Ok I need someone to verify that I'm missing a heat shield on my drivers side that goes around muffler. I have one on my pass side but it looks like they forgot one on the drivers side. I have a stud and holes to mount one.

So before I take it in want to be sure it's supposed to have one on both sides.

I have the center piece over the Y between mufflers and pass side only. Can't believe they forgot one

 

NORMAL. Yup, really. Went thought this about a month ago.

As hard to believe every R55s on your dealers lot only has one shield on the passenger side.

Real OEM shows a part and everything.

I went as far as to bring my car in and ask about it. The dealer SA accused me of having either having broken it off or loosing it over the winter.. (and thus, "not Mini's fault). I said I only saw the issue when I was under the car installing mud flaps.

He then came back and said it was $150 for the part from them.. and I would have to pay for it with labor.. at this point.. I was steamed.. I got up.. and looked at an R55 JCW on the floor - one shield...

Then I went out on the lot with him - every R55s/JCWR55 had only one.. on the passenger side..

He had no answers as to as why.. but I made him apologize to me for saying this was somehow my fault.

Anyhow.. when I got home.. I called Mini.. after demanding an answer (was this a mis build?! Factory fault?!) I finally got a hold of a person who gave me an answer from engineering...

The reason why? on the R55S the exhaust splits in the rear - and they install the passenger side on assembly line - later when the car gets the exhaust setup (single side - for a Justa - or dual for S/JCW models..) - they only install the one side.. The heat load is split between the two mufflers - neither gets hot enough to damage anything under the car - but with a Justa its a possibility... Since the shielding is installed waaaaaay down the line before the exhaust they leave the passenger side on the car..

So technically you can take the passenger side off too.. the only part that matters is everything up to and before the rear split in terms of shielding.

Some earlier R55 models have two shields.. but later cars (post 2012 cars?) do not.

 

But mine is missing on the passenger side? R55 2011

 

Crazy! Cool info though, thanks!

 

When I installed my catback I notice only heat shield was on the passenger side. Since I don't have a Justa single exhaust I removed it with no issues. The rear now looks symmetrical on both sides without it.