Interior driver door handle hot?

[david1997]

I drive an MG4 SE LR, had the car for nearly a year but have been driving it for around 6 months (recently passed my test).

Last night as I got out of my car I noticed that the interior driver door handle was very warm. Not too hot to touch, but warmer than it would be just from someone holding it.

I've absolutely no idea why this happened and I'm not sure if it's an electrical issue.

For context, this was around 11pm at night (maybe 6°C outside) with no AC running, a relatively short journey of 10 miles and nothing I can think of that would've caused that heat.

Has anybody else had this or knows what it could be? Not sure if it's a minor issue or if I should get it checked.

 

[Ian Key]

Welcome to the group. You'll get some good advice together with a few humorous comments.

I very much doubt if it was an electrical fault.

Was the AC/heating off or on auto and just ticking over? In which case it could have been gently blowing warm air through the side vent.
Did you check the passenger handle to see if it was warm too?

To test if its the ventilation or an electrical fault close the vents under the dashboard and tape up the openings in the A pillar above the quarter light. Do a similar journey and check the temperature again.

 

[david1997]

Welcome to the group. You'll get some good advice together with a few humorous comments.

I very much doubt if it was an electrical fault.

Was the AC/heating off or on auto and just ticking over? In which case it could have been gently blowing warm air through the side vent.
Did you check the passenger handle to see if it was warm too?

To test if its the ventilation or an electrical fault close the vents under the dashboard and tape up the openings in the A pillar above the quarter light. Do a similar journey and check the temperature again.

Thanks, I've been lurking on this forum for a few months now but I couldn't find anyone with this issue so I created an account!

The AC wasn't on whilst on that journey (I usually prefer colder temps so I don't often have it on) and I repeated an almost identical journey today and the issue didn't come up again.

However, I did notice while driving this morning that the handle had gotten warm again, not quite as warm as before, but still warm. I also noticed I had the rear window defogger on, which also heats the side mirrors as well. I also checked the passenger door and that handle wasn't warm. This still couldn't have been from the sun or anything, as it was a really cold day with no sunlight.

Maybe this is what's causing it? I'll have to test it again next time I drive to double check, but if that is what's causing it, do you think it's any cause for concern?

Whilst I absolutely love my MG4, I've had plenty of issues with it and I'm aware that MG make pretty unreliable cars, I just don't want it to end up needing to be fixed then I'm without a car for a while

 

[Ian Key]

Try to eliminate as much as possible.

Early one morning before you driven the car and before the sun is up put it into a ready state. i.e. unlock the car, sit on the driver's seat and press the brake pedal. Make sure the heating/AC is off, the demister for the windscreen is off, the heated rear window is off. Just sit in the car for 10 minutes and perhaps read the user manual or play games on your phone but don't use any form of heating. Then check the handle temperature.

If it's still warm contact your dealer or mention it at your first service.

 

[Adam C]

I thought I’d try & see myself with various heaters on/off

Yesterday morning, got in the car, put main heater on & had front screen heater/defogger. Turned the front screen heater off after a minute or so but had main heater on for entire journey ( about 15 minutes ) handle on driver & pasenger door felt cool

Today I done the same journey & as I started off, quick blast again off front screen heater then turned off but left rear heater/defogger on for journey, again roughly 15 minutes

This time same as David, driver interior handle warm ( it wasn’t warm when I started journey ) passenger remained cool.

So like he said, could it be to do with door mirror heater comes on when you have rear heater on? But seems odd it’s just the drivers side handle

I gather it’s a normal thing? Or we both have the same weird fault?

I’ll keep my eye on it.

 

[siteguru]

Is the HVAC on? Is the airflow set for the dash vents, and the driver's side dash vent is pointing towards the driver's door handle?

 

[Adam C]

Is the HVAC on? Is the airflow set for the dash vents, and the driver's side dash vent is pointing towards the driver's door handle?

Yes sorry I should have said, airflow for dash off, vents not pointing towards door

Tried again this evening travelling home

13 mile journey, only thing on was back window heater. I even had driver window open as it’s fairly mild today

Got home, same again, interior handle fairly warm. Just to clarify, it’s just the silver part ( part you pull to open the door ) that’s warm

The black plastic around it felt normal. The 2 switches in front that locks/unlocks doors, normal

I checked passenger door handle, normal. Even decided to check both back doors, again normal

Tomorrow at some point we will be doing same journey. I will leave everything the same but I won’t turn on rear window heater and then see

It’s an odd one for sure. I’m not concerned but out of curiosity I will next week when on my travels go into MG & just ask, maybe someone has heard of this