GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I've always wondered where the outside temperature sensor could be. It can't anywhere that it would be affected by sunlight, engine, exhaust, or road heat...so where the heck is it?

Hi Burns,It should be right behind the front bumper. Look from under the front bumper or I think maybe you can see it from the top down between the radiator and the bumper itself. Dave

There is a vertical metal support directly in front of the A/C condenser/radiator and behind the bumper, it is fastened to it and is black plastic with a tip on the end. Points down to the ground and is near the bottom of this support which runs top to bottom of the A/C condenser/radiator. Since it is where it is it can be affected by heat from the engine and or from the ground thus why it is always usually 2 degrees +- off. I have seen the one in my PT Cruiser when I had it, climb right before my eyes in bumper to bumper traffic. It climbed 20 degrees and then when I started to drive it moved back down. I was thinking of making a shield for my Vibe but never got around to it, other things more important to do...

It is in the front bumper. Every time I wash my car, the next few minutes say the temp is significantly lower.

06-08 Vibe sensor location. Pic shows the hood latch and the vertical bracket I mentioned. The sensor is mounted to this bracket #2 behind the bumper.

Attached files

How much is the sensor. i would like to put one inside the passenger compartment, and then you could have a switch control which temperature you want to see. Probably worth about $15, burt certainly not worth $50. Anyone price these ?

Quote, originally posted by RIT »How much is the sensor. i would like to put one inside the passenger compartment, and then you could have a switch control which temperature you want to see. Probably worth about $15, burt certainly not worth $50. Anyone price these ? Sorry no idea, never replaced one yet.

I had wondered where it was too. Mine reads exactly what the scangauge reads for my intake air temp. I have never seen them different.Dan

Well, isn't the scangauge reading the same information that the indash temp gauge is reading? That's what I figured...

I don't think so but you may be right. It is always very close to the outside readings on banks, etc. On my Jeep the intake air is 20 degrees warmer. I am trying to figure a way to get the open air intake to a cooler spot on the Jeep.Dan

Quote, originally posted by Burns1210 »Well, isn't the scangauge reading the same information that the indash temp gauge is reading? That's what I figured...Nope. The ScanGauge is receiving temperature information from the throttlebody. I don't know exactly where the sensor is, but the temperature can be significantly higher (never lower) than the outside temp reading.When I'm at driving speeds, the difference between the outside temp and the FIA (intake temp) is usually 1-2 degrees at most. However, if I'm idling or have shut off the engine, the intake temp can be significantly higher. I've had intake temps over 130ºF after starting up a warm car.

Quote, originally posted by ZubenElGenubi »Nope. The ScanGauge is receiving temperature information from the throttlebody. I don't know exactly where the sensor is, but the temperature can be significantly higher (never lower) than the outside temp reading.Though I can't say with absolute certainty, but my guess is that the throttle-body temperature would come from the MAF sensor... since it needs to know the actual air intake temp. to properly compute air flow mass.

Quote, originally posted by ZubenElGenubi »I don't know exactly where the sensor is, but the temperature can be significantly higher (never lower) than the outside temp reading.On the way home from work today, the outside temp was reading 94 and the FIA was 93.

Could you guys help me try and fix the sensor? Because right now its reading - -.

Can someone tell me the part number for the vertical bracket that the air temp sensor is attached to?