[Flash]

i travelled to Johanesburg, South Africa and while i was driving the car the car gave me a warning that the outside temp was less that 3 degrees. My question i why did the car warn me about the outside temp.

[e30klassic]

Icy condition, drive careful !!!! dudh, "Blackice" ring a bell ?

[Flash]

You must remember i stay in Cape Town, South Africa where the temp never drops below say 10 degrees. So when i went to johannesburg, South Africa where it gets colder at night i got this message on my car wich gave me quite i fright. So does it means i must drive slowly the engine is cold.

[Flash]

what is black ice
PS never seen ice or snow in my life

[David328M-Sport]

my car did that a little while ago. i thought it was a good thing. just letting you know that it could be - not necessarily - a little more dangerous on the roads than usual due to perhaps slippery roads.

i just chuckled because it was a dry morning and went off to work driving in my usual manner. no need to do anything different.

[Flash]

my question still is does the car warn you that because its cold watch out for the cold conditions on the road or its cold dont drive the car to hard

[ericgtr]

I am sure it's just a temperature warning, letting you know that it's close to freezing (32 degrees fahrenheit) and not whether or not there is precipitation (black ice or snow). Black ice is freezing rain that makes the road icy.

[calvino]

is telling you to put your sweater on before getting out of the car, so you don't get sick!!! LOL

is b/c black ice or snow

[ScBlacksunshine]

I am jealous of your ice cold weather, SoCal has been crazy hot lately, summer came with a fury

[E90]

Yes ,it warn`s you of probable ice on the road.Especially on the bridges which tend to be more slippery tahn the road itself.And you should also read the car manual and be familiar with all the warning lights in the car before you are driving the car.

[SoYank]

Originally Posted by Flash

what is black ice
PS never seen ice or snow in my life

Black ice is a thin layer of ice on the pavement/roadway. Overnight, dew will fall on the roadways. If the temperature gets low this dew will freeze. With it on the black tarmac, you don't see it readily like snow, hence the name.

When the alarm came on, was it accompanied with a yellow snowflake on the dash? That should give a clue. The alarm occurs when the outside temperature is 37°F / 3°C or lower.

Why it is triggered at a temperature above freezing I don't know the definitive answer but can surmise it has something to do with the roadways being colder than the outside air (what your temperature probe is sensing). It's also just a warning. It doesn't mean that black ice is present, just that it is possible.

[SoYank]

Originally Posted by ScBlacksunshine

I am jealous of your ice cold weather, SoCal has been crazy hot lately, summer came with a fury

There was an episode of CHiPs on television in the late 70's/early 80's that showed black ice in LA. Maybe not in summer but that's usually only ¼ of the year. You're not immune to it.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Flash

i travelled to Johanesburg, South Africa and while i was driving the car the car gave me a warning that the outside temp was less that 3 degrees. My question i why did the car warn me about the outside temp.

To answer your question about the motor:

The warning has nothing to do with wear and tear on the motor and whether or not you can rev it hard. Although, as a general rule, its not a good idea to push an engine too much until its had a chance to warm up.