Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
Outside Temperature
The outside temperature gauge is integrated in the display in the tachometer. This function displays the outside temperature. If there is a risk of icy road conditions, a snow flake symbol is displayed to warn the driver. A snowflake is displayed between -5 to +2 °C.
A sensor which detects the outside temperature is mounted in the left-hand door mirror (6/62). The temperature sensor is directly connected to the engine control module (ECM) (4/46) which then forwards the signal to the driver information module (DIM) (5/1). The temperature is displayed in Celsius or Fahrenheit, depending on the market, in increments of one degree. The unit for temperature display is a programmable customer parameter.
To obtain display of reliable temperature, the temperature changes are shown with a certain delay. This since the temperature sensor is affected by, for example, the engine's temperature, when the vehicle has been parked for a time with warm engine, as it would give a too high value in such a case. The delay is dependent on vehicle speed and is different depending on if the temperature is increasing or decreasing.
If vehicle speed is above 2 km/h:
- a displayed temperature value can decrease by 0.25 °C per 0.5 seconds
- a displayed temperature value can increase by 0.25 °C per 8 seconds.
If vehicle speed is below 2 km/h:
- a displayed temperature value can decrease by 0.25 °C per 0.5 seconds
- a displayed temperature value can increase by 0.25 °C per 60 seconds.
As a result of this delay, under certain special conditions it may take several minutes before the current temperature is shown correctly in the display.
Displayed temperature value is always rounded off to the nearest lower whole number.
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.