Car- Outside Temperature Indicator

Called the sun

Because the sensor is in direct sun. Heating up the element/probe.

I think it’s under the car so it picks up hotter temps from the ground or even the surrounding metals.

Being over superheated asphalt or concrete probably bumps it up a few degrees.

Mine said 111 10 minutes ago.

Covington. Black vehicle

Part of the reason is because it’s not actually a standard thermometer, it’s something called a thermistor. A thermistor measures the change in electrical current as a result of heat added or removed, rather than directly measuring temperature. It’s usually pretty accurate… except when you mount it in a car engine where it is exposed to re-radiated heat from the asphalt surface. That makes it read a higher temperature than it actually is because the re-radiated heat gives a higher reading since the thermistor is based on the electrical current.

Depends on the car, really.

The sensor is usually in the front grill cavity away from the effects of the radiator/condenser fan.

Most thermistors are located low up under the front bumper/bumper cover.

They are inherently not the most accurate of instruments, and are usually mounted close enough to the tarmac to read a little high from the radiant heat of the road surface.

They work by measuring resistance. At x resistance reading, it thinks it's x hot. But yes, they are known to be a degree or so off even before you take radiant heat from the road surface into account.

Mobile 97
Heat index 107
No breeze