OBS temp guage in a WRX

semabe · 01-23-2004, 08:59 PM

I was curious, could one of the Non-STI dash outside temp gauges be made to work in an 04' wrx? I was looking at buying a temp/compass mirror but I don't like the way it fits and I spend a lot of time in places where I would like to know the temp (like in freezing mountains.)

And no, the jc whitney/radio shack stuff won't do.

Samirr76 · 01-24-2004, 11:51 AM

Umm just go to Target or Wal-Mart and buy a small battery powered outside temp gauge. All you do is stick i on your dashboard and run the thing wire outside of the car. Not worth the time, expense, and trouble of trying to get an OBS outside temp gauge to work.

DrD · 01-24-2004, 12:57 PM

Well - if you got an Outback sport gauge cluster, you should be able to get it to work (note - I don't have the wiring manual for an '04, so I don't know for sure) - the harness won't be there for the sensor though, nor will the sensor itself, so you would have to purchase and run both of those, too.

The cleanest way to do it really is with the mirror - the Donnelly auto-dimming ones with the compass, temp, and maplights were still green, last I checked (the others are blue) - I went that route with my car - looks very clean - used the factory mounting point for the temp sensor and everything.

Another thing to try - if you can find a small radio-shack type unit, you might be able to cut out a square in the panel next to the cupholder under the vents in the center of the dash and flush mount the display there - more work than I would care to do, though (and that trim piece is like $70 if you mess it up)

One other alternative - if you set up something like the factory 3-gauge package, you could use an external temp gauge as one of those...

01-23-2004, 08:59 PM	#1
semabe Scooby Specialist Member#: 46282 Join Date: Oct 2003 Chapter/Region: NESIC Location: Just outside of Boston	OBS temp guage in a WRX I was curious, could one of the Non-STI dash outside temp gauges be made to work in an 04' wrx? I was looking at buying a temp/compass mirror but I don't like the way it fits and I spend a lot of time in places where I would like to know the temp (like in freezing mountains.) And no, the jc whitney/radio shack stuff won't do.

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01-24-2004, 11:51 AM	#2
Samirr76 Scooby Guru Member#: 4835 Join Date: Mar 2001 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: Fl33tw00d, PA Vehicle: 2002 WRX PSM 2003 Baja Yellow	Umm just go to Target or Wal-Mart and buy a small battery powered outside temp gauge. All you do is stick i on your dashboard and run the thing wire outside of the car. Not worth the time, expense, and trouble of trying to get an OBS outside temp gauge to work.

01-24-2004, 12:57 PM	#3
DrD Scooby Guru Member#: 22412 Join Date: Aug 2002 Chapter/Region: SWIC Location: Albuquerque, NM Vehicle: 2002 WRX Sport Wagon Platinum Silver Metallic	Well - if you got an Outback sport gauge cluster, you should be able to get it to work (note - I don't have the wiring manual for an '04, so I don't know for sure) - the harness won't be there for the sensor though, nor will the sensor itself, so you would have to purchase and run both of those, too. The cleanest way to do it really is with the mirror - the Donnelly auto-dimming ones with the compass, temp, and maplights were still green, last I checked (the others are blue) - I went that route with my car - looks very clean - used the factory mounting point for the temp sensor and everything. Another thing to try - if you can find a small radio-shack type unit, you might be able to cut out a square in the panel next to the cupholder under the vents in the center of the dash and flush mount the display there - more work than I would care to do, though (and that trim piece is like $70 if you mess it up) One other alternative - if you set up something like the factory 3-gauge package, you could use an external temp gauge as one of those...