I feel heat coming from under the shifter (V6 auto)

[Sebas007]

I feel heat coming from under the shifter (V6 auto). To be more specific, I feel it more on the inner side of the driver side, the plastic telling what is what (Park, R, D, Sport). I went to the dealership asking to do a tranny fluid change. I don't know if we can link both events together, however I discover the heat in the same period I went to the dealership. I'm supposed to make a big trip ne saturday for 1 week (Phi, PA --> Virginia beach, VA --> WSH, DC).

Aisde telling me to buy and install a tranny cooler, what can you tell me regarding of the source of the problem, what you would do ?

Thanks all

[unbalancedwood]

I could always feel heat on my 99 with a half an hour or more of driving. Usually just on the top, if i put my fingers/hand on the plastic shifting area....

[Sebas007]

^^^

Yeah thank you for your testemonial ! Now I'm wondering...do I just disover that it is heating up while it makes that since day 1 or no this time it is more serious...I paranoid always a bit when I discover "strange" thing regarding my car. I will remove the central console to from where exactly it is soming from, I'm curious and astonished I didn't see that before ! Other opinons ?

[[SMAN]]

Sebas, if you go to my sound deadening tutorial, you'll find the pics with the center console removed. Perhaps what your feeling is the air vents?

[Biggi_e]

sebastian! your coming back to my area??

as for the heat issue i have never noticed any problem with mine..hmm

[Sebas007]

Thanks Sean and Eddie !

I choose this pic of your. All the pics of the central unit has been taken from the passenger. My problem is on the driver side. However, it will give you a good idea.



The red is the heat area, going from 1" deep on the side the same toward the middle of the console. The green is a little dark gray part I lost when I install my nav in dash. I still wonder what is the purpose of this part !?! There is a spring under it.

I will remove everything and see where the heat is coming out. Will tell you how it ends !

Eddie...PM me if you can plan to meet us, my gf and I, on Saturday September 5th ? It would be nice !

[[SMAN]]

That green spot is where you can defeat the shift lock. Pressing in on that spring allows you to move the shifter without pressing in the break (even when the car is off). As for the red area, that spot is actualy open air. There isn't anything directly below it as the shifter isn't really much larger than the assemly top and the heat duct runs along the outside edge there. Just how hot is this getting? Anyways, it takes about 15 seconds to get at that spot. Open the front cubby and the center console. Start prying it up from the back. then just pull the whole assembly up and your there.

[Sebas007]

Yeah thanks Sean I knew how to remove the console but you answer the question I ask myself for al most 2 years...what is the purpose of the dark gray plastic cover. I tried it and it work well !

For my problem...I feel like an extreme noob ! Always try to detect a problem from the basic ABC 123 of it. In other word, I just check the tranny cooler fluid tank under the engine bay, after removing the center console. The thing you guys have to know is I didn't check after the tranny fluid flush 3 weeks ago...when the problem started. I wasn't able to believe a job simple as that can be failed. You have a scale on the tranny cooler tank with Full and Low...it is 1/2 inch under Low !!! Wow...I will have to go directly to the dealership (not the same one...I move very close to Montreal) but I will show them the other dealer invoice with the tranny fluid flush job written on it. I've been pretty negligent on this one !
At least I check it before it is too late...I guess my tranny can be damaged a bit by the pretty low level of tranny coolant fluid...hope it is not too much !

[[SMAN]]

Just take it easy on the gas peddle and shifting and you should be just fine till you get to the dealership. But um, i'm not sure another dealership will honor the work the first on did. Around here they will tell you to go back to the one you got the work from since they are all independantly owned.

[Sebas007]

I think I've paranoid a bit. The most empty cooler tank is not a problem...it means the system is full. The cat is good too so is the prestone level !

I almost cannot believe I never notice this behavior !! Weird

[SoLarry]

I experienced this myself just today, not a lot of heat, but it was warm to the touch....I had just assumed that it was because I had the lights on and that the shift indicator lights had warmed up the area....