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Outside Air Temperature Display Operation - keywords Canada cluster DIC inaccurate IPC OAT temp update

Subject:Outside Air Temperature Display Operation

Models:2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR
2007 Pontiac G5
2005-2006 Pontiac Pursuit (Canada Only)
2006-2007 Pontiac Solstice
2007 Saturn Sky



This PI has been revised to include additional models and years. Please discard PIC3608B.


The following diagnosis might be helpful if the vehicle exhibits the symptom(s) described in this PI.

Condition/Concern:

Some customers might complain about the outside temperature display reading is inaccurate at times.

Recommendation/Instructions:

Outside Air Temperature Display Operation

The outside air temperature algorithm uses 3 pieces of information, outside air temperature data, vehicle speed and time the engine was turned off. When the engine is first started, the algorithm looks at how long the engine was off and if the outside temperature is lower than the last reading taken during the previous ignition cycle to determine if a new outside temperature reading should be taken. If the engine was off long enough or the current outside air temperature is cooler than the stored value, a new outside temperature reading is taken and displayed in the cluster. If the engine was not off long enough or the current outside air temperature is higher than the stored value from the previous ignition cycle, then the last stored value (outside air temperature) taken will be displayed. The outside air temperature will continue to be updated every second as long as the outside air temperature is the same or cooler than the previous reading.

Once the new outside air temperature reading exceeds the previous temperature & the vehicle is traveling less than 18 mph, the displayed outside air temperature will remain at its last value. Once the vehicle speed exceeds 18 mph the displayed outside air temperature will be updated. If the speed drops below 18 mph, the outside air temperature will freeze at its last value.

Please follow this diagnostic or repair process thoroughly and complete each step. If the condition exhibited is resolved without completing every step, the remaining steps do not need to be performed.