Mysterious rear seat burning?
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 22
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From: So Cal
By the way, which heat shield do u guys recommend?
Evolving Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
From: Italy
Guys, in these days I'm driving without the rear seat so I can easily check temperature there.
For example today here external temperature was 15°C, but (after driving normally for 30 minutes) I drove very hard for at least 20 km in narrow roads (so, very high loads but not too high speeds, so not much air flow that cools under the car; all 2nd, 3rd and only sometimes 4th gear, WOT as much as I could...).
When I stopped, the exhaust was REALLY hot but that area we are checking was instead completely cold.
I'm 100% convinced that exhaust heat has really nothing to do; it's some kind of chemical reaction due to that glue/sealer that you find exactly there. Then, like in almost all chemical reactions, heat can accelerate and help it, but the cause of the problem we are talking about cannot be the exhaust heat itself. Remember that there's the gas tank right under there... and the exhaust mid pipe is not there!
Also if you watch it better and touch it, the impression is that it's not "burned", but molten together (sorry, I don't know how to explain this in English!). It sticks to your hands and dirty them also when it's cold, it's not exactly solid.
In any case, I will put a little film to separate those 2 materials.
For example today here external temperature was 15°C, but (after driving normally for 30 minutes) I drove very hard for at least 20 km in narrow roads (so, very high loads but not too high speeds, so not much air flow that cools under the car; all 2nd, 3rd and only sometimes 4th gear, WOT as much as I could...).
When I stopped, the exhaust was REALLY hot but that area we are checking was instead completely cold.
I'm 100% convinced that exhaust heat has really nothing to do; it's some kind of chemical reaction due to that glue/sealer that you find exactly there. Then, like in almost all chemical reactions, heat can accelerate and help it, but the cause of the problem we are talking about cannot be the exhaust heat itself. Remember that there's the gas tank right under there... and the exhaust mid pipe is not there!
Also if you watch it better and touch it, the impression is that it's not "burned", but molten together (sorry, I don't know how to explain this in English!). It sticks to your hands and dirty them also when it's cold, it's not exactly solid.
In any case, I will put a little film to separate those 2 materials.
Last edited by therocket; Nov 25, 2009 at 02:08 PM.
I was sitting in the parking structure at college the other day eating lunch.. the car was idling for a good 45 minutes. I felt like pulling up the back seat to feel the temp of that area, and it was pretty warm, but not too hot. You could definitely feel some heat though, but not like I felt before in the summer after going on a hard run.
so...so far, based in our DIY investigation:
the substance used as a sealant for the plug in that area + warm conditions in the area
is creating a chemical reaction with the under seats material and producing the melting of the last mentioned.
other conclutions?
the substance used as a sealant for the plug in that area + warm conditions in the area
is creating a chemical reaction with the under seats material and producing the melting of the last mentioned.
other conclutions?
If this is tru then thats damn scary. Another recall? Maybe ill carry a fire extinguisher just in case too...
That is the problem, there is no insulation in that area, 
forgot to insulate the floor under the back seats. If you seat any body on the rear seat, the foam is in direct contact with the metal floor, chemical reacting or burning by heat, the foam is getting burn. The rest of the car is properly insulated.
The smell that I felt is sort of rubber burn, a light smell, so I was really confuse all the time. It is coming form the street? It is coming from my exhaust? I was like a freaking cocker spaniel those days looking for the smelly spot.
forgot to insulate the floor under the back seats. If you seat any body on the rear seat, the foam is in direct contact with the metal floor, chemical reacting or burning by heat, the foam is getting burn. The rest of the car is properly insulated.The smell that I felt is sort of rubber burn, a light smell, so I was really confuse all the time. It is coming form the street? It is coming from my exhaust? I was like a freaking cocker spaniel those days looking for the smelly spot.