Shifter area getting HOT!

[alex56]

Ok, so this is a strange problem and its been happening for about a year or so now, but i just kind of forgot about it so I'm just going post it now, ANYWAY..


So this problem happens when I have the "dimmer" switch for the dash lights turned pretty far up so I get a nice glow at night. Quite often I have to drive for 6 hours at a time. At about 2 hours into the trips with lights on I notice a "hot plastic" smell well all be damned if the area where the shifter is, (center console) from the top down to the sides was burning hot, Enough to be concerned something was going to catch fire.. I kept the lights turned up for the rest of the 4 hours and even the carpet on both sides was overly warm.. The area where the actual shifter is on top, P R D etc the little indentations where it lights up were crazy hot! Enough to the point where you can barley touch it

So from now on i just keep my lights super dimmed so I can avoid this, I have no idea how or where to start to fix this issue

Anyone else experience this?

 

[riceandpho]

Change it to led, it take #74 size, u can get it with 3 leds and it ahould run cooler.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Change it to led, it take #74 size, u can get it with 3 leds and it ahould run cooler.

This is a good solution to your problem, the cause might be that the sockets themselves are damaged in some fashion causing increased resistance and/or the bulbs are starting to fail. Keep in mind that a lightbulb is a resistor and all resistors give off heat, increase the resistance while maintaining voltage and it will result in excessive heat.

 

[AnneP]

I have this exact same problem in a 2008 4Runner. If the headlights are on and the dimmer switch is not turned all the way down, console gets hot by the 2L. The dimmer can be on high with the headlights off and it is okay.

 

[alex56]

I have this exact same problem in a 2008 4Runner. If the headlights are on and the dimmer switch is not turned all the way down, console gets hot by the 2L. The dimmer can be on high with the headlights off and it is okay.

Wow 3 years ago

I switched all my dash lights to LED long ago and have not had a problem since. Try replacing the one bulb under the shifter to an LED and it should be fine

 

[20034RunnerV84x2]

I doubt the carpet is only getting hot because of that tiny bulb. The bulb is making the silver plastic hot yes, but don't forget on the other side of that carpet and under the metal floorpan is the trasmission and exhaust. Look under there and make sure you still have the heat shields on the underbody.