A method of determining air temperature outside a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle having an engine and an outside air temperature (OAT) sensor disposed outside the passenger compartment. The OAT sensor is located in a region which is exposed to heat after the engine is turned off. The method includes measuring a series of temperature values at the OAT sensor, using the measured OAT sensor values to develop a temperature-time function, and generating an adjusted OAT value using an observed time, the measured OAT sensor values, and the temperature-time function.