but have always wondered.
Even so, when I drive by the west or east end of the runways at Hartsfield-Jackson-Atlanta International Airport (don't even ask about that name), the reading in the Maxima is always within two degrees of what the radio is saying the airport has. Which means it is usually exactly the same as what other nearby stations are reporting.
Having been born and raised in the mountains, and preferring a temp around 50 Fahrenheit, I am extremely conscious of the eight month long summers we are now experiencing in Atlanta, and watch thermometers far more than average folks.
The only times I have seen unusual readings on my Maxima's thermometer were when we would park on a freshly tarred black asphault lot, and the reading would be higher than we knew the actual temp was. But the reality was the black tarred surface was hot enough to fry an egg, much hotter than the air away from the parking lot, and our Birkenstock sandals would actually stick to the surface. I don't blame the Maxima thermometer for that.
I guess we were lucky in that we got an accurate thermometer in our Maxima, while some folks clearly did not.
I have commented many times to my wife that the thermometer on our '04 SL is the first accurate one I have ever had on a vehicle.
When we get into the Maxima to go somewhere, the Maxima thermometer reading is always within one degree of the big thermometer on the inside garage wall.
Once we are underway, within a few miles, the thermometer adjusts to around the average of whatever the reading was on our three outside thermometers when we left home (none of which are in the sun). That always pleases me.
Airports are notorious for reporting lower highs than all surrounding reporting stations in the summer, and higher lows than all surrouding reporting locations in the winter. I have noticed that same discrepancy in many different places for over fifty years. I'm not positive why that is, but have always wondered.
Even so, when I drive by the west or east end of the runways at Hartsfield-Jackson-Atlanta International Airport (don't even ask about that name), the reading in the Maxima is always within two degrees of what the radio is saying the airport has. Which means it is usually exactly the same as what other nearby stations are reporting.
Having been born and raised in the mountains, and preferring a temp around 50 Fahrenheit, I am extremely conscious of the eight month long summers we are now experiencing in Atlanta, and watch thermometers far more than average folks.
The only times I have seen unusual readings on my Maxima's thermometer were when we would park on a freshly tarred black asphault lot, and the reading would be higher than we knew the actual temp was. But the reality was the black tarred surface was hot enough to fry an egg, much hotter than the air away from the parking lot, and our Birkenstock sandals would actually stick to the surface. I don't blame the Maxima thermometer for that.
I guess we were lucky in that we got an accurate thermometer in our Maxima, while some folks clearly did not.
08-26-2006, 08:32 AM
#9
Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 155
Originally Posted by 04BlackMaxx
Ive found mine to be accurate nearly all the time.
08-26-2006, 08:36 AM
#10
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 82
I always give the thermometer a little time to adjust. Sitting in a lot on a hot sunny day, it'll read higher than it really is, but once out on the road, it comes down to "accurate".
My '02 Max behaved the same way, getting an erratic number if left in the sun for a long period of time, and settling down after a bit of driving.
Harry
My '02 Max behaved the same way, getting an erratic number if left in the sun for a long period of time, and settling down after a bit of driving.
Harry
08-26-2006, 11:44 AM
#14
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Toronto
Posts: 82
Originally Posted by Longhorn101
Same here. Surprisingly accurate. Even when stuck in rush hour Texas traffic it doesn't go super high. My prior vehicle on the same route used to go up to ~120'F when it was only 100'F. The only thing I have noticed with the thermometer is that when I get in the car to leave work and the temp is ~100F it will start out in the high 80's and work it way up over 5 minutes or so.
It's always in sync within a degree or so to the radio weatherman
08-26-2006, 12:04 PM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 1,994
I enjoyed "light's" post on this topic. He is right (particularly about living in the mountains).
And I know that living near the mountains, the temps vary all over town. So the airport temp is only good for near the airport. The temp at my house is always different than the reading at the airport.
Others have pointed out that you need to let some air flow over the sensor to get the proper reading. This is certainly true.
For many miles, my Max's thermometer was quite accurate. But recently, I've noticed that the thermometer when I first leave home seems to be stuck on the garage temp for much longer than it did when the car was newer. I also notice that when I leave the shopping parking lot, it seems to be stuck longer on the temp it got from the asphalt. Maybe it is getting old.
No one has mentioned the importance of having this thermometer in your Max. I watch is carefully when conditions are close to freezing. (For example, it is 38 degrees, the sun has set, temps are going down and there was a light drizzle that has stopped. There is a possibility that the roads will freeze into a sheet of ice.) It is the best indication I know of to warn you when the roads that are wet will soon be icy. My Max has always gotten that warning to me correctly.
