WTB Outside Temperature sensor for e38

[7Serious]

Hi everyone. I know this is not the place for this , but everyone here has a 7 series.. Sooo.. Does anyone have an extra outside temperature sensor for an e38 7 for sale. Or does anyone know where I can buy one for under 50.00 at the stealer? Thanks in advance.

Ox

[Qsilver7]

Hi everyone. I know this is not the place for this , but everyone here has a 7 series.. Sooo.. Does anyone have an extra outside temperature sensor for an e38 7 for sale. Or does anyone know where I can buy one for under 50.00 at the stealer? Thanks in advance.

Ox

If you go to www.e38.org ...you will find a whole list of online vendors (as well as BMW dealers that advertise & sell nationally) in the upper right column.

All of the aftermarket online vendors have toll free numbers and online catalogs and many of them will allow you to insert the BMW part nbr (which you can get from www.realoem.com) so that you are sure to be ordering the correct part. Or you can browse through the catagories yourself to find the part you're looking for.

To give you a jump start...here's the link to the ambient (external) temp sensor (it's #3 in the diagram): http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=GH83&mospid=47531&btnr=65_0519&hg=65&fg=05&hl=14

Now off to e38.org to price check all the online vendors for the best price for a temp sensor! :D BTW, I wouldn't bother trying to find RealOEM's number to purchase items thru them (unless you live near them). If they can't post their number...then I assume that they really don't care if you try to buy from them or not...but I am grateful they have the parts database up online to peruse for part diagrams and part numbers. ;)

[7Serious]

Thanks Q. You are the man. I appreciate the info.:buttrock

[joebongo]

I was wondering if any of you chaps knew where in the car the external temp sensor is?

Mine is reading fine (on the dash display) until after I finish my journey, and it then seems to read far too high from then on (35 deg C when it's about 22) until I return home, leave it overnight and it's all cooled down properly. I would have thought that even if it was reading high due to engine heat, when I moved off again the air flow would return it to reflect the real external temperature.

I'm hoping that it's an easy swap out!

Cheers

Joe

Edit: Update:

I found the sensor - look behind the front bumper on the driver's side - it's like a little weener dangling down off a wire, about 3 inches long.
So the question remains is this normal temp behaviour or time to get a replacement sensor.
Temp sensor only appeared to dangle by one wire, which I thought was a bit odd. Couldn't see any more wires broken off so perhaps they only attach with the one?
Cheers,
Joe

[MisterPootieCat]

It isn't supposed to "dangle" and my guess is the wiring harness is damaged. I don't recall what the dealer sells the part for but I don't think it's terribly expensive.

[joebongo]

I got my head under there yesterday (just!) and it is indeed dangling but has 2 wires I think and not the one. It was attached to something else by a cable tie to lessen it's danglyness.

I looked for somewhere for it to sit into, but there wasn't anything there for it to slot in.

I'll ask the $tealer tomorrow and see what they reckon as to the required bits and how much to sort it.