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

Subject:Outside Air Temperature Display Operation

Models:2005-2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
2006-2008 Chevrolet HHR
2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu/Maxx
2007-2008 Pontiac G5
2007-2008 Pontiac G6
2005-2006 Pontiac Pursuit (Canada Only)
2006-2008 Pontiac Solstice
2007-2008 Saturn Aura
2007-2008 Saturn Sky



This PI was superseded to update Recommendation/Instructions, models and model years. Please discard PIC3608C.


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 being 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 or radio. 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.

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.