Outside temperature sensor

Thank you very much! That YouTube video is the bomb!

Interesting. I had always assumed that the sensor would be up inside the "snorkel" air intake housing. Guess you can learn something every day if you're paying attention.

You're probably thinking about the MAF or IAF air temperature sensor for the intake air into the engine. The MAF (Mass Air Flow) sensor senses air volume, density, and temperature, and is in the air intake stream before the throttle body. That affects operation of the engine.

As for the ambient air temperature sensor, I think that is only a convenience device letting you know the temperature outside the car, much like the compass in the rear view mirror, or door switch to turn on/off the dome lights.

'Guess you can learn something every day if you're paying attention.' I frequently use that line. ;)

I guess I'm more of a "less is better" sort of guy. If you are measuring outside air temperature in one place then why not just use that measurement elsewhere? Doing otherwise just increases complexity and introduces one more point of potential failure -- another sensor, another connector, more cabling. Guess I'd never make it in automotive design...

I think that sensor may also be used by climate control as another data point, like the sun sensor.