How to Reset Outside Temperature Gauge in Car – Helpful Manual
Today we will show you how to reset outside temperature gauge in car.

You want to know what the weather is, right? Maybe you’re wondering why your car won’t heat up or cool down properly. Maybe you just got a new car and are trying to figure out how things work.
The display in your car says “Outside Temp: xx.xF.”, but it’s wrong.
Figuring out the temperature will help you customize your driving experience (and protect your wallet from poor fuel efficiency). In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about resetting your gauge sensor.
See how it’s done here.
What are These Ambient Air Temperature Sensors?
A sensor is an important component of keeping the cabin cool inside a vehicle. It’s a sensor that tracks temperatures within the cabin as well as outside the cabin. Using your auto-adjusting device, the thermostat controls the airflow in the room.

The automobile’s heating systems are incomplete without them. Sensory devices are essential for enhancing ride comfort.
The sensor measures the climate of the vehicle and the outside. A temperature sensor allows the AC/Heating Unit to monitor the desired temperature within the system.
In addition, one must change or restore the ambient temperature sensor in case of a fault.
Ambient air temperature sensor Location
The external and ambient temperature sensor is mounted inside the rear of the car specifically on the bumper where the airflow is reflected from the grille of the engine.
It is near to the check engine light in front of the radiator. It detects the climate inside the vehicle and collects information about the driver’s surroundings before displaying the result.
Where is the ambient air temperature sensor located?
It’s normal for an indoor air sensor to measure the inside of a car’s cabin temperature and it’s likely the sensor is located inside the interior of the truck as well.
Typically, temperature sensors are mounted inside and close to the engine coolant and can help monitor your car’s weather.
Now we are going to look at how these thermostats work within the vehicles.
How Does an Ambient Air Temperature Sensor Work?
Automobiles now use automatic engine cooling fan systems. It compares the outdoor weather with the passenger cabin weather.

And then there’s an ambient temperature sensor on display. The ambient temperature sensors look inside the onboard computer, using the scan tool does a car reading, and present them on the dashboard.
When the ambient temperature sensor isn’t working properly, it gives an incorrect signal and the user should replace the false signal immediately.
Controlled air conditioning automation. This gives the driver a precise ambient temperature measurement. Reparations of defective motor control units are required to maintain cooled vehicles.
Reset Ambient Temperature Sensor
Most people will likely be reading it if they are looking at a way to reset the ambient temperature sensor of an automobile. Normally, these can be reset/calibrated for several reasons that most likely involve sensor failures.

This post will explain how you can change ambient temperature sensor settings for a range of common automobiles that come across our streets.
How can I reset the ambient temperature sensor?
Your thermostat can be configured using the ambient temperature sensor so your car will stop if the weather of your vehicle increases. Sensors are useful because the heating is working as the thermostat and this method is the most common technology used in many automobiles today.
This will be the first step to reset ambient temperature sensor reading when you’d like to repair it. It shows how the sensors can be found behind the grille of a car’s engine compartment by disconnecting your battery and pressing the “reset” button.
How To Replace Or Reset Ambient Temperature Sensor – Vital Guide
If you’re having trouble with your car’s outdoor gauge and you’re not sure how to fix it, we have some tips for you.

- First, make sure that your automobile is on level ground.
- Next, remove all of the airbags from your vehicle location.
- Now, get under your hood (or lift up your front bumper) and locate the ambient temperature sensor (ATS) and its battery.
The ambient temperature sensor is located at the top of the check engine light block behind a plastic cover.
- You should be able to see two wires connected to it.
- These wires are connected together at one end through a connector called a “thermostat” which is a separate coolant temperature sensor near the engine.
- To start resetting your ambient temperature sensor, first remove these connectors by pulling them apart from each other with needle-nose pliers or a similar tool.
- Once you have disconnected these wiring from each other, use a razor blade or scissors to cut from this location.
- Connect one of the connectors to the terminal of the battery and the other connector to the coil of the battery with a plastic clip. This should result in resetting the gauge and giving you a correct reading,
How to reset ambient temperature sensor?
When driving a smart temperature monitor monitors the ambient temperature to maintain optimum conditions. This temperature monitor surveys the weather in and out of the cars with an electronic weather control device.
The sensor helps the air conditioning and heating system maintain an appropriate climate for the vehicle. Many automobile engine owners use the same technology.
When the gauge has failed or has become damaged, the faulty sensor malfunctioning causes the thermostats to stop working correctly.
Does the Ambient Air Temperature Sensor Affect AC System?
This ambient temperature sensor works directly with a car’s ac system for optimal air temperature inside its cabin. The ambient temperature sensor collects external previous readings and relays them to automated climate control systems, which then adjust the AC to what air temperature is blowing in the house.

