Hi,

Earlier this year the thermometer that's with the compass in our 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan started "flipping" out. The temperature will change rapidly by a large number of degrees. The compass works fine.

The price for a new sensing unit is doable but the local Dodge garage price for intstalling it is an arm, a leg and three toes!

I need to know where the sensor is located on the vehicle. Hubby has hunted for it and can't find it. The service manager at the Dodge garage said he didn't know where to find it. (Probably easy to replace and he didn't want to chance our doing it ourselves.)

Can anyone help us locate it?

Thanks,

Judith Alta K

 

Bottom half center of the front grill .

little black sensor.

Try to shop for the part with a couple of dealers.
I got very different prices.
I paid $35.00


Good Luck

 

Bottom half center of the front grill .

little black sensor.

Try to shop for the part with a couple of dealers.
I got very different prices.
I paid $35.00


Good Luck

 

Looks kinda like a little top hat.... (in my warped mind).

Shouldnt' take more than .2 hours billable time - don't know why they would want so much money to replace it...???

 

Thanks much.

Hubby found it. The bracket had broken. He's wedged it back in place, which won't last I'm sure, but we want to know if that will stop it from flipping.

I don't remember the exact prices. But it seemed way too much for labor. But I'm living back in the '60s!

Judith Alta K

 

"Shouldnt' take more than .2 hours billable time - don't know why they would want so much money to replace it...???"

Minimum hourly wage?

Judith alta K

 

The temperature reading in our 98 Caravan is stock at OC right now. I know it gets cold in South Dakota....but it's not that cold yet! It's had ahistory of crazy readings periodically. I noted the location of the sensor from previous posts to this one....I've not located it on my vehicle as of yet. You indicate that it's located in the middle of the lower grill section?? Is that in an area that would be behind the front license place holder? I searched for a while but have as yet to find. Is it visible from the outside or do you access it from under the hood?

Thanks for the help!

 

When our thermometer did that the bracket that held it was broken. My hubby took a couple of pieces of light metal and some good glue (not sure what kind) and patched it.

The "flipping out" was caused by the thermomertor sensor flipping around on the end of its wire.

Judith Alta K

 

I just re-read your post. If yours is stuck at one temp it may be a different problem than ours. Ours would change temp wildly by 10-20 degrees.

Judith Alta K

 

Yes, it would do that at times...flip from high to low in winter and summer. Just noticed recently that it went to the "OC" status...which according to the manual means that the ambient temperature is either below -48 or above a high temp, don't recall what that specific was. Anyway, it's not been below zero here as of late.

As I indicated, I've not been able to locate the sensor. Could you provide a detailed description of where it's located and what it looks like?

Thanks!