Heat buildup around center console?

[Whitey0817]

'99 SR5 auto/4wd...This just started the other day, I searched and found it could be my rear heater lines? It didn't start until the day after I had some exhaust work done, figured they took off a heat shield or something but that's not the case...it doesn't seem to get hot enough like something is burning, but my cup holders and shifter areas get pretty warm, any ideas/fixes? I thought maybe someone bumped the switch or lever on the rear of the console but it was all the way to the left and fan switched off.

Thanks, Dan

 

[skcolb]

My '01 SR5 4WD has been like this too since I got it. The cupholders get hot enough to heat my drinks. I didn't think much of it so I'm curious to hear from others.

 

[Whitey0817]

Not a problem in the winter, keeps your coffee hot! But I'll be dammed if I'm gonna drink a warm mountain dew:yell:

 

[Whitey0817]

Ok it's doing it again, any ideas on what's causing this? Is it the rear heater lines? It's kind of irritating and I'd like to fix it soon, really have no clue why it started all of the sudden

 

[giovannie23]

Do you still get heat out of your rear heater?
If not it could be clogged up somewhere which i read those lines get rusted out over time
disconnect your rear heater lines see if that fixes your problem.

 

[4x4mike]

On certain grades I get a lot of heat on the passenger side of the console from the exhaust. I figure the cats are getting super hot and transmitting the heat. It's been enough to heat an entire 32 ounce water bottle to pretty warm.

Thick floor mats or stuff in the footwell area retain this heat.

To the OP, does this happen after long drives? Climbing?

When I first got my 3rd gen I noticed the shifter (manual transmission) and the t case sticks would get pretty warm. For some reason they don't seem to get that way any more but will every once in a while.

 

[jmildoc]

Do you still get heat out of your rear heater?
If not it could be clogged up somewhere which i read those lines get rusted out over time
disconnect your rear heater lines see if that fixes your problem.

if the rear lines were rusted they would leak anti freeze. i dont see how this would cause the console to get hot if the rear hear wasnt on

is the rear heat set to hot and your front heat is on?

set your rear heat to cold and see if that helps.

 

[BrianSD_42]

What is your engine temps at these times?

I'm just curious.

 

[giovannie23]

To the OP, does this happen after long drives? Climbing?


Now I'm curious. I was off roading climbing up some steep inclines and my engine started getting hot you can feel the heat thru the vents and all around the car but my temp guage wouldent move it was where its suppose to be but after 10 seconds or so the heat would go away could this be the fan kicking on at a faster rate then it usually does or transmission getting hot ?
Dident mean to still your tread ,seem like a good time to ask thanks

 

[Whitey0817]

I'll have to check and see if the rear heat is blowing warm air, the blower works and lever is set to the left (cold). Engine temp never rises above just under half way on the gauge, so it's not running hot or fluctuating at all. It does this all the time except for the other morning on my way to work, usually takes about 10 minutes of driving to start feeling the warmth around the console. There is no coolant leaking anywhere that I can see or smell. I was driving up a somewhat long hill on the interstate with the a/c running the very first time I noticed this last saturday

 

[redstar]

Happened to me a couple times, I was really worried... went for a couple long drives to try and figure it out... Forgot the rear heater on. Also got a really hot key ring from leaving the heat aimed at the feet and going for a long ride.

 

[UnderFire]

I've had this "problem" (It isn't really a problem at all...) whenever someone rides in the passenger's seat, their feet get hot.

I do not have rear heat, so it isn't that, I didn't have the heater on at all, wasn't driving harder than normal, don't have thick floormats, and the engine was no hotter than normal.

So I figure it's just the exhaust/cat letting off heat and soaking through the footwell/side of the transmission hump. No big deal, nothing much can do about it.

 

[JimG]

I have noticed this as well. On a long trip the J shifter on my 92 Toy Truck used to get quite warm, I mentioned this to my mechanic so he put it on the hoist, checked the fluids (all was good) all he could figure is the exhaust just runs close, plus hot air from the engine compartment channels through there. It happens on my 99 'runner as well, but not as much. If it bothered me enough I would look into insulating the cup holder . . .

 

[slowpoke99]

Whew! I thought I was the only one. I have dual cases on my '99 sr5 and I too noticed the crawl box shifter getting pretty warm. I thought maybe I didn't put enough oil in the box and it was heating it up but the fluid levels were good so I wrote it off. I haven't noticed the twin sticks heating up or any heat coming up from the rear cup holder where it's cut out for the sticks.

 

[Whitey0817]

Just drove home from work and ran some errands on the way, plenty of driving 70-75 mph....I switched the rear heat to ON for shits and giggles, and I had hardly any warmth build up around the console, way cooler than it has been...hmmm, and no this is not my exhaust warming up the passenger floorboards, can't feel the slightest bit of heat under my floormat

 

[Ghostrider]

hmmm.,,, I have had my 2001 SR5 since it was new and never had this issue. I do not have a rear heater but do have 4WD

 

[MosesByxbe]

My '01 SR5 4WD gets warm on long road trips. I never gave it a second thought. It does throw a P0420 every once in a while when the weather's cold, so perhaps the cats are getting too warm?

I've never really been concerned about it enough to investigate.

 

[UnderFire]

I have noticed this as well. On a long trip the J shifter on my 92 Toy Truck used to get quite warm, I mentioned this to my mechanic so he put it on the hoist, checked the fluids (all was good) all he could figure is the exhaust just runs close, plus hot air from the engine compartment channels through there. It happens on my 99 'runner as well, but not as much. If it bothered me enough I would look into insulating the cup holder . . .

Dad's 89 Toyota did the same thing, any time you'd drive it for more than an hour on a hot day it cooked the driver's feet, and there was always a buildup of heat around the shifters, nothing was ever wrong with it, just heat from the engine and exhaust system, so I figured the same on my runner.