Hello -

I have a 2018 F150 with Sync 3 and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced the issues that I have with my outside temperature thermometer... While it generally seems to be accurate and displaying the right temperature, there are times that I've noticed it's almost stuck and won't show the correct temperature on my display. I usually notice this after driving to work in the morning when the temperature is quite a bit lower than 4-5 hours later when I come back to my truck to go to lunch. The same temperature from earlier that morning still shows (many times at that point it's 10-15 degrees warmer outside) and won't change even after driving for several miles. It usually will display the correct temperature after I've turned off the truck and then come back after eating to head back to work. The issue happens often enough to where I'm not sure if I can trust the temp that's being shown on the display. Anyone else experience this and know how to remedy the issue?

Thanks.

 

I have the same behavior. Takes awhile for the correct temp to display after the truck has been sitting.

 

This is normal. It takes some time once you start driving for the display to change temperature by design. The APIM displayed temperature is filtered by the FCIM. After sitting for hours, it is the same as installing a new sensor as described below from the WSM:

Ambient Air Temperature (AAT) Sensor

The Ambient Air Temperature (AAT) sensor is an input to the PCM. If the outside air temperature is below approximately 0°C (32°F), the PCM does not allow the A/C compressor clutch to engage.

The PCM sends raw ambient air temperature data to the FCIM. The FCIM filters the raw data, sends it to the APIM and the touchscreen displays the outside temperature.

After replacing an Ambient Air Temperature (AAT) sensor, the sensor data must be reset by either driving the vehicle at speeds consistently about 20 MPH for at least 5 minutes to update the filtered data or perform the multiple button press reset procedure to update to the current raw value.
The multiple button reset for the Ambient Air Temperature (AAT) sensor is as follows:

• On the HVAC panel controls, press the A/C and Recirc buttons simultaneously, then, release both.
• Within 2 seconds press the A/C button again.

 

Ya, me too. IMO, the accuracy (or update frequency) of the Ford outdoor temp sensor is an archaic joke. Disappointing indeed. I's accurate first thing in the morning, and after very long drives.

 

My 2020 is very inaccurate and also takes forever to change. Worse than my 2015 Frontier. Heck, worse than my 2002 Ranger (which I think had an outside temp gauge, don't jump on me if I'm wrong about that).

Around here, a lot of the banks have "time and temp" digital billboards. I'm not sure that they are accurate either, but with all my other vehicles, the external temp gauge and the bank's temp gauge would match within a degree or so. My new truck, the temp gauge is always off by several degrees.

 

My outdoor temp gets stuck all the time, and since I live in a small time and drive only about 5 minutes to work, the temp often will stay stuck for some time. Once it's re-set (or whatever it has to do), it's seems decently accurate. Not as good as the temp reading from my '05, though. That thing was spot-on 100% of the time.

 

Same. My home remote thermometer sensor showed a frosty 26F before I left the house. Hopped into the truck that was parked in the driveway overnight and the sensor says 59F. Took about 10 minutes for it to give a reading anywhere in the ballpark of OAT.

 

I am not sure if this is what the OP is describing, Mine on my '19 starts working right away. For example when I left my garage this morning (12C) the temp started to drop as I drove until it got to -19C. It took a bit but it progressively got there. In my '16, it would sometimes stick like if I drove to work early in the a.m. and it was 10C and left for lunch when it was 25C, it would stay at 10 for quite some time and then just jump to 25. If that is how his is working, I would say there is something wrong, especially since I have one that is working properly now.

 

What do you consider "very inaccurate?" As noted, it doesn't read true temperature until the vehicle has been driven for about 5 min - this is consistent with every vehicle I've ever had with an outside thermometer. They usually are not accurate at all when first powered up, especially when located in front of a radiator that may still be warm from last use, or pointed into the sun. Also, any mechanical or electronic thermometer is going to have a margin of error of a few degrees. This includes the thermometers on banks and other public buildings. If you pass by a bank sign that's 3 degrees low, and your F150 thermometer happens to be 3 degrees high, it will look like you're 6 degrees off when both thermometers are probably operating normally.

 

https://weather.com/science/weather-...perature-wrong