[marko17]

it seems like my outside temp. reading shows 4 or 5 degrees higher than the actual outside temp... is the sensor under the hood somewhere that its picking up some engine heat ? or is it not expected to be that accurate in the first place.....

 

[DoctorJ]

When I drive by a local bank its ussually within 1 degree of the bank's big sign with clock and temp.

 

[Perkolater]

it seems like my outside temp. reading shows 4 or 5 degrees higher than the actual outside temp... is the sensor under the hood somewhere that its picking up some engine heat ? or is it not expected to be that accurate in the first place.....

It is adjustable to +/- 5 degrees. Check your manual for the exact procedure. If I remember correctly you simply hold down the reset button until it beeps and then press it again to adjust the temp display. Mine was also about 4 degrees too warm.

 

[shingles]

It's in the front bumper cover. It will read higher if you are in traffic.
It's also adjustable. The owners manual has instructions on how to do it.

 

[Tex's Ridge]

Consider also, that it takes a minute or so for the temp to stabilize after you start driving.

 

[marko17]

didn't know about the adjustment, thanks for the info........

 

[lowrider90]

Consider also, that it takes a minute or so for the temp to stabilize after you start driving.

I believe the book recommendes 15 minutes of drive time to acheive the most accurate reading. mine is close about 1 degree off. I will fix it some tiime.

 

[swampler]

I believe the book recommendes 15 minutes of drive time to acheive the most accurate reading. mine is close about 1 degree off. I will fix it some tiime.

I wasn't sure how long it took, but 15 minutes seems about right based on my observations.

 

[nevadagarth]

Also keep in mind that the temp. is only accurate for a moving vehicle. If you are in stop and go traffic, the temp. will read higher due to heat from the road and/or heat from other car's exhaust.

 

[denvrfan]

Man, one of these days maybe I'll sit down and read the manual. After owning my Ridge for 6+ months, I had no idea you could adjust the temp. Mine's at least 4 degrees higher than it should be. Thanks for the suggestion, everybody.

 

[Webwader]

Also remember that the temperature you are reading is a few feet off the pavement, which in the summertime is a hugh heat sink, soaking up not only heat from the sun, but also from thousands of catalytic converters passing over it's surface. I was about to adjust mine until I checked in the garage one morning against the thermometer in the garage. It was exactly the same. With winter coming, the temp differential should decrease, at least for those of us that have winter.

 

[mike kennedy]

Mine is a few degrees off but once it gets over a hundred degrees here in Arizona, we stop looking at the thermometers!
Mike

 

[Skywalker]

With winter coming, the temp differential should decrease, at least for those of us that have winter.

Had some snow on the ground yesterday morning in Calgary at higher elevations. It melted later on in the morning, but damn, its just too early in the Fall to be reminded of what is coming. Oh ya, my Ridge thermometer was dead on.

 

[AHart]

Wow, I am glad to read this. I too have had my truck nearly 6 months, and didn't know the thermometer was adjustable. Mine reads about 3 degrees high, so I gotta read up on how to make the adjustment. Thanks once again ROC!

 

[Kodiak]

The outside temperature display contains logic to eliminate false readings when stopped in traffic. The sensor reading will not update until the vehicle is moving.

 

[djdj]

From the Ridgeline service manual...

The outside temperature sensor is located behind the center of the front bumper. The gauge control module uses measurements from this sensor to display the outside air temperature.

Because of the location of the sensor, it may be affected by heat reflection from the road, engine and radiator heat or hot exhaust from surrounding traffic.

These conditions can heat soak the outside air temperature sensor and cause inaccurate readings. Logic has been written into the gauge control module to help prevent abnormal of fluctuating outside air temperature indicator readings.

Initial outside air temperature indication after the ignition switch is turned ON (II):

* If the engine coolant temperature is 140 deg F or higher when the ignition switch is turned ON (II), the outside air temperature indicated the last time the key was turned off will be displayed regardless of the current temperature measured by the outside air temperature sensor.

* If the engine coolant temperature is 139 deg F or lower when the ignition switch is turned ON (II), the current temperature measured by the outside air temperature sensor will be indicated.

If the temperature measured by the outside temperature sensor is greater than the outside air temperature indicator, the outside temperature indicator will increase by 1.8 deg F per minute after the vehicle speed is greater than 19 mph for more than 1 minute 30 seconds. It will continue to increase until the current outside air temperature is indicated. So, the first change to the outside air temperature indicator is 1 minute and 30 seconds after the vehicle speed is greater than 19 mph. If the vehicle speed drops below 19 mph, the indicator will not update again until the vehicle speed is increased to 19 mph or more for more than 1 minute and 30 seconds again. If the outside air temperature is less than the indicated temperature, the temperature will decrease 1 deg F every 1.1 seconds every 2 seconds until the current outside air temperature is indicated regardless of vehicle speed.

Calibration

1. Turn the ignition switch ON (II).

2. Select the odometer/trip A or odometer/trip B display. Press and hold the RESET switch for 10 seconds. While you continue to hold the button, the display will scroll through temperature settings from +5 deg F to -5 deg F, beginning at 0, increasing to +5 followed by -5 through -1.

3. When the desired correction value appears on the display, release the button, and the recalibrated outside temperature will be displayed. Each time a desired correction value is entered, it replaces the previous value.

NOTE: To recalibrate the display to the true temperature, remove the outside air temperature sensor but leave it connected. Submerge the sensor and a thermometer in a container of ice water. Select the calibration mode as described above, then recalibrate the display to the true temperature.

 

[nevadagarth]

Also keep in mind that the temp. is only accurate for a moving vehicle. If you are in stop and go traffic, the temp. will read higher due to heat from the road and/or heat from other car's exhaust.

I stand (sit actually) corrected. Honda has tweaked an already existing feature to the better side of the line.

 

[Perkolater]

I have GOT to get one of those service manuals!

Thanks for the details!

 

[Boreal]

Does anyone know if the sensor holds calibration after being recalibrated, or does it continue to drift? Mine seemed accurate when I bought it, but 10 months later, it reads about 7 degrees low.

Also, does the sensor feed into the ECM or HVAC systems? If so, what kind of problems could arise?

 

[jbjb]

Does anyone else out there feel a need for both and outside temp and an inside temp? I know I'd like to have both.

Just curious...