# Installing Thermometer Sensor

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/installing-thermometer-sensor/8945>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** sensors\
**Created:** [January 3, 2008, 2:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/installing-thermometer-sensor/8945 "2008-01-03T02:13:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cabenner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@cabenner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cabenner)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 2:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/installing-thermometer-sensor/8945/1 "2008-01-03T02:13:00Z")

</div>

Where is the best place to install the sensor for an outside thermometer in a Toyota Tacoma truck? We’ve tried a few places and get false readings.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 2:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/installing-thermometer-sensor/8945/2 "2008-01-03T02:18:06Z")

</div>

It means the thermal sensor isn’t very accurate. No matter where it’s mounted, it’ll give a false reading.

Tester

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/installing-thermometer-sensor/8945/3 "2008-01-03T04:35:27Z")

</div>

Poke it out the front of the grill.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 1:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/installing-thermometer-sensor/8945/4 "2008-01-03T13:15:29Z")

</div>

I agree that it ought to go way up front. Note that you will always get false readings from a stationary car, especially in summer. The sensor picks up the heat from the car itself and also from the sun-warmed road surface. You can only get a true reading from either a garaged car or one that is moving steadily. It will read the temperature of the air blowing past it. So in front of the grille works best.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jeremy\_R\_Hoyt](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jeremy_r_hoyt/32/37_2.png) [@Jeremy\_R\_Hoyt](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Jeremy_R_Hoyt)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 2:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/installing-thermometer-sensor/8945/5 "2008-01-03T14:21:29Z")

</div>

According the directions that came with the one I installed on my car, the best place is inside the front bumper. That is the best place to measure surface temperature.

I didn’t want to go through all the work it would take to install mine under the front bumper so I installed mine inside the fender a few inches in front of the passenger door. It is accurate enough for my needs.