Flammability of Under Hood Insulation Materials

Vehicle inspections have been conducted to identify the use of fuel system fire safety technologies. Of the 89 vehicles inspected, 74 incorporated insulation on the inside of the hood. The flammability of the under hood insulation identified during the vehicle inspections could not be ascertained by visual inspection alone. Consequently, a test program was undertaken to assess the flammability properties of under hood insulation liners from a sample of 20 different vehicles using a cone calorimeter test prescribed by ASTM E 1354-03. The mounting clips for each liner were also tested separately to estimate the temperature required for the clips and liner to disengage from their design locations.

The results of the calorimeter tests and the mounting clip tests are presented.