Cylinder Head Temperature Sensor

WARNING: This page does not describe the selected car, but rather 16 other vehicles, including the 2000 Mercury Villager, 2000 Mercury Mountaineer, 2000 Lincoln Navigator, 2000 Ford Windstar, and 2000 Ford Ranger. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The cylinder head temperature (CHT) sensor is a thermistor device in which resistance changes with temperature. The electrical resistance of a thermistor decreases as temperature increases, and increases as temperature decreases. The varying resistance affects the voltage drop across the sensor terminals and provides electrical signals to the PCM corresponding to temperature. Thermistor-type sensors are considered passive sensors. A passive sensor is connected to a voltage divider network so that varying the resistance of the passive sensor causes a variation in total current flow. Voltage that is dropped across a fixed resistor in series with the sensor resistor determines the voltage signal at the PCM. This voltage signal is equal to the reference voltage minus the voltage drop across the fixed resistor. The cylinder head temperature (CHT) sensor is installed in the aluminum cylinder head and measures the metal temperature. The CHT sensor communicates an overheating condition to the PCM. The PCM would then initiate a cooling strategy based on information from the CHT sensor. A cooling system failure such as low coolant or coolant loss could cause an overheating condition. As a result, damage to major engine components could occur. Using a CHT sensor and cooling strategy would prevent damage by allowing air cooling of the engine and limp home capability.