Ford Repair: outside air temp display, ford hotline, temp guage

Question
2003 ford explorer, outside air temp guage in the cluster with compass and odometer started recently to read 09. Local Ford service rep dosen't know what it means. He said they send this repair out and its expensive. I read your compass realignment answer and hope you can help me...Thank you...Al

Answer
Unfortunately there isn't much in the shop manual on diagnosing the compass or outside temp display. The ones I have fixed in the past have needed a new compass module to correct display issues. I have fixed many temp issues with sensors, but that usually occurrs when the temp is inaccurate. All those systems go thru the intrument cluster which makes diagnosis tough. The dealer tech should be able to call the Ford hotline and possibly get an answer as to what the 09 means, unless it is just bad and displays an arbitrary number.


I understand your concerns with the dealer personnel, this business can be hard on the techs, who are paid for the time actually working on your vehicle, but not for any time they might spend calling the hotline or sometimes longer diagnostic times that these kind of problems require. The pay system is called "flatrate" and is very unfriendly to the techs, especially when the warranty pay times keep being cut. I am working with a group that is trying to change this pay problem, but we are finding a great resistance to change within the industry.

Give the dealer a chance to persue this, with the right person on it an answer should be do-able. I wish you luck.