What is it? Temp Sensor?

[guyver408]

Folks, what is this item located on my 2009 Hatchback (behind the grill, right side in front of the radiator)? It's not firmly attached, looks like it is intended to flex. Is it a temp sensor? If so, what specs?

[CTScott]

That's the ambient temperature sensor for the A/C. It is a attached to a plastic bracket that is supposed to be perpendicular to the radiator. It looks like the bracket for yours got knocked out of place.

[bankrobber]

That's funny. I just noticed the same wire hanging down on mine. I hit a wood crate in the road 2 years ago and busted the front bumper and grill out. Never fixed it yet. Does that sensor turn on the fan for the A/C
Looking for a front bumper if anybody has a cheap used one

[CTScott]

That's funny. I just noticed the same wire hanging down on mine. I hit a wood crate in the road 2 years ago and busted the front bumper and grill out. Never fixed it yet. Does that sensor turn on the fan for the A/C
Looking for a front bumper if anybody has a cheap used one

No, it's just used by the A/C's computer to make some decisions about compressor duty cycle.

[tonbon]

my bracket looks excactly like his. it's a flexable bracket, like hard rubber. i guess to minimize shock?
i noticed it a month or so ago, and it took a bit of looking up to figure it out

[auxmike]

Will the A/C work in the winter cold?
Does that sensor prevent the A/C from kicking on at a certain min. temp?

[CTScott]

Will the A/C work in the winter cold?
Does that sensor prevent the A/C from kicking on at a certain min. temp?

The compressor will still run for defogging in the cold. I think it purely factors in for duty cycle. There is another temp sensor on the evaporator to prevent freeze-up.

[ojeysky]

Though this is a old thread but I have an issue at the moment, my ambient temperature reads 81C but i noticed that I do not have the sensor in place and then my coolant temperature is high as well (between 95 and 105C). My question then is can the ambient temp contribute to my high coolant temperature?

[ojeysky]

Anyone with a response? @CTScot, kindly help with this question. Should I be getting ambient temperature data from my scanner when the sensor itself is not connected?

[dogsridewith]

Anyone with a response? @CTScot, kindly help with this question. Should I be getting ambient temperature data from my scanner when the sensor itself is not connected?

did you find the loose wire to the sensor? if not, maybe the connected sensor got tucked somewhere else?

[ojeysky]

I actually found a wire around the location where the sensor is supposed to be and I could not find the sensor itself. Am adding a picture of the wire I found.

[B.B._07]

Anyone with a response? @CTScot, kindly help with this question. Should I be getting ambient temperature data from my scanner when the sensor itself is not connected?

Without the ambient temp sensor connected any ambient temp reading you get on the scanner is worthless. The 81C reading you're seeing is probably a default value the car's ecu is using given that it's only seeing an open circuit on the ambient temp sensor circuit.

[ojeysky]

I guess it's okay then since the weather is usually warm here and considering that the higher the ambient temp the better the AC performance in cooling the car interior.
Though I hope the ambient sensor is mainly for the AC

[ojeysky]

Without the ambient temp sensor connected any ambient temp reading you get on the scanner is worthless. The 81C reading you're seeing is probably a default value the car's ecu is using given that it's only seeing an open circuit on the ambient temp sensor circuit.


I bought the ambient sensor but it doesn't seem to fit. Perhaps am looking at the wrong place?

Regards