Mini passenger footwell heat
Discussion
Noticed this today due to ambient temps I guess and wearing short in the fiances MINI.
The plastic trim piece central to the car gets ridiculously hot, I guess it's the heater matrix pipes. Seems poor design to not insulate the pipe or have an engine bay shutoff valve!
Seems some TSB in the states for R56 but mines a R50 (2004). Anyone had issues before or fixed it? Excessive cabin heat is not welcome when the car doesn't have AC!
The plastic trim piece central to the car gets ridiculously hot, I guess it's the heater matrix pipes. Seems poor design to not insulate the pipe or have an engine bay shutoff valve!
Seems some TSB in the states for R56 but mines a R50 (2004). Anyone had issues before or fixed it? Excessive cabin heat is not welcome when the car doesn't have AC!
In most cars these days the heater matrix is part of the standard water course through the coolant system. Cars that have a valve/bypass to stop the water getting to the heater matrix when the heater is set to cold are more likely to suffer from blockages in the heater matrix. It's also cheaper 
I can't help with fixing the issue for you though
I can't help with fixing the issue for you though
Hey mate, I noticed this in my Mini when I stripped it, the pipes are completely Un-insulated, but the plastic that is next to it has a high temperature coating on the inside of it to stop it from melting. You can get the pipes insulated but it costs around £150 for it. BMW are "aware of the issue and said that all the cars are safety checked before they are sold"... sorry if this doesn't help.
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