A motor starter temperature protection control in which an ambient temperature sensor is positioned on an inside cover of the motor starter to sense ambient temperature across the power poles and heat sinks and provide an ambient temperature signal indicative of the ambient temperature in the motor starter enclosure. A power pole temperature sensor is positioned in thermal communication with each power pole and produce pole temperature signals indicative of the temperature of each power pole. A microprocessor is connected to each of the temperature sensors and receives the ambient temperature and the pole temperature signals to control the motor starter operation based on the temperature inputs. The microprocessor is programmed to periodically monitor the ambient and power pole temperature signals and compare these signals against a fan-on limit, and if the signals exceed the fan-on limit, the control turns on the internal fans of the motor starter. The control continues to monitor the ambient and power pole temperatures and if either should exceed a maximum temperature limit, the motor starter is placed in a motor shutdown mode, unless an optional temperature override has been set. Upon motor shutdown, the control continues to monitor temperatures and track how long it takes for the motor starter to cool down, and if it takes too long to cool down, a maintenance flag is set to indicate that cleaning or preventive maintenance is required.