How does the outside temperature display work in a 2012 Toyota RAV4?

How does the outside temperature display work?
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Your car has an outside temperature display that will tell you the temperature outside of the car. This can provide you with important information for your trip. It can display temperatures from -40 degrees F to 122 degrees F. If the temperature drops below 37 degrees F while you’re driving, the display will flash to warn you that extra caution is needed because of possible ice or freezing precipitation. Use the display button to cycle to this setting in the center information display.

Tips

If the car is stopped or being driven slowly, the temperature displayed may be inaccurate.
If you experience a sudden, drastic change in outside air temperature (such as pulling out of your garage into the heat of a summer day), the temperature reading may be incorrect.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

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The ambient temperature sensor (switch) is located either behind the front grille or in the front bumper.
The remote digital thermal switch is set at the factory to display in Fahrenheit temperature. To convert to Celsius, press the Up and Down buttons simultaneously. Press them again to return to Fahrenheit units.
Thermometrics Ambient Air Temperature Sensor measures the temperature outside the passenger compartment and is usually mounted inside or near the front bumper. The sensor provides input to automatic HVAC systems to help control the interior temperature of the automobile.
Cars use a device called a thermistor to measure temperature, by measuring the changes in electrical current when heat is added or removed. Most thermistors are located behind the grille on the front of the car, meaning they`re fairly close to the road surface, which can affect the measurements.
Toyota VINs starting with “1”, “4”, or “5” represent vehicles assembled in the United States, VINs beginning with “2” indicate vehicles assembled in Canada, and vehicles with VINs beginning with “3” were assembled in Mexico. Vehicles with VINs that start with “J” were produced in Japan.
Paint code details: Toyota paint codes comprise 3 digits, and can contain both letters and numbers. The letters C/TR will always precede the code. Location: Across the Toyota model range, the paint code is always found on the driver`s side door jamb.
Control Remotely

Use the app to find your Toyota in a crowded parking lot, start the engine, or lock the doors remotely.

Your car actually has a thermistor – not a thermometer. Car thermistors are a poor representation of the actual outside temperature. This is because the thermistor is exposed to re-radiated heat from the road surface.
Digital thermostats use a simple device called a thermistor to measure temperature. This is a resistor which allows electrical resistance changes with temperature. The microcontroller in a digital thermostat can measure the resistance and convert that number to an actual temperature reading.
Outdoor temperature sensors are typically installed outside your home on a pole or wall and connected to an indoor control unit. The unit can provide a wealth of information, including the current temperature and humidity levels.
Most vehicles have their thermistors on the front of the car, located behind the grill. This location makes the instrument`s measurements sensitive to reradiated heat from the road surface.
Alongside the signal that your engine is overheating, you may see your check engine light come on if your coolant temperature sensor is failing or has failed. If your car`s computer senses a problem with the signal your sensor is sending, it may trigger the check engine light.
The OSA sensor should be mounted between four feet above the ground and one-foot minimum below the eave. (Note: Four feet keeps the sensor above ground radiation and one foot under the eave prevents measurement of trapped heat from under the eave.)

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

How does the outside temperature display work in a 2012 Toyota RAV4?
ANSWER : Your car has an outside temperature display that will tell you the temperature outside of the car. This can provide you with important information for your trip. It can display temperatures from -40 degrees F to 122 degrees F. If the temperature drops below 37 degrees F while you’re driving, the display will flash to warn you that extra caution is needed because of possible ice or freezing precipitation. Use the display button to cycle to this setting in the center information display.

Tips

If the car is stopped or being driven slowly, the temperature displayed may be inaccurate.
If you experience a sudden, drastic change in outside air temperature (such as pulling out of your garage into the heat of a summer day), the temperature reading may be incorrect.

How does the outside temperature display work in a 2012 Toyota Camry?
ANSWER : The temperature display is located on the along the bottom of one of the gauges in the in-cluster display center. It displays the temperature as long as it registers between -40 degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit and 50 degrees Celsius or 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature is displayed when the engine is on or in accessory mode. However, the temperature may not be correct if the vehicle is moving slowly or stopped.

