Outside temperature sensor
 

My dash display for the outside ambient temperature did not work.

I found a 2-conductor wire lodged between the front bumper and the bottom of the radiator, which looked like it had been chopped off.

There was no sensor that I could find anywhere. I suspected the wire was originally connected to a sensor, but I couldn't find one anywhere close by.

I looked in my service manual but it really didn't cover this topic very well. I searched on this forum and found references to a Honeywell Fenwal thermistor that was a good replacement for the sensor, so I thought I would try buying one and try connecting it to the two conductor wire.

I purchased two of the thermistors at www.alliedelec.com (about $7 each), although of course I only needed one.

The part number is 192-302LET-A01.

I received it and tonight I simply connected it with tiny wire nuts and electrical tape.

It worked! I proved out the now working display with a thermometer outside the car and only 1 degree difference. At this stage I have just taped it to the bumper until I work out a better fixing method.

Just an FYI that this works well if you have a similar issue or want a $7 fix rather than buying the ~$70 replacement sensor and cable.

Cool. Though now that you have proved that it works, you need to solder it in and protect the joints.

I have a similar problem with my 190E, foolish me noticed that it was loose but I didn't fix it promptly. A couple of days later I noticed that -36 degrees wasn't as cold as I thought it would be.

Just this past week, I found the page in the W126 service manual that lists the reference resistance at three different temperatures and was going to see if there was a thermistor to match. You just saved me the work.

Thx -CTH