What is this sensor??

[4.8isX5]

Hi all...

Other day putting some shine on the tires i noticed this sensor hanging out from the inner fender hole... What is it exactly? Im thinking possibly some type of outside air temp?

I know it hasnt been there for more then 1-2 days now havent been driving it much, but i washed it the other day and wasn't there.

[StephenVA]

You are a winner!

Correct guess.

Is your outside temp display reading -40? if it reads accurately just snap it back in place and count yourself lucky. Oh, tell your wife to stop hitting the curb, parking blocks, etc at the local 7-11, (fast food, mall, grab and Go, etc)


Note: it is coming out of the brake duct, it belongs in the forward lower panel. Are the tabs to hold it still there? lay on back and look just behind the bumper on that side. You should see a plastic panel with a dent and tabs that hold that sensor in a little cavaty, allowing ambent air to cross it as you drive along. You will have to disconnect the sensor, feed the wire through the hole and then reconnect the sensor.

If the sensor reads -40 afterwards, it will re-adjust itself over the nest few days, as some genius engineer put in a resistor in the circuit to stop reading fluxuation of temps at stop lights. Now you don't get to see the drop on the fly temps when crossing bridges in cold weather. This goes to the "engineer to solve problems no one knew existed before" issue.

[tmv]

Ambient Temp Sensor as mentioned.
Look like it's still connected and good. Put it back in place.