.....In the middle of the climate control panel. Thought it was a button at first but it's just a strange looking thing that doesn't seem to actually do owt?

I'm on about the thing in the attached picture that is in the middle below the top row of buttons.

Cheers

Dave.

Think it may be one of the temp sensors for the AC

 

Stu

Possible interior temp sensor to control fan speed/location when on auto?

 

Edit: Just beaten to it

Yes it is the sensor to measure the temperature inside the car.

Cheers guys. Figured it had to be for something but couldn't work out what.

Cheers

Dave.

I believe the one ontop of the dash is also a light/heat sensor that helps the climate control - for example its really sunny but its also minus 5 outside so it has to cool the air slightly to avoid you overheating from the sunshine.

Yeah the Lexus had one of those too..... There were two sensors at the right hand end of the dash above the steering wheel. One was for the auto lights and the other for the climate control as you say to ascertain how bright the sun was on the car.

You can see them above the instrument cluster on this LHD car.... Two different size domes.

Cheers

Dave.

I believe the one ontop of the dash is also a light/heat sensor that helps the climate control - for example its really sunny but its also minus 5 outside so it has to cool the air slightly to avoid you overheating from the sunshine.

 

Not only that, it's actually two sunlight sensors (not heat sensors) at 90 degrees to each other, so it can tell if the sunshine is coming from the left or right side of the car and reduce the temperature in that side only.