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2016 Mazda 3 - Why is the outside temperature reading so inaccurate?

swimmer8swimmer8 Member Posts: 1
edited May 2017 in Mazda
Just got a new 2016 Mazda 3. I am formerly a Volkswagen owner (diesel) and I am accustomed to the VW temperature reading of outside air being pretty accurate. My new Mazda seems way off the actual temperature. Is there some way to set it, or adjust it?
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Answers

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    probably a bad sensor. It would have to be scanned by the dealer. Some sensors are slow to react, but they should be reasonably accurate.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Don't believe it's a bad sensor, Mine on my 2017 3 GTA is very slow to react too. I pulled out of my garage reading at 77 degrees, after driving in known 92 degree temps. for at least 15 minutes, my thermometer slowly rose to only 82 degrees before I was at my destination. I did some research and read that the sensors are tucked under the headlight where there is very little air flow. This really disappoints me as I'm used to my Toyotas registering changes in temps. almost immediately. This could really become a safety issue when temps. are hovering around freezing and you would like to know if there is any black ice on the road. I'll mention it to my dealer when I take it in before warranty expires, but I really don't expect anything they can or will do. Just another little Mazda fopaux that you wouldn't find on a new Toyota. Any suggestions ?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You might check with the dealer and see if they have any TSBs on this. Another possibility is to find the probe for the sensor and relocate it.
  • thecardoc3thecardoc3 Member Posts: 5,745
    terceltom said:

    I did some research and read that the sensors are tucked under the headlight where there is very little air flow.

    You need to do a little more research. The temperature indication is dampened so that the reading doesn't display the true widely varying temperatures that occur during normal, as well as start and stop driving. The dampening however is not linear and you will see why in a moment.
    terceltom said:


    This really disappoints me as I'm used to my Toyotas registering changes in temps. almost immediately. This could really become a safety issue when temps. are hovering around freezing and you would like to know if there is any black ice on the road. ?

    The key word there was "almost". Since the temperature sensor could react to changes in temperature from under-hood sources its tendency to display higher temperatures is limited at slow speeds and when stopped. However the faster you go, or the colder it gets the value updates at a much faster rate. If it didn't do that your complaint would be that the temperature appears erratic. It will detect sub freezing temperatures fast enough. One little trick if you need to prove this is to drive the car a short distance and then stop and shut it off for about fifteen seconds and then restart it. You will usually see the value update to the currently sensed temperature.

    Another thing you can usually do is manually update the display. Often times this can be as simple as setting the display to a different piece of information and then returning to the ambient temperature, or it may be done by pressing more than one button simultaneously. Check with service information for details. Note: The owners manual might include this and it might not.
    terceltom said:


    I'll mention it to my dealer when I take it in before warranty expires, but I really don't expect anything they can or will do. Just another little Mazda fopaux that you wouldn't find on a new Toyota. Any suggestions ?

    When all else fails, read instructions.

  • susan646susan646 Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2018
    I am also having a problem with my 2013 Mazda 3 ambient thermometer - the temperature slowly but steadily climbed during my 40 minute commute until it read 96F by the time I pulled into my complex... on a 28F degree day. So before anyone gets snarky about giving it time to warm up or was I parked in direct sunlight... that's a pretty vast difference.

    Any ideas what may cause this? I first noticed it on the way to work this morning when the temp peaked at 57F then slowly started back DOWN again until it hit 40F... but again, the actual outside temperature hasn't gone above 30F today.

    I feel like my car is possessed. And 96 is HIGH. Could this be a symptom of another issue? (And YES I read the manual and all it says is "This number here tells you what the temperature is outside" and gives no info on why it might be off except driving too slow.)
  • RandoRando Member Posts: 1
    @susan646 I have the exact same issue with my 2016 CX-5. It's still winter in Western NY and the outside temperature today was around 33. On my 25 minute commute to work today the outdoor reading peaked at 115!!! Needless to say, I was a little concerned and couldn't take my eye off it. I felt the car was going to combust at any moment...This has been happening (not to this extream) for the past month or so. I first noticed it when we had unseasonably cold weather (-20 ambient) back in January. That's when it started to get flakey. Should I be concerned about the reading or chalk it off to a bad sensor that should get replaced at my next service?
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