2001 300m ambient air temp sensor

[jsweeter]

I need to know where the ambient air temperature sensor is so I can change it. It was not reading correctly all day then the check engine light and battery light came on. Thank you all in advance for any information.

James

[tinmanwpk]

Originally Posted by jsweeter

I need to know where the ambient air temperature sensor is so I can change it. It was not reading correctly all day then the check engine light and battery light came on. Thank you all in advance for any information.

James

It is just to the left of your Temperature Control Panel. Look for the louvers, it is behind that. Use an air compressor or vacuum cleaner in reverse to blow out the area to clean it.

As for your check engine light coming on, it is not related to your hvac system. Read your codes and let us know what they are.

[jsweeter]

What are you talking about.....
I am talking about the sensor for the readout in the headliner console.
Anyway... I found it and changed it but the readout is still incorrect (not jumping around as before) is the part bad?

[tinmanwpk]

Ahhh, misunderstood. Thought you were talking about the HVAC sensor for your heat/ac unit.

I am not well versed about the OTIS/EVIC units (which is what the overhead computers are called, depending on the year of your car). What I suggest would be only an educated guess.

[jsweeter]

okay drove it today to work and it is still jumping around the temp from 37 to 93degrees. Does anyone know of anything else this could be? Aggrevating due to continually setting off the check engine light and battery light.

[fishnet69]

I have a 2001 300m. Where did you find the location of the ambient temp sensor?

[jsweeter]

The sensor is in front of the radiator. If you get down to the lower grille opening on the passanger side it is mounted to the bottom of the crossmember.

I took the car to the dealership and they traced what was wrong to the ecm/pcm. recieving the info correct but the pcm/ecm is not releasing info correctly.

Bottom line --------- needs a new pcm/ecm.

Anyone have one. LOL

[jsweeter]

new news...

So I bought a pcm and installed it and lord behold the problem still exists. You would think the dealership would know about their own car but anyway. Does anyone have any ideas what it could be now. Seems to read correctly after about 10 min. of driving until you slow down then it goes haywire.

[jsweeter]

I got it fixed it was water in a connector under the driver side headlight. I took the front end off and followed all the wiring from the sensor to the connector unplugged it and water was all in it. Dried it out and wrapped the connector with electrical tape and it fixed it. There are 2 connectors down there it was the bigger one with a lot more wires coming to it. the connector sits sideways and the bottom 2 wires are for the temp sensor. Seems the water runoff for the fender, part between the fender and hood, drips directly on this connector. Geniuses that engineered this car I tell you!!

[tinmanwpk]

Glad you found it. As for the statement regarding the wonderful, intelligent engineers who designed this vehicle, why, I was commenting about them this past weekend when I was changing out my starter.