Under bonnet insulation.

[jamie307]

I doubt the country has anything to do with it. From the information provided by Moss earlier in the thread, it would seem the insulation was originally intended only for diesel engined cars. As the number of diesels declined from launch, the excess inventory increasingly found a home on other vehicles. Why it's still being fitted I've no idea - perhaps they originally ordered such a vast quantity of them that they still have stock.

Previously when they took a delivery they would use them on the production line only on the diesel vehicles, and that would last until the next delivery. Now they just fit them on every car and so run out well before the next delivery, hence a large proportion of cars don't have them, and this is random and just depends on when the vehicle passed through the factory.

So if they've now run out how come my dealer said they would sell me one for £300+

They haven't run out, they only receive enough from their supplier on an ongoing basis to fit the proportion of vehicles which were originally projected to be diesel. Maybe for every 100 cars they get 50 insulation panels to the factory, so now there are no diesels they just fit those 50 to whatever comes along the line until they're used up, then the next 50 get nothing. They could cancel them totally, but maybe they ordered hundreds of thousands on a multi-year delivery contract, so they need to keep using up what arrives at the factory?

[Deleted User 3629]

These under bonnet pads are not designed just for diesel's and are an integral design part of most cars regardless of engine, or no engine at all - it provides a two-way thermal barrier, a noise barrier and fitted for acoustic reasons - and on this last point, car manufacturers spend billions on the right sounds for their cars - the sound of the door shutting, how rain sounds on the car, exhaust note etc - soft dense sounds over sharp tinny sounds - and these pads also form part of the right sounds i.e. when rain falls for example - when cars are first launched, they are scrutinized so intensely, especially at this level, and no way is anything missed. Years later compromise on cost v necessity seems to creep in and parts deemed necessary for launch scrutiny, and to get folk buying, is often dropped - their is little doubt these pads have a multi-function part to play, but its not visual and its not essential when sales are being achieved, and so when the bean counters get to work - guess what????

[jamie307]

These under bonnet pads are not designed just for diesel's and are an integral design part of most cars regardless of engine, or no engine at all - it provides a two-way thermal barrier, a noise barrier and fitted for acoustic reasons - and on this last point, car manufacturers spend billions on the right sounds for their cars - the sound of the door shutting, how rain sounds on the car, exhaust note etc - soft dense sounds over sharp tinny sounds - and these pads also form part of the right sounds i.e. when rain falls for example - when cars are first launched, they are scrutinized so intensely, especially at this level, and no way is anything missed. Years later compromise on cost v necessity seems to creep in and parts deemed necessary for launch scrutiny, and to get folk buying, is often dropped - their is little doubt these pads have a multi-function part to play, but its not visual and its not essential when sales are being achieved, and so when the bean counters get to work - guess what????

Moss who has connections to the plant has confirmed on this thread that they were originally only specified for diesels. This is supported by the production line video I posted on page 5, filmed right at the beginning of production, which shows some cars fitted with them and some not.

They obviously determined at the design stage that the noise of the diesel engine warranted these, but petrol engines didn't. Then as diesel orders dropped, they began shoving them on anything to get rid of them.

[Skyrimmer]

[/quote]

So if they've now run out how come my dealer said they would sell me one for £300+
[/quote]

I got one from a dealer for £178. I would not have paid £300. Sounds like they didn't want to sell you one.

[goldy]

So if they've now run out how come my dealer said they would sell me one for £300+
[/quote]

I got one from a dealer for £178. I would not have paid £300. Sounds like they didn't want to sell you one.
[/quote]

Tell me which one then I can buy one

[Deleted User 3629]

@jamie307 - Firstly, can't tell what all the engines types are on the video, secondly if that were the case then at no point would a petrol or electric ever have one fitted, and yet they do, or do they just randomly fit a few to...... perhaps practice fitting them? and thirdly, on a press day was a XC40 T4, and following a small presentation the doors, bonnet and boot were opened - and not only was the under bonnet felt fitted, it was also explained why it was fitted just like why the boot linings were fitted too - feel free to go back to the various review videos of the day and / or research the various other manufactures who also fit these to petrol as well as diesel or just accept Moss's version - but be assured they are often fitted for reasons other than noise???

