2011 Pathfinder LE with automatic cimit control
My problem is : The outside temperature reading is incorrect( always Low , Never high) which affects the automatic climate control system. what happens is , when you start the SUV the outside temp is always Low. sometimes very low. ( It may read -7 when the real outside temp is 40) . After driving the SUV for 10 minutes plus the temp reading will gradually correct itself to the right value. If I then part the SUV for 10 minutes or so , restart the SUV, the outside reading will be low again. The dealer first said there was no issue. Second after I showed them proof of the issue they replace a control board for the sensor. Third after I insisted they changed the sensor itself. None of these thing have corrected the problem. I know it is working incorrectly because I also have a Infinity EX35 that has the exact same system in it, and it works correctly .

Has anyone seen this?

Also:This issue causes the defroster to not work correctly ... the AC compressor will not run if the system thinks the outside temp is below about 28 degrees F

Try running the self diagnostic procedure detailed on page HAC-24 of the factory service manual if you haven't yet.

Thanks for that great document. I did not have it, but the dealer did and preformed those tests.
Everything checks out to be working correctly. We are thinking that the Micro processor on the AC control Amp has a bug in the software. Or the memory does not get flushed when the SUV is transitioning from ON to Sleep mode.
More Info:
If the SUV is parked for a long time ( like overnight) the outside temp will be correct when you start the SUV.
If the SUV is parked for a short time ( like 20-40 minutes) the outside temp will be wrong... Always low.
This is very predictable and repeatable. I have pictures of the outside temp being 28 at 12:55 PM , -9 at 1:25PM ,then 28 At 1:40 PM. The outside temp that day was 28.

I was hoping someone else has seen the same thing ....The dealer has recently noticed another Pathfinder that was in for different repair exhibited the same issue.

I would not really care about this until I found that it definitely affects the Automatic climate control system. And if the outside temp reading is less than 28 or so the AC compressor will not turn on regardless of what mode you but the climate control system in... Including defrost mode where the Compressor would normally run .
Thanks Again for your input.

Try asking your dealer to check for TSBs about this issue if they haven't yet.

They did check, at least that is what I was told. they were in contact with Nissan tech support to get help as well. One thing they did find was... The AC control board for my SUV is only used on the V8 version of the pathfinder. The V6 model uses a different board. They even checked to see what boards the Armada used, and they are different as well.

.

I don't know what else to suggest. Hopefully the dealer is working with some Nissan technical department to look into and hopefully solve the issue.

Thanks for the reply.. hopefully someone out there has seen the sam thing.

Something is strange to me. Climate control should have a temperature sensor inside cabin to sense the cabin temp, not the outside tempe in order to decide whether A/C should turn on or not. It shouldn't judge based on the outside temp. Am I right? If yes, will it be a clue?

Actually the climate control system takes several inputs to make decisions on what to do.
Yes inside temp is one. Also outside temp., as well as a "sun load sensor".
The reasons to monitor the outside temp is for two reasons : ONE; for example to save fuel if the system "thinks" the outside air is 20 degrees and the inside temp is 80 ... if the set temp is 70, there is no need to run the air conditioner to cool the car ... just let that 20 degree air in to reach the set temp of 70. This is an extreme example but makes the point.

second and main reason is ; if the outside temp is to low( about 28 or lower) the controller will NOT let the AC compressor run to avoid a freeze up in the AC system. This is where the real issue is. If the controller "thinks" the outside temp is below 28, and you want to defog the windshield. Normally the AC compressor runs to aid in defogging the windshield. But the AC compressor will not run in this example. I have been able to prove this.
fortunately the engine controls system does NOT use that temp reading to adjust air/ fuel mixtures... if it did, the engine would run rough and the fuel usage would be very bad when the outside reading is way off.

I just bought a new 2011 Pathfinder Silver Edition (2011 new leftover). At the 400 mile mark, I started having the same intermittent problem described above where the outside temperature would show 32 degrees when it was 80 outside. The climate control would not turn on in automatic or manual mode. Lights would come on but no fan and no compressor. After a while, it would eventually creep up.

