It may be the incessant drizzle, but I noticed that a patch on my bonnet was getting so warm that it was evaporating the water from the bonnet this morning. It’s about a foot from the windscreen end of the bonnet, mid way between the wing and centre. Underneath is a silver tube, presumably for cooling. The coolant level is fine and the temps don’t show anything abnormal. It’s quite warm to the touch when it’s parked. 

 

Is this just something I’ve never noticed in the year since I’ve had the car or something more sinister? I hadn’t driven the car hard at all, BTW. 

If it were the TDI the answer would be easy as I've had similar experience, especially during the regen... I'd suggest it's part of the EGR, but i don't know for sure. If it were over the battery I'd worry...

It’s petrol and on the opposite side of the engine bay. Don’t recall seeing anything like this. Can’t believe it’s always been like this. 

The heat seems to be emanating from the area circled in red.  Presumably, it’s a pipe which circulates hot water. 

Edited 20 January, 20188 yr by bigman1976

I'd still guess at part of the EGR - exhaust gas re-circulation.

 

Nice clean engine bay!

I'm sure mine does this, I've definitely seen "steam" from water hitting the bonnet on colder days.

Yup, mine too. Was steaming earlier today. First time I’ve seen it. 

 

Bonnet filthy, water not running off. Steaming when stationary. 

 

Edit: petrol vRS 220 

Edited 20 January, 20188 yr by dunc69

That’s reassuring. I’m surprised that, in a year of ownership, I’ve not seen or noticed this before. There is a definite ‘hotspot’ on the bonnet which I will now have to assume is perfectly normal!

Hi,

SNAP!
I too noticed this today, think I had seen it before, but it was noticible today.
I also have the TSi 220 petrol, suspect combination of rain and ambient temperature and humidity.

53 minutes ago, bigman1976 said:

There is a definite ‘hotspot’ on the bonnet 

 

Ah, built in wifi 

1 hour ago, dunc69 said:

Yup, mine too. Was steaming earlier today. First time I’ve seen it. 

 

Bonnet filthy, water not running off. Steaming when stationary. 

 

Edit: petrol vRS 220 

 

Exactly the same for me too, although I have noticed it before.  Today was obviously just the right conditions - mine was still steaming 45 minutes after switching it off.

 

Gaz

31 minutes ago, pist0nbr0ke said:

 

Ah, built in wifi 

 

Hadnt thought of that! Bonus!!

Same here, lots of steaming from my bonnet. Freaked me out a bit the first time I saw it as it was about 20 mins after I'd turned the car off and gone in the house.

Had exactly the same on my 245 yesterday in the snow / rain.

Guess it will just be heat transferring to the bonnet from the engine as unlike a lot of cars there isn't much insulation on the underside.

2 hours ago, OliR said:

Had exactly the same on my 245 yesterday in the snow / rain.

 

Same... only noticed it when I was stationery parked up outside a shop.

+1, my 1.8 TSI gets very hot at the centre of the bonnet and if it rains while in stop and go traffic it is sure to send a fair bit of vapour upwards. I do wonder if in time this will damage the paint in any way? My old 1.9 TDI never did this.

In the area you circled in red there is the turbo which gets pretty hot in a few minutes after you start the engine. 

 

I would say normal operating temperature for the turbo is above 200 Celsius so the bonnet above should get pretty hot. 

 

My 1.8 TSI also steams from time to time but I haven't seen any issue with the paint. It works as expected in my opinion. 

Yup, noticed the same on rain days with a warm engine bay and coming to a stand still

Will be the turbo I'd imagine....   

That's funny, sat in the car with it running and noticed steam for the first time coming from the bonnet. Assumed it was from heat of the engine and there was a dusting of snow on the bonnet.

At least it's not just mine.....

I had this today. VRS 220TSi - bonnet steaming heavily on a slow wet rush hour commute. Looked like I was overheating at times!

I used to have a steaming bonnet too, but now I have the under bonnet insulation it doesn’t do it. 

1 hour ago, stanian said:

I used to have a steaming bonnet too, but now I have the under bonnet insulation it doesn’t do it. 

Just ordered mine. £30.00. Surprised it never came as standard. 

4 minutes ago, Beachy said:

Just ordered mine. £30.00. Surprised it never came as standard. 

Yes, just finishes it off a little better and reduces the noise a little. Sounds like a golf when you close the now

bonnet too.

On 20/01/2018 at 13:07, lpt100 said:

If it were the TDI the answer would be easy as I've had similar experience, especially during the regen... I'd suggest it's part of the EGR, but i don't know for sure. If it were over the battery I'd worry...

I think a little bit of steam could be coming from underneath of my battery , i replaced the coolant tank because the sensor was faulty , but Thesteam is coming where the battery is , mostly when stationery on traffic lights , can't understand really from where because is a bit and when i open bonnet cant see much of steam to locate the locationof it.