Noticed something fun this morning on the way to work.

 

It was raining and about 4 degrees cold outside. Sitting at traffic lights i noticed that the bonnet of my TSI VRS was steaming! Not the overheating kind of steaming, but just a slow amount of vapor rising off the bonnet.

 

I assume this is because there is no insulation under the TSI bonnet? Anyone else noticed this?

IS there not a "matting" under you bonnet? I am not near my own at the moment but I would swear there is some, but that could have been another car. I know the ST definitely had it. 

The TSI engines don't have the insulation under the bonnet.

 

It's been pretty cold around here and my VRS hasn't done any steaming...

Yep, no matting under the bonnet - but certainly looks like there is the holders for some.

 

The steaming only occurs when the bonnet is wet.

Yep, no matting under the bonnet - but certainly looks like there is the holders for some.

 

The steaming only occurs when the bonnet is wet.

You can buy it from the dealer, i've considered ordering one myself

If you do, let us know how it goes. Or maybe you'll be added to the "I saw another O3 on fire the other day!" thread. :P

I would not personally fit the under bonnet insulation as where would an owner stand if it caught fire? I suspect the insulation is made of a material which resists fires and would not spontaneously combust, but if its not fitted as standard on a TSI and it was fitted and did burst into flames skoda and an insurance company could possibly reject a claim.  :wonder:

Hot bonnet + water = steam = normal.

Happens on both ours which are diesel and so have the matting fitted.

Insulating the bonnet......why?

Diesel engine has noise insulation matting, which may, or may not, be a good heat insulator. But why would we care?

Diesel engine has noise insulation matting, which may, or may not, be a good heat insulator. But why would we care?

 

Diesels tend to be very inefficient until hot, they also tend to warm up a lot more slowly that petrols.  Both these factors combine to murder fuel economy on short distances, hence the insulation which iirc also, as you say, helps with noise.

 

I have heard of stories of people getting panic calls from their other halfs saying the car is "on fire" before.

Same on my TSI

My old BMW E39 530i always steamed. It was an old 3.0 petrol straight 6 (so not terribly efficient), and I did live in Scotland (so always cold and raining). Nothing to worry about!