I am also having an infrequent problem where while driving on the highway, the display showing climate, radio, etc would go black and then display Nissan before returning to normal, just as it would do when starting the car.

I took it to two dealers who naturally could not reproduce either problem and said there were no TSBs on it. They said to bring it back when the problem is more frequent.

If anyone has a resolution to either of these problems, please let me know. It's a little distressing to have these issues on a car with 400 miles. I do love the Pathfinder and this is my fourth one, but it seems the quality gets a little worse every time.

looks to me you have two separate issues
1) the outside temp issue seems to be the same as mine. I have spent a lot of time working with a great mechanic at the dealer on this. we also had Nissan involved.
we have concluded that the issue is a software bug in how the temp is read after the vehicle is turned off for a short period of time. I do not believe Nissan will fix the bug .. I am just going to have to live with it.

2) your display resetting issue: My guess is you may have a loose or bad power connection to the display. this should be easy for the dealer to fix. have them check the connections to the display module.

Thanks ttranter.

Is it my imagination or has the quality of Japanese vehicles gone way down? I've owned 3 Pathfinders, each a little worse than the next. I decided to buy a Subaru which was so unreliable from the beginning with every problem under the sun, I was forced to sell it after owning it for only 4 months. I bought my fourth Pathfinder which also had problems since the 400 mile mark. And to hear that Nissan won't support it with a software fix is disappointing.

ttranter and others,

Hopefully this will help you. I brought my 2011 Pathfinder to my local dealer I've been going to for many years and insisted that they fix the temperature sensor and climate control problems. They had my car for three weeks and after extensive tests and disassembling much of the car and electrical system, they claim they finally fixed it. They were able to reproduce the problem regularly (given the time constraints of how long it has to be parked for), so I hope they really fixed it. I just picked it up today so we'll see.

Anyway, here is what they found (in their words):

1. Replaced bad temp sensor.
2. Back probed sensor connector M13 and A/C auto amp for voltage dropped along white wire/swapped BCM from known working did not drop/performed a pin terminal test and found a slightly loose pin/replaced pin and ambient temp sensor and system is operating normally at this time.

Good Luck!

Hi bevpathfinder,
Thanks for the update, I will see if I have the same Issue

Hi, I know it's an old post but I'm hoping someone is still monitoring it.

I recently got 2012 Nissan Pathfinder and I have SAME EXACT issue described by ttranter in the top post.

I did not contact dealer regarding this issue yet, I'm planing to let them know during my next maintenance visit.
I just wanted to followup and see if there are any updates in this forum.

Was anyone able to resolve this issue?

Thank you.

Hello,
I still have the same issue. I worked with the head mechanic at my dealership. It was determined that the problem is in the software for computing outside temperature ( a bad algorithm). He has seen it on many vehicles now. My understanding is Nissan does not plan to fix the problem.. Please complain to the dealership... Maybe Nissan will address it if more people complain.

ttranter, thanks for a quick reply. I'll bring this up with my dealer next time I take my car for service.

My guess is if this is software bug, Nissan will not bother, since they now have a new Pathfinder model and will probably concentrate on that instead of fixing issues with outdated model.

This should be brought to a corporate level. Hope this issue exists in the new model so they'll have to issue recall.

I'm still dealing with this problem. I've been dealing with Nissan Corporate on this issue since May. They've had several Nissan Engineers look at it and they are describing the behavior as normal. What they said was that the car needs to be in motion for more than 30 seconds for the temperature to correct itself. If you turn on the car and just let it idle, you will never get the correct temperature. While this is true sometimes, other times it can take 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes to get the correct temperature.

They also said that the temperature reading has nothing to do with the climate control, but when Nissan froze the temperature sensor, the A/C compressor would not turn on. Nissan engineering would not comment on this except to say it is behaving normal. I was delayed going to as meeting because it was raining very hard and the windows fogged up. The defroster would not turn on because it said the temperature was 20F. It was in July and was actually around 75F. I had to pull over to the side of the road and wait 30 minutes for the defroster to turn on.