[pwliv]

Does this mean that when I trade in my T3 I should remove the insulation and sell it separately on ebay?

[KeithR56]

I’m new to this forum and have been following this thread with great interest. My XC40 is a MY22 B4 Inscription with sunroof, tints and Versatility Pack. Not only is it missing the under-bonnet insulation, but also the louvres mentioned in earlier posts plus a few other minor things. When questioned, the dealer said these items have been dropped for the 2022 models.

Having worked in automotive manufacturing, I know that every single component on a vehicle is there for a reason. Under-bonnet insulation performs several tasks; it acts as a sound barrier to reduce noise levels outside the vehicle and reduces vibrations on the bonnet that can cause a drumming effect. It also helps ICE vehicles to reach optimum operating temperature faster, protects the paint from heat damage, and keeps the engine bay cool when the vehicle is parked in the sun (not a problem where I live).

Almost all vehicles, regardless of engine type, will have under-bonnet insulation specified. Every car I’ve owned in the past 35 years have had it. However, the automotive industry is currently going through an unprecedented period of supply chain disruption. The massive downturn in demand in 2020 resulted in many suppliers going out of business and the ongoing pandemic is creating problems getting the supply chain back to pre-Covid levels.

I don’t know what it it costs to run the XC40 production line, but I do know that in 2020 the cost of stopping Jaguar Land Rover production lines for a missing component would have been around £2.5 million per hour. So if the supply of insulation pads doesn’t keep up with demand, I would imagine the Production Management would seek a concession at Executive level to continue production without the “non-essential” component.

Getting Volvo to admit they’ve knowingly delivered vehicles with “non-essential” components missing because of a logistics problem would be like getting a politician to admit they attended a party during lockdown. Volvo haven’t lied to anyone though; the decision not to fit these parts would have come from Volvo central. Expect to see these parts being fitted again when things are back to normal.

[Mikeg1]

Good read Keith.

With your experience in the industry, would you expect a fair-minded manufacturer to reach out to existing sans pad owners with one, when normal supplies resumed?

[Moss]

I’m new to this forum and have been following this thread with great interest. My XC40 is a MY22 B4 Inscription with sunroof, tints and Versatility Pack. Not only is it missing the under-bonnet insulation, but also the louvres mentioned in earlier posts plus a few other minor things. When questioned, the dealer said these items have been dropped for the 2022 models.

Having worked in automotive manufacturing, I know that every single component on a vehicle is there for a reason. Under-bonnet insulation performs several tasks; it acts as a sound barrier to reduce noise levels outside the vehicle and reduces vibrations on the bonnet that can cause a drumming effect. It also helps ICE vehicles to reach optimum operating temperature faster, protects the paint from heat damage, and keeps the engine bay cool when the vehicle is parked in the sun (not a problem where I live).

Almost all vehicles, regardless of engine type, will have under-bonnet insulation specified. Every car I’ve owned in the past 35 years have had it. However, the automotive industry is currently going through an unprecedented period of supply chain disruption. The massive downturn in demand in 2020 resulted in many suppliers going out of business and the ongoing pandemic is creating problems getting the supply chain back to pre-Covid levels.

I don’t know what it it costs to run the XC40 production line, but I do know that in 2020 the cost of stopping Jaguar Land Rover production lines for a missing component would have been around £2.5 million per hour. So if the supply of insulation pads doesn’t keep up with demand, I would imagine the Production Management would seek a concession at Executive level to continue production without the “non-essential” component.

Getting Volvo to admit they’ve knowingly delivered vehicles with “non-essential” components missing because of a logistics problem would be like getting a politician to admit they attended a party during lockdown. Volvo haven’t lied to anyone though; the decision not to fit these parts would have come from Volvo central. Expect to see these parts being fitted again when things are back to normal.

If you look at the video posted on page 9 of this thread, skipping to about 4 minutes in, you will see that the fitting – or not – of the under bonnet insulation pads has nothing to do with recent logistics problems or recent shortages, let alone with items having been dropped for 2022 models, since the video is from September 2018.

Now, I’m old enough to know that if people prefer to believe their opinion to be right even when evidence shows it isn’t, they will continue to believe it’s right.

It won’t keep us all from having a nice day.