Why Car Thermometers Aren’t Accurate

Ever noticed that when you get in your car on a really hot day, the thermometer on the dash seems a big exaggerated from what the actual outside temperature is? That’s because it’s technically a thermistor, not a thermometer. A thermistor measures temperature based on change in electrical currents that temperature causes instead of using a liquid like mercury. And on most recent cars, the thermistor is somewhere on the front of the car which is what causes the inaccurate reading, according to Road and Track.

Usually, the thermistor is in the grille somewhere which means it’s close to the ground and picking up the head coming off the cement. That’s the reason your dashboard reading is higher than your phone or other temperature reading. So while your car thermometer is a good guideline and nice feature to have, I wouldn’t count on it for accuracy.

This week Katie introduces you to 502 Motorworks from Louisville, Kentucky and their recreations of automotive icons. Silas Boyle and Matt Phillips will explain how they build three cars that are exact recreations of the originals: a 502 Spyder which is a recreation of the 1955 Porsche Spyder, a 1963 AC Cobra “Slabside” and a 1952 C-Type Jaguar. They’re all done in alloy with the correct drivelines, brake components, and transmissions, just like the originals. And they come with FIA papers so you can race them in historic races along side the originals. They also distribute reproductions of the 1929 Bentley which is a 1948 Bentley that has been rebodied as a 1929 Bentley. Beautiful and amazing to look at and drive! Plus we’ve got some cool tips and how-to secrets from our four shops, so check it all out this week.