Good luck. I'm still fighting with Nissan and will update you if I discover anything new. Until then Nissan claims normal behavior.

thanks, bevpathfinder. Good info. Sorry to hear about your experience. It definitely does not take 30 seconds for temperature to correct itself. 5-10 minutes in most cases.

I'm definitely bringing this up with Nissan mechanics during my next service visit. I'll also write a letter to Nissan Corporate.

Fortunately, for me I'm leasing the car and I'll have to deal with this issue for 3 years only, after that I will consider another make as my new car depending on my experience with Nissan CS.

Same problem on 2012 Pathfinder.... my low temp reading was always 23 degrees. Dealer replaced bot h the inside and outside temp sensor and all worked well for about 3 weeks. Now the same problem after vehicle sits after running a bit:
1. incorrect outside temp when re-starting (always low.. now by about 10-12 degrees)
2. very slowly corrects itself over about 10-15 minutes
Maybe a batch batch of outside temp sensors ?? Maybe sensor located in a poor location ?? Rain or snow effects the sensor?

I am another that can be added to the list having problems with incorrect outside temp readings with my 2012 Pathfinder LE. Temp is fine at start up. Park for short period and find the temp showing well below freezing at times (-5 or -6 Celsius) whereas the ambient temp is actually 4 - 6 deg C.

I too have a 2012 Pathfinder LE that I purchased in Sept of last year. Went through all of last winter with no problems. BUT I have noticed, at times, like others have said a totally incorrect outside temp, way low, at start up. However, a week ago on the first really cold morning when I left for work the auto climate control was set on 76 and seemed to be working fine but about 25 minutes later it abruptly switched from blowing warm air on the floor to cold air in my face! It was 35 degrees out but unless I turned it up to 90 it continued to blow cold.

It did the same on the drive home, was ok for short period and then seemed to think it was too hot and blew cold. My dealer is on the way home so I went straight there so they could see exactly what it was doing. They worked on it the next day and replaced the in car temp sensor. That was last Friday. Seemed to be working correctly but weather was not as cold until today, back in the 30's.

It's going to be in the teens this weekend so I stopped again at dealer on way home. Temp was 38 degrees and auto climate control was set at 82 and blowing cold air. I will drop it off on Monday morning.

Not to pleased to see the other posts in this thread. I had a 2010 also and never had one problem with it and don't like to think that this is going to be unfixable.

I have seen similar things happening to my climate control system... Mine blows hot air when it should be blowing cool air. Let me know how things work out for you.
The outside temp issue is still there and is worse this time of year ( fall, winter)

In my Murano I can't set temperature inside the cabin.
I set 61F I am getting cold air
I set 62F it blows very hot from vents
Dealer said it is normal but it is bunch of horde s... they just don't know how to fix it

I have an INFINITI i30 and the ambience temperature says -22
I wonder how to fix that problem
where is the outside temperature sensor?
what is the part number?
what is it call?

If some one knows
Thanks you

Which year I30 do you have?

nopepeno wrote: where is the outside temperature sensor?

On my Altima and Pathfinder, the sensors are in front of the radiator, high up on the vertical support bar.

I am having the same issue with my 98 Infiniti I30 right now! Even when it has warmed up driving down the road the AMB reads -22! And it just blows hot air at me which is not so great since its warming up here in California now. Any suggestions???? Please help :-)

howdoifixit wrote:I am having the same issue with my 98 Infiniti I30 right now! Even when it has warmed up driving down the road the AMB reads -22! And it just blows hot air at me which is not so great since its warming up here in California now. Any suggestions???? Please help :-)

You can try cleaning the in-cabin temperature sensor. It's probably in the driver kick panel behind a small vent.

The ambient temperature sensor is the one in front of the radiator. I suspect it's either broken, or disconnected.

Chuck