Circuit/System Description

The motor temperature sensor is a non-serviceable part of the drive motor, often referred to as the drive motor with generator assembly. The motor temperature sensor is a thermistor, or a resistor that changes value when the temperature changes. The sensor has a negative-temperature coefficient. This means that as the temperature increases, the resistance decreases, and as the temperature decreases, the resistance increases. The motor control module supplies a 5 V reference signal to the sensor and measures the voltage drop in the circuit. When the motor is cold, the sensor resistance is high and the motor control module detects high signal voltage. As the motor temperature increases, the resistance of the sensor decreases, which lowers the signal voltage.