Outside Air Temp Sensor + Fault Diagnostic Plug Location

[rick86]

does anyone know where the outside air temp sensor is located? mine is reading -30 degrees so i need to fix it.

also i looked under drivers kick panel for the ecu diagnostic plug but could not find it, where is it?

[KiwiRS4T]

Don't know about an external air temp sensor but to find the diagnostic plug pull out the coin tray to the right of the steering wheel and its to the left of the fuses.

[zei20l]

i think the outside sensor is located in the front bumper infront of the radiator. probably smack bang in the middle

[rick86]

ahh the coin tray.. ill go check.

[QWK32]

as you stand infront of the car with the bonnet up and look down behind the grill, where the horns are, its just to the right hand side under the a/c thermo fan.

[32TAXI]

Try blowing out with compressed air, shorts out with condensation/moisture!

[BensDR30]

i think the outside sensor is located in the front bumper infront of the radiator. probably smack bang in the middle

I wondered what that was on my S1...

For curiosity's sake I might have to run the diags on my climate control to see if it's working properly (assuming it's part of that system of tests)...

[BoostedBarge]

How do you find out what this sensor is reading? Is there a way to press buttons and make the current temp display on the aircon screen. The R32 did this, but I haven't found how to do it on the Stag.

[QWK32]

How do you find out what this sensor is reading? Is there a way to press buttons and make the current temp display on the aircon screen. The R32 did this, but I haven't found how to do it on the Stag.

pretty much the same as the 32. here is a quick run down, i got this from the R34 manual but it seems to be a little different on the Stagea.

1- Check that the temperature adjustment knob is turn fully down or counter-clockwise, and that the A/C unit is turned off when you put the key in the "ON" position. Then switch the key off and rest any stop any turbo timers if they are running.

2- Start the car and within 10 seconds press and hold the "OFF" button on the A/C unit for 5 seconds. if you have done it right you will see every light and LCD bit light up on the A/C unit.

3- You use the temp knob to change between the diagnostic modes. you have to move it 3-4 notches to change it to the next mode.

Now the R34 manual says there are 5 Modes but i can only cycle through 4.

1st mode: is just the first one that shows up to show you that all the lights and LCD screen bits are working

2nd mode: is a sensor check. the number 2 will show at first the a second digit will show up

20 displayed is normal

21 is ambient sensor

22 is in vehicle sensor

24 is intake air sensor

25 is sun-load sensor

3rd mode: is actuator check and reset, if an error shows up you can reset it buy pushing the rear defogger button.

30 is normal operation

31-32.5 is air mix door

33-34.5 is mode door

35-36.5 is intake door

4th mode: is just a output device check, use the rear defogger button to cycle through the modes. this is basically what they are

41 full cold 35% fan to vent, recirculate mode

42 full cold 75% fan to blowers, recirculate mode

43 open 50% 61% fan to blower, 20% recirculate mode

44 open 50% 61% fan to the foot, ambient mode

45 full hot 61% fan to windscreen, ambient mode

46 full hot 100% fan to windscreen, ambient mode

5th mode: is supposed to the the sensor temp readings but i cant get into it. if i push the fan button when i'm in the 4th mode a 51 shows up on the screen then a temp reading of 0 deg. pushing any other button does nothing except for the temp knob which changes the 0 deg reading from 0 to 1 to 2 to 3 degree reading. i just left it at 0.

any one else have any luck with sensor temp readings?

[_Ryan_]

[BoostedBarge]

pretty much the same as the 32. here is a quick run down, i got this from the R34 manual but it seems to be a little different on the Stagea.

1- Check that the temperature adjustment knob is turn fully down or counter-clockwise, and that the A/C unit is turned off when you put the key in the "ON" position. Then switch the key off and rest any stop any turbo timers if they are running.

2- Start the car and within 10 seconds press and hold the "OFF" button on the A/C unit for 5 seconds. if you have done it right you will see every light and LCD bit light up on the A/C unit.

3- You use the temp knob to change between the diagnostic modes. you have to move it 3-4 notches to change it to the next mode.

Now the R34 manual says there are 5 Modes but i can only cycle through 4.

1st mode: is just the first one that shows up to show you that all the lights and LCD screen bits are working

2nd mode: is a sensor check. the number 2 will show at first the a second digit will show up

20 displayed is normal

21 is ambient sensor

22 is in vehicle sensor

24 is intake air sensor

25 is sun-load sensor

3rd mode: is actuator check and reset, if an error shows up you can reset it buy pushing the rear defogger button.

30 is normal operation

31-32.5 is air mix door

33-34.5 is mode door

35-36.5 is intake door

4th mode: is just a output device check, use the rear defogger button to cycle through the modes. this is basically what they are

41 full cold 35% fan to vent, recirculate mode

42 full cold 75% fan to blowers, recirculate mode

43 open 50% 61% fan to blower, 20% recirculate mode

44 open 50% 61% fan to the foot, ambient mode

45 full hot 61% fan to windscreen, ambient mode

46 full hot 100% fan to windscreen, ambient mode

5th mode: is supposed to the the sensor temp readings but i cant get into it. if i push the fan button when i'm in the 4th mode a 51 shows up on the screen then a temp reading of 0 deg. pushing any other button does nothing except for the temp knob which changes the 0 deg reading from 0 to 1 to 2 to 3 degree reading. i just left it at 0.

any one else have any luck with sensor temp readings?

Awesome. Thanks heaps for your detailed reply. I'll have to check it out when I get home from work in a few weeks

[BensDR30]

I've just checked my S1, and I get the same behaviour in 'mode 5', but the temp reading is changeable from 0-3 in both clockwise & anti-clockwise rotation of the temperature controller. I'll have a look in my C34 workshop manuals to see if I can get some insight as to what's actually going on.

[chef_stagea]

i just ran this in my 260 and kidafas s1. and we both got 2 then a 5 flashing.... the sun load sensor? whats that lol....

what can this actualy tell you? just what is and isnt working?

[QWK32]

yeah i also got the sun load sensor. i performed the test at night time. i think you need to do the test during the day and parked in the sun so the sensor is actually exposed to the sun. the sun load sensor is the little round sensor on the dash up near the bottom of the windscreen on the passenger side. if i remember i'll do the test again tomorrow parked in the sun and see if i get the same error.

[chef_stagea]

yeah i also got the sun load sensor. i performed the test at night time. i think you need to do the test during the day and parked in the sun so the sensor is actually exposed to the sun. the sun load sensor is the little round sensor on the dash up near the bottom of the windscreen on the passenger side. if i remember i'll do the test again tomorrow parked in the sun and see if i get the same error.

ahh good thinking...

[BensDR30]

I got caught out on the same thing - doing the diags during the day fixed that little issue...

[chef_stagea]

what i want to no. is what the outside temp thing is for... (we dont have a display) can we get 1? will s2 unit give me this? and

whats the sun one for?

[QWK32]

i believe the S2 one is the same as the S1.

the temp sensors all have to do with how hard the a/c works, because its an auto climate control the unit needs to know a few things to do its job effectively. say its 35 deg outside and the car ambient is 40 then it needs to pull the a/c on full to get the temp down to what you want it to be, 20 deg for instance. but if its 15 deg outside, an for some reason the car ambient is 30 deg, it might just pull the a/c on a little bit and draw air from the outside to help cool it down.

same goes if your in the sun, the a/c will have to work harder to get the temp down when your in the sun than if it is night time. but this is mainly overridden when you set the fan speed/control to manual.

Edited July 6, 2009 by QWK32