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Temperature sensor accuracy?
Hi All,
My 2003 ST II's temperature sensor seems high by about 5 deg C - for example this evening I compared the car, having been off in the driveway for a couple of hours, to my little weather station: 33 deg C in the XTrail vs. 28 in the weather station (which I know is "accurate" for my location when compared to the nearest BoM station).
Anyone else find the sensor off? Does anyone know of any way of calibrating it? And while I'm at it - anyone know where the sensor is on the car?
Thanks in advance,
Ben
(BTW, you'll see this is my first post here: I'd drop a note into 'Introductions' but there's not much at all to say, other than "G'Day from a new 2003 ST II owner" :-) (hope a brief intro's not considered antisocial :-)
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X-Trail 2003 ST II
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30/Jan/2006, 9:39 pm
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Re: Temperature sensor accuracy?
Hey Ben,
Welcome to the ever-growing X-Trail forums!
I have noticed ours playing up on two occasions in the almost-2-years we've owned it for. One time last year it was "stuck" on something like 17 degrees even though we could feel the temperature was very much hotter.
Other things I have noticed is that the number flashes when the temperature gets below about 3 degrees. We've never had it display "0" but I think we've got it as low as a "1" during the last winter.
I have noticed it appears to read higher than what the radio forecasts, but it did get up to 48 or 49 degrees on a 10 minute trip on New Years Day (Sydney) a month ago.
As for the location - I believe it's part of the red flashing light in front of the driver's seat in the corner of the dashboard under the windscreen glass (next to the windscreen/defrost air vent).
--- Rich. X-013(c)
'04 S2 ST Auto. Nudge_roofracks_tow_tints_Lightforce_GME_BFG_TBS_home-made-bashplate_50mm-spacer-lift
Click here to see >300MB of photos and videos All For His Glory. |
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30/Jan/2006, 9:54 pm
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Re: Temperature sensor accuracy?
Hi Ben! Welcome!!
If you are seeing a higher reading when the car has been sat still for a couple of hours then I am not surprised. The sensor will be somewhere out of sunlight and any other source of heat, probably under a wheel arch. If the car is not moving then that sensor is just reading still air that is being heated inside a big steel box!! The reading can only be more accurate when moving as there will be air flow.
On New Years day here in Sydney it hit 45C, I had to drive some friends to the airport and my temp readout was 44-46C all the way to the airport and back - so pretty damn accurate if you ask me, even at high temps!!
- Adam
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- Adam (MY04 Titanium Ti-L)
Full Hi-Tech exhaust,Koni shocks,Whiteline rear s/bar,front strut bar,K&N filter,eyelids,Pioneer DVD+iPod+Veh Dynamics+rear view camera
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30/Jan/2006, 9:56 pm
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Re: Temperature sensor accuracy?
quote:
Other things I have noticed is that the number flashes when the temperature gets below about 3 degrees.
Yeah, that's in the manual - I recall the display will actually switch from whatever it was displaying (e.g. trip meter) to temp, at 3 deg C. The manual doesn't say *why* this is useful, but as Adam notes it would probably stating the obvious in colder climates.
Just checked again, it's a little breezy outside, sun's been down for ~two hours. XTrail says 26, my house is 22.4, BoM says 22.
I wonder how easy it'd be to take the sensor down to freezing point... if I could find it!
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X-Trail 2003 ST II
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30/Jan/2006, 10:12 pm
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Re: Temperature sensor accuracy?
I find mine is usually pretty dead on accurate, but during our heatwave last week i had a reading of 51C on the exy! i meant to take a picture but didnt get around to it..
This was after 10 mins of driving on the freeway, after that it slowly dropped to 44 which was the actual outside temp.
--- '04 ST Auto - Diamond White
16" S15GT 200sx Alloys
Alutec Strut Bar
K&N Air Filter
Stage 3 Brake light sticker mod
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30/Jan/2006, 10:19 pm
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Re: Temperature sensor accuracy?
I used to find mine read about 5 deg higher when stopped, but accurate when moving.....
I think it was due to heat soak in the engine bay.
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Owner of a Titanium ST X-Trail
and a 4.2L TDI ST Patrol (I like my Patrol better)
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30/Jan/2006, 10:22 pm
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Re: Temperature sensor accuracy?
Hi Ben,
Help is here 
Here is where the external temp/ambient sensor is located
They couldn't have picked a better spot to locate it other than right in front of the radiator, which explains why you guys are getting a slightly off reading.
And here are some trouble-shooting methods if you wanna know that the sensor is working correctly or not. (My guess it's fine, just the position of it is the problem)
If you can relocate that sensor away from the radiator, you could get a more accurate reading.
P.S. The purpose of us asking new members to make an intro post is to make a point of reference whereby any member can browse through the intro section to know who you are and where are you located (example, Australia or overseas) and what type of xtrail you're driving. It is also a nice way of saying "Hi" to everyone before getting right into it
It is not mandatory at all.
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30/Jan/2006, 10:24 pm
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Re: Temperature sensor accuracy?
Great Jalal, thanks for the manual extracts. I'll take a few readings on the sensor as soon as I can gather an accurate thermometer, some hot water, some ice and my trusty multimeter...
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X-Trail 2003 ST II
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30/Jan/2006, 10:40 pm
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Re: Temperature sensor accuracy?
I should also make a note here and say that the temp sensor is only standard on the Ti in series I (the ST doesn't have it in case you go looking for it)
It is standard on both ST and Ti in Series II.
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30/Jan/2006, 10:52 pm
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