I just bought this truck earlier this summer so I'm not sure what's "normal" and what isn't, but I've noticed my key is hot when I remove it after my daily commute (45min), it's not electrical hot but temperature hot.

Hot may be overstating it a tad, I can still hold the key, it doesn't burn me but it is extremely warm, as is the cylinder and the surrounding area of the dash. I've not smelled any burning insulation or seen any hint of smoke, but the hot key has me concerned.

I should add it's summer time, obviously, and our temps have been 90 plus all summer long, couple that with the fact the dash is all metal and probably acts like a huge heat sink. Also, the switch was replaced 4-5yrs ago as per the previous owner.

Is this normal and i'm just being overly concerned about nothing? or, should I invest in a fire extinguisher, pronto! Thanks for any insight.

 

I'd consider replacing the switch (electrical part). It may have burned contacts that cause a lot of resistance therefor heat.

 

Yes, clean up all the electrical contacts. Your switch and keys should
have no heat in them at all. Contacts are dirty, loose or there is way to
much load on them.

 

A new switch was only $9 so I bought one and installed it, drove it around 30min and still had the hot key issue. I then popped the old switch apart and the contacts were still shiny copper, like new. So now I have a spare switch! This pretty much eliminates the switch as the issue, right? assuming there is an issue.

I felt around other parts of the metal dash and they too were pretty hot, it's 98 degrees here today! Could there be a possible electrical issue further upstream generating heat at the switch? or is it just the nature of these metal dashes to transfer heat to the key, particularly in hot weather?

 

The firewall is metal which sits right by the big motor which gets really hot, your dash is metal, everything connected to it gets hot. That has been my experience.

 

I have never had a hot to the touch key or anything in that area. Sunlight warmth excluded.

You had better get to checking things under there. And YES get a fire ext!

 

After getting home yesterday and with the truck still running I reached up behind the dash to check the ignition wires for excess heat, to my surprise they were not hot at all, I would best describe them as being "room temperature".

The odd part is the key/cylinder were still hot (excessively warm) but apparently not because of any electrical issue as the wires were not hot. I believe it's just the high outside air temps heating up the metal dash and as a result also heating up the key/cylinder.

 

You need an infared thermometer. That way you can figure out how hot they are and where the heat is coming from.

 

At this point I'm pretty convinced it's just ambient heat. Even near the glovebox the dash gets pretty toasty. So it would stand to reason the key will heat up as well...... I did purchase a small F/E to mount inside the cab as those pics Dace posted scared the h@ll out of me!

 

If the vehicle is being exposed to the direct rays of the sun, you could try using some of those portable reflectors on the top of the dash.

 

you've got a short somewhere in the electrical system. if you feel that large bunch of wires going from the switch back to the alternator under the dash you'll find those are hot. I had same problem and found my short. Better get to an electrical shop and have it checked out or yours might look like that other one. if you do smell smoke the first thing you want to do is disconnect the battery because the F/E won't help. the juice is still going through the wires.