Ineffective Sensors
Consequently, ineffective ambient temperature sensor electrical systems can lead to fluctuation in the cabin temperature inside. If the ambient temperature sensor detects an unusually low freezing climate, the ambient temperature sensor may be turned off. Those malfunctions can cause you to have a rough ride and use excess fuel.
How Can I Bypass an Ambient Air Temperature Sensor?
When it comes time to change vehicle temperatures you may need to bypass your temperature sensor to have a permanent solution.
As with anything in a vehicle, modification of aftermarket parts may cause premature wear before the vehicle is repaired. It may help bypass ambient heat and use efficient engine fuel economy.
The sensor should work fine if there’s no error message.
Bad Ambient Temperature Sensors Symptoms
If you are not sure if your ambient temperature sensor has been installed correctly then you need to know what the problem is in order to avoid it.

Depending on the condition of the air sensor, the sensor may require replacement. Bad air temp gauges typically cause inconsistent cooling, inaccurate readings, inefficient engine performance, more fuel usage, or incorrect AC auto mode.
If you want to know if your ambient temperature sensor is not working, here are some most common symptoms that might help you figure out what’s going on:
1. The gauge does not go down when the air conditioning is on.
2. The gauge does not go up when the air conditioner is off.
3. Your passenger compartment feels warm on cold days but cools down at night.
4. Your automobile feels cold during warm days, but warms up during the night.
5. There is black exhaust smoke coming from the engine radiator due to maximized power performance and usage of more fuel.
FAQs
How do you reset the temperature gauge on a car?
Simply push the AC button in the automobile while pressing the recirculation button simultaneously. This can be used for resetting the sensor of the automobile inside and correcting the previous reading.
Why is my car saying the wrong outside temperature?
What happens is that the sensor in your car’s thermometer has gone bad. This can happen over time, or it can happen suddenly, depending on the age and mileage of your engine bay vehicle.
How do I reset my temperature gauge?
It’s time to for resetting your gauge.
Here’s the method below:
- Locate the gauge. It’s located on the dash near the driver’s side rearview mirror near the check engine light.
- Once you’ve found it, turn off the engine so that there is no power going to the gauge.
- Press and hold down the button on top of the gauge until it starts to rise back up (it may take a few seconds).
- Release both buttons at once! If all goes well, you should see a message pop up on your screen reading “Reset Outdoor Gauge”
Why is my outside temperature gauge not working?
There are a few reasons why this might be happening.
- First of all, if it’s been raining, the gauge could be dirty or covered in grime.
- If this is the case, try cleaning it with soap and water and then wiping it down with alcohol-free rubbing alcohol to kill any mould growth.
- If this method doesn’t work, take it to a mechanic who can check out any other issues you might have.
- If this is the case, then you should try resetting the inside gauge instead of trying to fix the outside one.
How do you adjust an outdoor temperature sensor?
Here’s how:
Step 1: Check the wiring from the sensor to the unit. Make sure that the sensor is plugged into the correct connector and that there aren’t any breaks or obstructions in the wire.
Step 2: Check for corrosion on the sensor itself or the exhaust pipe. If you find any, use some water to gently scrub away any dirt or grime.
Step 3: If all else fails, replace your sensor with a new one. You can find these at most auto parts stores or online retailers like Amazon or eBay.
Video: How to Reset Outside Temperature Gauge in Car
In this video, you can find the answer to the question of how do I reset the outside temperature gauge.
Conclusion
The ambient temperature sensor helps maintain optimal AC performance. During a cold weather event, your sensor may fail. It is relatively easy to reset the monitoring device. In this guide, we’ve covered everything you needed to know about how to reset the ambient temperature sensor gauge in your car.
We hope this helped you fix your ambient temperature gauge. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to comment below! Here is how to adjust windshield wiper arm tension.