And I know that living near the mountains, the temps vary all over town. So the airport temp is only good for near the airport. The temp at my house is always different than the reading at the airport.
Others have pointed out that you need to let some air flow over the sensor to get the proper reading. This is certainly true.
For many miles, my Max's thermometer was quite accurate. But recently, I've noticed that the thermometer when I first leave home seems to be stuck on the garage temp for much longer than it did when the car was newer. I also notice that when I leave the shopping parking lot, it seems to be stuck longer on the temp it got from the asphalt. Maybe it is getting old.
No one has mentioned the importance of having this thermometer in your Max. I watch is carefully when conditions are close to freezing. (For example, it is 38 degrees, the sun has set, temps are going down and there was a light drizzle that has stopped. There is a possibility that the roads will freeze into a sheet of ice.) It is the best indication I know of to warn you when the roads that are wet will soon be icy. My Max has always gotten that warning to me correctly.
08-26-2006, 01:14 PM
#18
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 943
Originally Posted by Longhorn101
Same here. Surprisingly accurate. Even when stuck in rush hour Texas traffic it doesn't go super high. My prior vehicle on the same route used to go up to ~120'F when it was only 100'F. The only thing I have noticed with the thermometer is that when I get in the car to leave work and the temp is ~100F it will start out in the high 80's and work it way up over 5 minutes or so.
I have however noticed that the thermometer isn't very accurate in the cold. I don't remember specifics, but when it gets down to about 0 deg F the thermometer might read something like 5 or 10 degs F, but either way is fine for me - I know it's cold out!
08-26-2006, 05:05 PM
#19
Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 155
Originally Posted by Monotaur
That's also how mine behaves... it usually takes a few minutes to cool down after being in direct sunlight.
I have however noticed that the thermometer isn't very accurate in the cold. I don't remember specifics, but when it gets down to about 0 deg F the thermometer might read something like 5 or 10 degs F, but either way is fine for me - I know it's cold out!
I have however noticed that the thermometer isn't very accurate in the cold. I don't remember specifics, but when it gets down to about 0 deg F the thermometer might read something like 5 or 10 degs F, but either way is fine for me - I know it's cold out!
08-28-2006, 12:07 PM
#20
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 53
I've just recently started seeing the same thing SilverMax described. My thermometer had always been extremely accurate until just recently. In fact the first time I noticed it having an issue was as I was leaving the dealership after my most recent oil change. They also were supposed to have performed the power seat recall but said they had to order a switch, hmmm, wonder if they screwed something up.
Basically, if I go through a car wash or something that significantly cools the temperature, it takes a long time for the temp to read correctly again. Like more than 20 minutes and this is with >100 degree heat in Texas.
Basically, if I go through a car wash or something that significantly cools the temperature, it takes a long time for the temp to read correctly again. Like more than 20 minutes and this is with >100 degree heat in Texas.
08-28-2006, 01:21 PM
#22
I found my thermometer to be very acurate. Whenever I pass near those clocks/thermometers by the road. I am always within 1 degree which I can understand since the probe on the tower is higher, hence 1-2 degree difference.
08-29-2006, 05:41 PM
#24
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2
Mine is dead on with my own outside house thermometer and the local radio station. Mine is on C because that's the way they want to do things up here. However when I switch it to F it's off a couple of degrees, according to my trusty metric conversion calculator. The same thing holds true for the temp. settings on the HVAC controls. The C and F settings don't match. I guess the little guy in the factory who programmed the systems was counting on his fingers or something.
10-08-2006, 06:58 PM
#25
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 1,994
This question was raised in a Sept 10 column in the Chicago Tribune titled “Keep your cool over lagging Lexus gauge” by Bob Weber (Motormouth). (I spent most of Sept in the Chicago area). I will reproduce the answer:
Q: In my 2002 Lexus SC430 “if the temperature outside is markedly different than the temp in my garage, it takes as long as an hour for the readout in the cabin to reflect the outdoor temp. A service technician at one Lexus dealer said that there is nothing wrong with the gauge and that he ‘can’t help it if Lexus put the gauge where they did.’ At a second Lexus dealership, the service technician said Lexus designed the car so it would take about an hour for the temperature to update. Could you find out how this gauge is designed to behave?”
