Sensor, Ambient Temperature: Operation
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2020 Dodge Journey. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
The ambient temperature sensor is a variable resistor that operates on a five-volt reference signal. The resistance in the sensor changes as temperature changes, changing the temperature sensor signal circuit voltage to the Body Control Module (BCM) (also known as the Common Body Controller/CBC). Based upon the resistance in the sensor, the BCM sends electronic outside ambient temperature messages over the Controller Area Network (CAN) data bus for use by other electronic modules in the vehicle. The Instrument Cluster (IC) (also known as the Common Instrument Cluster/CIC) Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) display receives and reads the electronic messages from the BCM, then displays the proper ambient temperature.