I just purchased a 2002 R50 Mini Cooper. I noticed that the air temperature always showed -40. After much searching on Mini Cooper forums, I came to the conclusion that I had a bad sensor. After I located the sensor I found it to be damaged and replaced it with a new one.
The temp display now shows about 98 degrees when it's actually about 65 degrees. I've tried different things I've read on the internet to no avail. Disconnecting the battery, driving it for several days etc.
Anyone have any ideas?

 

It's not clipped on in a different location, like in the engine compartment or too near
to the radiator, is it?

 

It's actually zip tied to the inside of the grill under the front bumper on the drivers side.

 

are you sure you are set to the desired units?


it can display C or F . . .


(your numbers don't work out but I'm reading a guess factor)

 

Bad ground.... Aka a high resistance can cause false temp info on many temperature probes....
Guessing you might have a chafed wire or other issue....I'd follow the wire back as far as you can...look for a pinch, splice or other injury to the wire....a pinhole from a pinch or a probe coupled with roadsalts....would do it...
Then again...a bad probe is possible...lots of junk parts around.

 

Mine is mounted in a hole on the crash structure behind the bumper. When we hooked it back up it took a bit to recalibrate. Like maybe an hour.

If yours is zip tied to the grill that could be your issue, it could be getting heat from the motor as well.

 

Stock location is under the front bumper cover, left side, clipped to the
inside of the lower grill of the bumper cover.

 

check the temp with the car off, like before you even turn it on (one morning for example). that should eliminate any engine heat throwing off the sensor.

if it still reads high, look at the wires, or you could try an ecu reset?

 

I tried an ECR reset early on and temp reads 113 degrees F when I turn the car on in the morning. Will check wiring when I get a chance.

 

I had the same problem (-40 on the display) but a new sensor resolved it.

May be dirty contacts or the new sensor is bad - I use electrical contact cleaner spray (CRC brand or WD-40 Specialist line) to clean the connectors and then a squirt of DeoxIT D5 contact lube/protectant when changing things like that - it gets the road grime off the contacts and protects them for a good while. Both of those products are safe for the plastic parts of the connectors.

Where did you get the new sensor from? Is it a mini part or aftermarket?
I bought the URO brand version for $19 and it has been fine.

 

Ordered a new sensor and installed yesterday. Temperature is where I would expect it to be now.

 

+1 on the sensor being bad, also to check those connections. We also carry a kit to fit the male side terminal plug with a new sensor , as being right behind the grille weather elements can corrode the terminals.

Outdoor Temperature Sensor / Probe 65816936953

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/65816936953/



Its from the BMW side , so you just don't use the nylon zip tie holder. As it clips to to the back of the bumper mount.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/65816936953/ES2635473/



Thanks

 

I know, an old thread revival...

But this was the only thread that popped up when I did a Google search of NAM.

And, I am not sure if I still have a problem, but I thought I would write up the issue that I had, which has since, maybe, resolved itself...

I thought I might have had the same problem; a defective sensor. It could have been, but I wasn’t sure. I have a 2004 Cooper with the CVT. I changed out the battery in the hopes that it would help with the dreaded “EP” notification. Easy change with exactly the same battery. Car started fine, but that is when I notiiced that “-37 deg F” warning was flashing in the tach. I tried shutting off and restarting the engine several times to see if that would reset something... No... That was when I did the Google search and found this thread.

BTW - I have dash command and read the intake temperature. It was reading the ambient temperature, as expected.

It has been only a few days since the car was last driven, and no temp warnings previously. It seemed weird to be one day working and not the next. The only thing I had done was change the battery... On a whim I disconnected the battery, waited a minute or so, and hoked it back up. The car again started fine, but now the temperature was reading 68 deg... Hmmmmm...

I let the car sit for a while and then took it for a spin. 68 went up to 69.... I stopped, parked, left the car, came back about a half hour later, started the engine, drove back home, checked the temperature 80 deg F. My house thermometer - 78.5 ... Close enough. Not sure what may of changed. I wiggle wires where I think the sensor is with no effect.

For now I am just going to watch it.

Also, I will note that not having the proper outside temperature seems to have screwed up the climate control. When the outside temp was reading -37, the CC it set at 60 and no AC, the system was pumping out hot air. Only by setting it to LO would the heat turn off. This I will also check further....

I hope to post back after a while of watching this to see if it is still OK...