My Wife was shopping at Sam's Club yesterday, probably in there wandering around for an hour. When she went out and got in the HHR the temp on the dash was 122 degrees! Now it was/is hot here, maybe 107/108, but no way was it 122. Probably the heat rising from the blacktop did it. She didn't say what the temp was after she drove awhile?

 

In Summer heat, Blacktop is always gonna have a higher radiating temp, same like Concrete..

That's also why congested cities are hotter than rural areas.

 

During our recent heatwave (still sort of going on) my temp was reading 42 C when it was actually in the mid 30s (but it was 44C with the humidity, but I don't think the temp sensor account for hunidex values).

I wonder if the 2010 HHR we are picking up on Monday will be any more accurate than the 2006 we are giving back....

 

Thanks for all the info!

Went out yesterday morning, started it up, drove about a half-mile and the temp started changing. After that, no more problems!

I still think it had something to do with me lingering at the car wash going through the under body wash. It's good to know where is located.

Thanks again,
Rich

 

It's a waste of money to have a temperature gauge on the newer cars. I'm sure the delay is because of the electric fan. With a mechanical fan, air was always being pulled through the grill so the temperature was accurate. Now the sensor has to be protected from engine heat and the delay is needed because air doesn't circulate until the vehicle gets up to speed. My 95 Blazer would instantly read any temperature change driving over a river or into a tunnel.

 

My car seems to read the temperature immediately when I start it up on a hot day. Sometimes that temperature is artificially high and drifts back down over time. It's acting as if it's ignoring the algorhythm to wait until after 5 minutes continuously at 18 mph or faster to display a new higher temp, or whatever it is. I'm fine with this, because once it comes down and stays settled, I know the temperature has become accurate. I just have seen repeated descriptions of what it's SUPPOSED to be doing, and it's not doing it.

 

Mine used to update the temp fairly quickly after start up. Now it seems to take it's time. I mean a lot of time. It's read 64 degrees for almost a week now. Though to be honest, I have only been driving it two or three miles at a time.