Weird asterisk in dash

Obligatory picking of nit: The outside-temperature warning sounds at +3 C / +37 F (actually +37.4 F), not 38 F. Everyone citing 38 F, go to the back of the bus, now. (We need you back there for traction in the event of black ice. )

Originally Posted by rtgirard

Every time that asterisk illuminates I get a nasty kink in my Hofmeister.

I hate when that happens. Need to put a sweater on it!

BB

Originally Posted by Zeichen311

Obligatory picking of nit: The outside-temperature warning sounds at +3 C / +37 F (actually +37.4 F), not 38 F. Everyone citing 38 F, go to the back of the bus, now. (We need you back there for traction in the event of black ice. )

Check original cite, Less than 38 degrees. N4S

And here I thought it meant that the hyper-space drive was online and the worm hole was about to open!

Originally Posted by need4speed

Check original cite, Less than 38 degrees. N4S

Originally Posted by Zooks527

Ice doesn't form at a temperature of 38 degrees, but it can certainly form on a road surface that drops below the air temperature.

Posit a situation where it is a 38 degree night, crystal clear, with no wind. The road is radiating IR in all directions. In most directions, there is an object of similar temperature radiating IR back at it. But, we've said it's a clear night. The road is radiating IR towards the clear sky, but is receiving no IR from the (approx) -450 degree section of interstellar space in the opposing direction. The road loses temperature continually, dropping below the freezing point even though the air around it is several degrees above freezing. The effect is especially pronounced on bridges and overpasses. It's also why you first see frost warnings in the fall on clear nights, but not on cloudy ones.

You can do a demonstration with your car's front and rear glass to show the effect. Park the car so that there are branches with leaves above the rear glass, but nothing above the windshield. You will often find that frost or dew will form on the glass exposed to the sky, but not on the glass shaded by the leaves, as they are radiating back at the glass, while the exposed surface has dropped below the dew point / freezing point.

The reverse is the case during the day. The air temperature may be below freezing, but the portion of the road looking a the 10,000 degree ball of fusing hydrogen in the sky is raised significantly above freezing.

FWIW,
George

George,
Interesting post...but I've heard that NITROGEN in your tires will protect you from interstellar freezing on bridges. I have at least three good sources.

Originally Posted by pointandgo

Interesting post...but I've heard that NITROGEN in your tires will protect you from interstellar freezing on bridges. I have at least three good sources.

Hah! If I didn't know you better, that quarter would have gone in the slot!

It is a symbol of Octoberfest. You will see it every October as a reminder not to miss it.

Originally Posted by 55

It is a symbol of Octoberfest. You will see it every October as a reminder not to miss it.

Must be something wrong then, because I started drinking Oktoberfest-based beers long before I'll see my icon.

Originally Posted by 55

It is a symbol of Octoberfest. You will see it every October as a reminder not to miss it.

Originally Posted by BiHoTTo115

Must be something wrong then, because I started drinking Oktoberfest-based beers long before I'll see my icon.

+1 I don't normally see the asterisk until mid-late November, or early December. I thought it meant it was time to buy Christmas presents.

Originally Posted by andrew b

+1 I don't normally see the asterisk until mid-late November, or early December. I thought it meant it was time to buy Christmas presents.

In that case, should be a $ symbol, and the gong should be changed to a faint voice telling you to "spend it!".

I've been getting this indicator that looks like a light bulb. I think that means my car has come up with a good idea. I just wish it could tell me what the good idea is.

Originally Posted by BiHoTTo115

Must be something wrong then, because I started drinking Oktoberfest-based beers long before I'll see my icon.

So, you don't need the reminder, otherwise I would recommed to call to you dealer to fix this malfunction.

Originally Posted by chris328

Hey guys this morning I got up and it was real cold out, and after I started my car and went a little bit I got this dingy sound and a large asterisk symbol on teh dash. What is that??

Was your car wet, as well? Shrinkage...