Using Climate Control Ambient Air Sensor To Power Instrument Panel Thermometer

[Squiggle Dog]

I'm in the process of ripping out all the automatic climate control parts and converting to a manual system. I was getting ready to pull out the ambient air sensor, which is mounted on the firewall, when I had an interesting thought--can I use this sensor connected to a thermometer that mounts in the instrument panel of a W124/W126, which I would install in the blank space in the panel just above the steering column?


I know people have made W124/W126 thermometers fit in their W116 instrument panels, but instead of using the bumper-mounted sensors, I wonder if the sensor on the firewall would work if I wired it to the thermometer.

My reason for asking is the sensor and wiring are already there, so it would be nice to utilize it if the sensor will communicate with the thermometer I wish to install in my instrument panel. Afterall, it's entertaining to see how hot the outside temperature is in Arizona.

[Squiggle Dog]

Now that I think about it some more, it's probably not worth the hassle of trying to make it work when I can just feed the correct W124/W126 sensor wire from the bumper, up the inner fender, though a hole in the fuse box grommet, and then directly to the instrument panel. The ambient air sensor for the climate control isn't even on the correct side of the vehicle. So, out it will go along with the wire harness.