2006 GT- How is ambient air temperature measured?

[VBSTANG06]

I have torn the front of my car apart looking for an ambient air temperature sensor and have not found it. I have traced all wiring at the front end. Does the ECM use a table and not a sensor?

 

[Pentalab]

My sensor is at right side (driver's side) on the lower grille. It clips into the lower grille. That's on my 2010 GT auto.

 

[VBSTANG06]

Thanks Pentalab. It's looking like I'm going to have to buy a Haynes manual so I can reference some wiring diagrams to confirm that my 06 has a sensor or doesn't. I reference my live data on my scan tool and it definitely doesn't update instantly. I found a post that talked about the ECM programming for this reading-after driving for 90 seconds at speeds of 20mph + is when it slowly starts to change, or after the car has been off for 6 hours the ambient air temperature will instantly update. Maybe this is true??

 

[RoninGT]

Location of Ambient Temperature Sensor--with Pictures!

Here are some photos of the temperature sensor that I found in the front when adding some bi-xenon headlights/foglights. This is a thermistor from its appearance. I moved mine so that it is in the grille and picks up incoming air temperature. Hope this helps. Mike

www.s197forum.com

 

[VBSTANG06]

Thanks RoninGT I'll go for round 2 inspection

 

[Zach Baumann]

I’ve had my front bumper off a lot and have never seen that before. It’s a 06. And while data logging I get an ambient air temp that seems accurate

 

[86GT351]

There is no specific sensor. If you look at the wiring diagram it is referenced though the Mass Air Sensor/IAT

 

[DieHarder]

There is no specific sensor. If you look at the wiring diagram it is referenced though the Mass Air Sensor/IAT

View attachment 94877

Here's another drawing of it. IAT is built into the MAF on 05 - 09 GT's. When I installed my supercharger kit (DOB) I had to cut/relocate and extend the wires at the MAF (Pins 1, 2) to get the IAT reference. MAF - Pin (1) IAT signal; Pin (2) IAT Return back to the PCM.

https://iihs.net/fsm/?d=40&f=Electronic Engine Controls - 4.6L.pdf&p=2 and
https://iihs.net/fsm/?d=40&f=Electronic Engine Controls - 4.6L.pdf&p=6

You could essentially do the same setup as a 2010 by cutting the wires at the MAF connector for pins 1,2. Buy a 2010 sensor and extend the wires to it. Then, place that sensor in the ambient air stream. However, given that you were taking IAT's from the MAF and now move it to a different location tuning may be an issue since we're not accounting for underhood temps anymore though it may not be a major issue since that was essentially what was done for the 2010's (unless they're only measuring outside air temp and not using it for tuning). A tuning expert would have to weigh in.

I know IAT's are a real issue with blowers so I measure both ambient and compressed temps. Anything over 130 deg F (compressed) the car pulls timing. My IAT's vary widely by outside temps. I've seen it as low as 70-75 in winter and up to 130-140 in summer. At freeway speeds in summer I normally don't see much over 100 - 115.

 

[VBSTANG06]

Thanks for the help it's much appreciated. IAT is built into MAF on these but ambient air temperature is a bit tougher to figure out. That diagram is exactly what I needed. If I look up ambient air temperature sensor for this car it will actually show that there is one! Some mustang years do and some don't I reckon.