Have been noticing the metal shifter part below the leather of the shifter, the plastic center console, and the curved dash area right below the ac controls toward the console are getting really hot. Normall highway running, does not seem to matter if ac/heat on. It's hot enough that holding the metal part of the gear selector is unbearable and anything left on the center console really heats up, can't keep your hand on the console long. Anything plugged into the cig lighter I am afraid will melt!. All this time the trans temp light has not come on - and engine temp stays midline.
any ideas?

Also, as an aside, my dealer says my intake manifold gasket is leaking. How big a DIY job is this?

 

On what model and year.
Most of them get hot, especially if the vent system is shut off.
Are you having an engine issue, check engine light on, what did they do to find the problem?

 

It's an 03 discovery w/ the v8. Just concerned because it seems hotter than it's been before. Pushing 100,000 miles on it..