Gas gauge isn’t working. Sometimes the speedometer and the temperature gauge doesn’t work. Limited lights around gauges and radio.
ANSWER : Hi there. The dashboard lights are burned out in the dash and the dimmer switch could be worn causing the lights to be weak. The gauges that seldom fail to work is most likely a loose wire in the dash panel. The fuel gauge that is not going to E when shutting off the car has a damaged rheostat within the sending unit. The sending unit is in the fuel tank attached to the fuel pump. If you need further assistance with your gauges not working, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

Windshield wipers stopped working. They’ll suddenly stop working then suddenly start working again. Has been happening for a week.
ANSWER : The problem you are describing likely stems from an intermittent electrical fault in the wiper circuit. The windshield wiper system uses a small electric motor to move the wiper arms that you see on the windshield. That electric motor is controlled through a switch, relay, fuse, and wiring. One, or more, of those electrical components has failed although it is also possible that the mechanical arms are binding (seized, if the lubricant has dried out) thus causing the electric circuit to the motor to overload. Regardless of the underlying fault, if you request a non functioning wiper diagnostic/repair, the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

My dash board don’t work my front light work when I change my light into high beam and my back window won’t go down
ANSWER : As unfortunate as it is, your vehicle would be considered flood damaged. Diagnosing electrical problems in a flood damaged vehicle is nearly impossible. This would take many hours or even days to determine which wiring harnesses and circuits have been affected. Then nearly all of the wiring under the dash would likely require replacement as well as many sensors and switches. On a BMW vehicle, the amount of wires and switches are likely more than that of a lower end vehicle. Due to the inefficiency in cost, you would likely be able to purchase another BMW like yours for less than what it would cost to fix your car. Many insurance companies would consider this type of damage to total out the vehicle unfortuantely.

My back up camera, navigation and radio not working in my 2010 Toyota Camry after disconnecting the battery
ANSWER : First thing I notice is you say the 120 amp fuse was blown. That requires a substantial electrical short to blow. If you disconnect the positive side battery cable and touched any metal part of the car – even for an instant – you may have created that short. Whenever disconnecting the battery, always disconnect the negative cable first. With that large of an electrical short, it is possible that the internal power amplifier of the head unit may have shorted. With any large electrical short, the power spike can easily effect any electrical component in the vehicle. Some are more sensitive than others and will not withstand even a momentary short. It is also possible there is a software issue with the head unit. If you want to retain the original unit, then a trip to your local Toyota dealership for a diagnosis is the best thing to do. Another option is to try a reputable stereo repair and installation shop to explore options of repairing or replacing the existing unit.

All dashboard lights and tail lights do not work after driving through a lot of snow. Headlights work. And brake lights work.
ANSWER : Hello. We’ll be happy to help you. There are a few things that I recommend checking to discover why your lighting system is malfunctioning. The headlight dimmer switch should be checked. Along with the wiring harness above the right front tire behind the fender well cover. Also
the main fuse under the hood should be inspected because other people with your particular vehicle have had similar lighting issues if that fuse goes bad. It will be a great idea to check the rest of the fuses in that area too while checking the main fuse. Once the fuses are checked inside of the main fuse box then I would check the fuses inside of their interior fuse box. The interior fuse box should be located on the driver side of the dashboard near where your legs would be. If you need more assistance with repairing your vehicle please keep in mind that our organization provides Mobile Mechanics who can help you diagnose and repair your vehicle, all at competitive rates.

My AC does not always work. If I fiddle with the blower knob I can ususally get it to work on the lowest setting.
ANSWER : Hi There,
It sounds like you may have a faulty blower motor resistor. The highest speed setting may still work because in most cars in the highest fan speed settings the current bypasses the blower motor resistor. In some cars, if the resistor is failed, the fan may stop working completely. Another reason a blower motor resistor may fail is when the blower motor has a mechanical problem or when a foreign object jams the blower motor fan blade and prevents it from spinning freely. This leads to increased current through the resistor and causes it to overheat and fail. I would suggest having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose your system to determine what may be causing the fan not to work properly.