Evaporator Discharge Air Temperature Sensor

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2011 Mercury Milan, 2011 Lincoln MKZ, and 2011 Ford Fusion. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The evaporator discharge air temperature sensor contains a thermistor which receives a reference voltage from the PCM. The thermistor then varies the resistance to the reference voltage based on the evaporator discharge air temperature. The resulting voltage is returned to the PCM where it is interpreted as an evaporator discharge air temperature reading.

The PCM maintains evaporator core temperature and prevents icing of the evaporator core, by disengaging the A/C compressor clutch (non-hybrid) or decreasing the electric A/C compressor speed (hybrid) when the evaporator discharge air temperature sensor reading falls below acceptable levels, and by engaging the A/C compressor clutch (non-hybrid) or increasing the electric A/C compressor speed (hybrid) when the discharge air temperature rises above acceptable levels.

The evaporator discharge air temperature sensor is located inside of the heater core and evaporator core housing in the air-stream leaving the evaporator core.