Outside Air Sensor Question

[TexasLexus94]

I had the instrument cluster on my 1994 LS refurbished by Jim Walker about a year ago. and all is fine. Recently, I noticed that I do not have the outside ambient air temperature displaying at the lower left hand corner of the instrument panel. I now realize that it used to work when I first got the car at 97,000 miles, but it disappeared shortly thereafter. Not Jim's problem.

So I got into the grille, and found the sensor-it's marked Denso #077500-3690. Now, keeping in mind that I really don't need the outside air temperature here in Vegas-hot, hot, hot-nevertheless-I emailed Park Place Lexus in Dallas to see if they had-or could find-the Denso part. They responded that I needed to order part #89428-33010-a switch. I think they may be wrong-plus it's $90 bucks plus shipping. For a repair that is not all that necessary. But my '94 LS with 115,000 miles is pristine and original in every way, and I'd love to keep it that way...Las Vegas is very easy on garage-kept cars.

I really don't know how to check the wiring and such between the sensor and the instrument panel. So any insight on outside air sensors is appreciated.

[wwest]

I had the instrument cluster on my 1994 LS refurbished by Jim Walker about a year ago. and all is fine. Recently, I noticed that I do not have the outside ambient air temperature displaying at the lower left hand corner of the instrument panel. I now realize that it used to work when I first got the car at 97,000 miles, but it disappeared shortly thereafter. Not Jim's problem.

So I got into the grille, and found the sensor-it's marked Denso #077500-3690. Now, keeping in mind that I really don't need the outside air temperature here in Vegas-hot, hot, hot-nevertheless-I emailed Park Place Lexus in Dallas to see if they had-or could find-the Denso part. They responded that I needed to order part #89428-33010-a switch. I think they may be wrong-plus it's $90 bucks plus shipping. For a repair that is not all that necessary. But my '94 LS with 115,000 miles is pristine and original in every way, and I'd love to keep it that way...Las Vegas is very easy on garage-kept cars.

I really don't know how to check the wiring and such between the sensor and the instrument panel. So any insight on outside air sensors is appreciated.

I don't think our '95 LS400 has an OAT display......

If your OAT sensor were completely open, say missing, the result would be that the climate control system would act, react, as if it were DAMN cold outside all the time. Were it shorted the climate control would react as if Los Wages was suddenly moved to Death Valley.

The simplest way I know to test if the sensor is working correctly is to put it in an ice bucket and watch the A/C compressor shut down, the A/C indicator on the instrument panel will extinguish, when the sensor gets down to about 35F.

[TexasLexus94]

Thanks for the reply, WW, but I think that the sensor I'm referring to simply records the outside air temperature. My A/C system works fine (important in in Las Vegas), so I think that other sensors work with the A/C system. I may be wrong, but that's why we have a forum. Again, thanks.

[dfkd]

You definitely do have a sensor for that...my 94 does.

I'm thinkin, if it's off completely it very well could be in the dash rather than the sensor. I dont think sensor malfunction would cause the dash to go blank...but I too could be wrong.