Fiat 500 Ambient Temp Sensor

Shelster · 11 Sep 2011 at 10:20

Hi all

The outside temp sensor in Mrs S's Fiat 500 has gone T/U. Always reading 8 degrees C.

Have now got the whole mirror in the over baking at a rather nice 50 to try and dry out, but was wondering if anyone has any experience of removing the mirror glass to allow inspection of the actual interior of the mirror. Ama wee bit apprehensive as to levering it off as don't have a replacement one here at present.

Is there a way of taking off the mirror covers (she went for chrome ones) to allow internal viewing without removing the glass, or will that be the only option?

Cheers all in advance

[TW]Fox · 11 Sep 2011 at 10:29

Surely its under 3 years old?

Dogbreath · 11 Sep 2011 at 10:30

Yes, AFAIK the mirror covers are just clipped on, but can be a bit difficult to remove. A search of the Fiat Forum may yield some instructions.

Shelster · 11 Sep 2011 at 12:09

Is over 3 years old as was registered in Apr 08.

May have it sorted with the oven bake trick. Was reading 42 when I plugged it backbone, but has gradually dropped to 18, which isn't far off what it should be. Mrs S will check again when she heads to work tomorrow.

daveydave · 11 Sep 2011 at 13:57

It's annoying when things break, but to be honest, ambient outside temp gauges have to be one of the most pointless features on any modern day car.

[TW]Fox · 11 Sep 2011 at 14:15

daveydave said:
It's annoying when things break, but to be honest, ambient outside temp gauges have to be one of the most pointless features on any modern day car.

I wouldnt want a car without one :confused:

It's nice to know the outside temperature. On many cars its linked to the climate control as well.

Aod · 11 Sep 2011 at 19:09

[TW]Fox;20044837 said:
I wouldnt want a car without one

It's nice to know the outside temperature. On many cars its linked to the climate control as well.

as well as on some cars it's linked to the braking systems if the car thinks there might be Ice on the road-surface iirc?

[TW]Fox · 11 Sep 2011 at 19:16

Aod said:
as well as on some cars it's linked to the braking systems if the car thinks there might be Ice on the road-surface iirc?

Err the closest I can think of to that is that on some cars it goes bong to warn you of ice.

Simon · 11 Sep 2011 at 19:38

[TW]Fox;20044837 said:
I wouldnt want a car without one

Do you really need something to tell you how warm or cold it is outside?

[TW]Fox · 11 Sep 2011 at 19:42

Simon said:
Do you really need something to tell you how warm or cold it is outside?

You don't find it a useful piece of information? It's nice to know what the temperature is outside.

Simon · 11 Sep 2011 at 19:45

[TW]Fox;20047053 said:
You don't find it a useful piece of information? It's nice to know what the temperature is outside.

Not really, I don't have it.

I can tell when I walk outside

[TW]Fox · 11 Sep 2011 at 19:47

Simon said:
I can tell when I walk outside

Wow, thats impressive. You can walk outside right now and tell me exactly what the outside temperature is?

Impressed :cool:

I can't do that, though, so I like having a display in my car.

BigglesPiP · 13 Sep 2011 at 09:52

daveydave said:
It's annoying when things break, but to be honest, ambient outside temp gauges have to be one of the most pointless features on any modern day car.

It's vital for correct function of the air-conditioning.

Myshra · 13 Sep 2011 at 11:50

BigglesPiP said:
It's vital for correct function of the air-conditioning.

Echoing this, I recently had mine replaced because it believed it was 45 degrees outside and thus the CC tried to make sub zero inside. Think this is a fairly common setup now, not sure how climate control would work without this type of sensor (unless it was inside the intake I guess).

Simon · 13 Sep 2011 at 14:13

[TW]Fox;20047081 said:
Wow, thats impressive. You can walk outside right now and tell me exactly what the outside temperature is?

Impressed

I can't do that, though, so I like having a display in my car.

Yeah, cold warm or hot. Thats all the resolution I need.

I can then look up in the sky and see if it's sunny or cloudy too

GravyMonster · 13 Sep 2011 at 14:16

My car has CC and no outside air temp sensor? At least - if it does it doesn't display it.

BigglesPiP · 15 Sep 2011 at 10:45

Spunkey said:
My car has CC and no outside air temp sensor? At least - if it does it doesn't display it.

There's a good chance you actually do have one.

lordrobs · 15 Sep 2011 at 10:57

Simon said:
Yeah, cold warm or hot. Thats all the resolution I need.

I can then look up in the sky and see if it's sunny or cloudy too

I find that it takes me a few minutes to notice that it is in fact a bit nippy after being in my warm car for an hour so the outside temperature reading saves me needless trips back to the car to get a sweatshirt or coat

BigglesPiP · 15 Sep 2011 at 11:53

lordrobs said:
I find that it takes me a few minutes to notice that it is in fact a bit nippy after being in my warm car for an hour so the outside temperature reading saves me needless trips back to the car to get a sweatshirt or coat

In the summer I step out the car and almost fall flat on my face with the wall of heat, not helped by the hear pouring up from 4 catalytic converters underneath.