lqueral
Well-known member
Car, if driven in warm weather with no A/C (windows down) gets VERY hot inside around the console area. Known issue, I know. I used a temp gun and got readings above 115 degrees in cupholders. How long do you think an aluminum-canned soda will take before it's warm?!?!. The right leg and right part of driver's seat eventually get very warm as well. This heat occurs after 1+ hour of driving. After researching this issue, I purchased Elite Engineering's Thermal-ABS ceramic coated and heat shielded tunnel plate to replace the OEM 1/8" thick uncoated and unshielded plate. Their site and users report wonderful reduction in heat but I think it's misleading. What their plate has done is delay the time it takes for the temps to rise inside, but eventually too much heat gets through. Now this is the interesting part - If console is baking after a long drive, and I park and idle the car, the readings on my heat gun actually show a DROP in temps at different points, which kinda means that perhaps hot engine heat is coming in above the plate when car is moving, as there's a gap there, and going directly against the underside of interior floor. After the plate installation was done ($400 plate & labor later with the install done by dealer) and considered by me to be ineffective, I explored having a heat shield placed UNDER the carpeting from the inside. Many makers make these kits and I got an estimate from a specialty interior company of about $800-$900 for parts and labor (seats and console would need to be removed). I asked Chevy to assist with this cost and they turned me down and warned that doing this would void my warranty. They firmly told my dealership "Under no circumstances are you to modify the car". I'm disappointed but can understand their position, actually. As the car has 2.5 years to go for warranty, this is then not an option. I've been researching heat wrap tape to put on the pipes, but have encountered info that warns of downsides to this approach, affecting the longevity of the exhaust pipes that would be wrapped. My points are that one should not consider the Thermal-abs tunnel plate from Elite as the "cure-all" for their interior heat issues, be careful about using the heat wrap tape, and don't give Chevrolet any reasons to void your warranties, if they still exist. The GOOD news - running with windows closed AND the air-conditioning on greatly reduced thermal discomfort...but at the expense of not driving around on cooler days with windows down, which I like to do when possible.
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