On the way home today, mine said 102 for awhile and, sure enough, that was the official high, so I think it is pretty accurate.

I'm not sure if the darker colors impact the readings. I had themometers in several BMWs, inc. black, and I don't recall there being a difference.

 

Mine always dropped a few degrees after I start driving. I will have to read to see if theres a way to calibrate. My Acura let you calibrate +3/ -3 degrees.

 

It reached 104 in the shade today.

Its off 2-3 degrees so I don't really care.

 

Mine is right on so far, no problems.

 

Anyway, I think mine is at least 5 degrees off. For example....if it is 90 degrees outside, my mirror would say it was 95-97 degrees(or higher)

I've heard this statement several times over the past year or so. Sooo how do you know that your thermometer is off? Are you comparing your trucks thermometer reading to what say the local radio station says? If so, temperatures can, and will vary by several degrees from one location to the other even if they are just a few miles apart. The only way to know for sure would be to use a "certified" thermometer and take readings side by side.
I personally think the thermometer on my truck is pretty accurate.

 

Temp Guage

We were putting our boat away last weekend, we keep our boat at the lake in a fenced-in storage area, and while we were setting the boat, putting on the covers, etc., we got back into the truck and it read 121 degrees! About two minutes of driving and it went down to 92, which was the days real temperature. I think the sensor is right in front of the radiator, or next to it, so the readings go up when you are sitting with the engine on.

 

its close. its really only a novelty if you think about it. i mean, are you going to plan what you wear for the day based on your trucks thermometer? no.

 

its close. its really only a novelty if you think about it. i mean, are you going to plan what you wear for the day based on your trucks thermometer? no.

True goathead, however, it is nice to know when the outside temp hits 32 degrees or lower.....when water turns to ice on the roadway. In my experience, it makes me a little more cautious when stopping / turning.

 

True goathead, however, it is nice to know when the outside temp hits 32 degrees or lower.....when water turns to ice on the roadway. In my experience, it makes me a little more cautious when stopping / turning.

you are correct on that.....

 

The temp sensor is on the front of the truck, so the radiator does affect the reading if you are just sitting there. I think the manual says somewhere that the sensor is subject to all sorts of variables. Page 2-9 in the 2004 manual. Doesn't say anything about a calibration.

And I agree that a difference of less than 5 degrees is hard to measure or feel so this little gadget does all it's intended to do. And it's not taking a road temperature, so using it to detect icy conditions is not a good plan either. How about just driving carefully at or below 35 degrees (or always for that matter)?

 

Also keep in mind the the temperature of the blacktop is hotter than the radio station temperature. In Phoenix it was 111 per the radio. The surface streets (non-freeway) said it was 114 and once I got on the cement portion of the freeway it said 119 and the blacktop rubberized freeway said 123.

Roads play a bigger role than you think.

 

04's have it on the rear view mirror, 05's have it...I dunno, somewhere else(on the ceiling)

Anyway, I think mine is at least 5 degrees off. For example....if it is 90 degrees outside, my mirror would say it was 95-97 degrees(or higher)

Both my old truck (white F150) and my smoke Titan have the same behavior. The temp reads a little high if your truck as been in the sun for a while, but I notice once I get in and drive it on the freeway a few minutes, it cools off to the right temperature.
- Nealio

 

Mine always dropped a few degrees after I start driving. I will have to read to see if theres a way to calibrate. My Acura let you calibrate +3/ -3 degrees.

To Calibrate it says in the book to drive in circle 3 times then it will re-cal itself.. you may want to check me on that but I believe thats what it says in the book.

As far and the temp goes, in the manual it also states that depending on which way the sun is shining and direction your going it will effect what the temp say on the mirror. I have noticed mine to be off sometimes but it changes up or down depending on were the sun is.

Kinda weird but it makes sense to me

 

Mine read 117 yesterday on the way home. Checked the news last night and the reported high at the airport (about a mile from where I was driving at the time) was 116. It's always been pretty accurate since I bought mine in January.

 

Also keep in mind the the temperature of the blacktop is hotter than the radio station temperature. In Phoenix it was 111 per the radio. The surface streets (non-freeway) said it was 114 and once I got on the cement portion of the freeway it said 119 and the blacktop rubberized freeway said 123.

Roads play a bigger role than you think.

Absolutely it does. Black asphalt roads radiate a ton of heat, and the sensors are only a couple feet off the ground.

I found it useful when driving to Reno, NV from southern CA a couple Februarys ago. Going through the northern Sierras it was nice to know the approximate outside temp.

 

Not sure if my truck color has an affect or not, but my temp gage is usually right on the money.

 

To Calibrate it says in the book to drive in circle 3 times then it will re-cal itself.. you may want to check me on that but I believe thats what it says in the book.

That is for the compass, not the temp readout.

 

Mine read 90-102 during the winter when it was about 28 out. That was sitting stationary for some time. The location of the temp gauge has to be too close to the radiator.

 

To Calibrate it says in the book to drive in circle 3 times then it will re-cal itself.. you may want to check me on that but I believe thats what it says in the book.

Can you just see some unsuspecting Titan owner....

"Howard, what the H*** are you doing in that truck?"

"But honey, the guys on TitanTalk.com say to drive in circles 3 times to re-calibrate my thermometer!"

LOL! :bangit:

Sorry, powderp420, I couldn't resist.

 

To Calibrate it says in the book to drive in circle 3 times then it will re-cal itself.. you may want to check me on that but I believe thats what it says in the book.

Im just trying to figure out where i would be able to drive my truck in a circle 3 times!!!

Titan = Large turning radius

 

It is either in the Titan manual or my CR-V manual that you have to drive at least 20kph to get the correct temperature. I know mine is only different by 1 degree (Celcius)from the radio station down the street

 

yea yea... so i got confused...

 

Mine reads 1.733 degrees too high...am I being too picky?

 

Mine shows 3-4 degrees too high.

 

I am usually at 2 degrees too high. It becomes more of a big deal in the winter. In NC, roads often thaw in the day and freeze up at night. A few degrees can make a difference.