A: “According to Toyota’s training department, the temp reading should be the same as when the vehicle is parked. The vehicle then must be driven faster than 20 mph for 4 to 5 miles for it to start updating. Then it will update a maximum of 1 degree every 30 seconds. For example, if the vehicle is parked in a garage that is72 degrees, the next time it is driven the temp will read 72 degrees whether it is hotter or colder outside. It will stay at that temp until the vehicle is driven more than 20 mph for 4 to 5 miles and then start to adjust. This could take some time, depending on how fast and far the vehicle is driven and the temp differential. The sensor is close to the hot radiator and engine. It waits until the vehicle starts moving with ambient air passing over the sensor to keep if from picking up the wrong temp from those components.”
It is quite likely that the Max operates the same way.
Q: In my 2002 Lexus SC430 “if the temperature outside is markedly different than the temp in my garage, it takes as long as an hour for the readout in the cabin to reflect the outdoor temp. A service technician at one Lexus dealer said that there is nothing wrong with the gauge and that he ‘can’t help it if Lexus put the gauge where they did.’ At a second Lexus dealership, the service technician said Lexus designed the car so it would take about an hour for the temperature to update. Could you find out how this gauge is designed to behave?”
A: “According to Toyota’s training department, the temp reading should be the same as when the vehicle is parked. The vehicle then must be driven faster than 20 mph for 4 to 5 miles for it to start updating. Then it will update a maximum of 1 degree every 30 seconds. For example, if the vehicle is parked in a garage that is72 degrees, the next time it is driven the temp will read 72 degrees whether it is hotter or colder outside. It will stay at that temp until the vehicle is driven more than 20 mph for 4 to 5 miles and then start to adjust. This could take some time, depending on how fast and far the vehicle is driven and the temp differential. The sensor is close to the hot radiator and engine. It waits until the vehicle starts moving with ambient air passing over the sensor to keep if from picking up the wrong temp from those components.”
It is quite likely that the Max operates the same way.
10-10-2006, 05:24 PM
#26
Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 155
Originally Posted by SilverMax_04
This question was raised in a Sept 10 column in the Chicago Tribune titled “Keep your cool over lagging Lexus gauge” by Bob Weber (Motormouth). (I spent most of Sept in the Chicago area). I will reproduce the answer:
Q: In my 2002 Lexus SC430 “if the temperature outside is markedly different than the temp in my garage, it takes as long as an hour for the readout in the cabin to reflect the outdoor temp. A service technician at one Lexus dealer said that there is nothing wrong with the gauge and that he ‘can’t help it if Lexus put the gauge where they did.’ At a second Lexus dealership, the service technician said Lexus designed the car so it would take about an hour for the temperature to update. Could you find out how this gauge is designed to behave?”
A: “According to Toyota’s training department, the temp reading should be the same as when the vehicle is parked. The vehicle then must be driven faster than 20 mph for 4 to 5 miles for it to start updating. Then it will update a maximum of 1 degree every 30 seconds. For example, if the vehicle is parked in a garage that is72 degrees, the next time it is driven the temp will read 72 degrees whether it is hotter or colder outside. It will stay at that temp until the vehicle is driven more than 20 mph for 4 to 5 miles and then start to adjust. This could take some time, depending on how fast and far the vehicle is driven and the temp differential. The sensor is close to the hot radiator and engine. It waits until the vehicle starts moving with ambient air passing over the sensor to keep if from picking up the wrong temp from those components.”
It is quite likely that the Max operates the same way.
Q: In my 2002 Lexus SC430 “if the temperature outside is markedly different than the temp in my garage, it takes as long as an hour for the readout in the cabin to reflect the outdoor temp. A service technician at one Lexus dealer said that there is nothing wrong with the gauge and that he ‘can’t help it if Lexus put the gauge where they did.’ At a second Lexus dealership, the service technician said Lexus designed the car so it would take about an hour for the temperature to update. Could you find out how this gauge is designed to behave?”
A: “According to Toyota’s training department, the temp reading should be the same as when the vehicle is parked. The vehicle then must be driven faster than 20 mph for 4 to 5 miles for it to start updating. Then it will update a maximum of 1 degree every 30 seconds. For example, if the vehicle is parked in a garage that is72 degrees, the next time it is driven the temp will read 72 degrees whether it is hotter or colder outside. It will stay at that temp until the vehicle is driven more than 20 mph for 4 to 5 miles and then start to adjust. This could take some time, depending on how fast and far the vehicle is driven and the temp differential. The sensor is close to the hot radiator and engine. It waits until the vehicle starts moving with ambient air passing over the sensor to keep if from picking up the wrong temp from those components.”
It is quite likely that the Max operates the same way.
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