Safe Speed Forums

A quick question regarding a problem I'm having with my motor.

I recently purchased a VW Touran 2.0 Tdi Sport, and I'm mighty pleased with it.

But I've recently experienced a lot of internal condensation on the windows. Obviously with cold mornings this is prone to happen, but I've had so much condensation that I have to initially clear the windscreen and side windows using a chamois leather, then wait for the heater and fan to blow dry the screen before it is suitable for driving of the driveway. This can take 5 or 6 minutes every morning.
Does anyone have a similar experience?
Does anyone believe this is acceptable for a new car?
My car has a sunroof, and I wondered if that may bne the reason why the interior seems to be more prone to condensation. Having dealt (very) recently with a fatal accident where misted side windows is a possible cause of the smidsy, it is obviously an issue of general safety concern.
But I'm finding it a bloody nuisance and a growing irritation.

I'd be interested in your thoughts - I have sent a letter off to my local VW dealership, having already been fobbed off by their service manager on the 1000 mile check up.

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Fixed ideas are like cramp, for instance in the foot, yet the best remedy is to step on them.

Ian

Does the car have aircon? These seem to be more prone to misting up. If so there should be a windows setting and that should clear everything much faster. If it is really bad it can be a sign the window seals aren't doing their job properly.

One of those caravan moisture absorbing doodads put in the car and dried out regularly might help if there is a lot of moisture which has got into the vehicle.

Mine are misting up like buggers but they're old enough to smoke

Feel around for damp surfaces around the car, especially in and around the boot/rear hatch. A damp patch indicates a dodgy seal somewhere, if so it's likely to be the cause of your condensation.

How recently?

If it has been valeted it they may wet-vac the carpets etc. This can cause a huge amount of moisture to build up in the car which will cause condensation. It may also have had a window left open etc on the forcourt.

It is also possible that you have a water leak somewhere, take it up with the dealer.

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Speed camera policy Kills

Has the pollen filter been changed recently? I assume the car has aircon. If so, leave the aircon on all the time - as the damp air hits the evaporator, the water in it condenses out so what enters the car is dry. Sometimes, if you turn the aircon off, the car mists up a few minutes later as all the water in the heater box re-evaporates, gets dragged into the car and then condenses on the screen!

Also (dealer job) check for a blocked drain tube in the bottom of the heater box.

I don't quite understand why, but a blocked pollen filter seems to make many aircon cars steam up!

I strongly agree about looking for a source of wetness inside. I've also got a few things to check.

- Any loss of coolant might be creating damp around the heater matrix or pipes. You might not be able to access these places, but when the heater starts the dampness comes out. The acid test is coolant loss. No loss, no problem.

- Air con dries the air because the cold evaporator causes masses of condensation. This is normally well controlled and well drained. Anything wrong with evaporator drainage will cause misting up.

If it's just damp somewhere because someone left a window open or something like that, or after you've fixed a rainwater leak, run a domestic dehumidifier in there for a couple of days, with a fan heater too for best effect. That'll get it crispy dry.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

we have this trouble with the wife's soft top, two things have helped thus far:

... not leaving the cloth in the car to dry, it just returns the moisture to the closed atmosphere.

... do a couple of miles on a dry day with the top down (windows open. .whatever) to try & clear the damp air trapped inside.

also planning on trying the moisture absorbing thingummies.

Mines also misting up a bit at the moment, but I know that it is due to the water that got in when I gave it a very thorough clean recently. The A/C will clear it eventually, but to speed things up, running the heater hot and then driving with the windows open (when it isn't raining) will also help speed uo the drying out process.

Thanks for your replies guys,

The car has aircon, as have my previous two, but this one seems to have significantly more of a condensation problem than I've previously experienced even from an older car.

I bought it new on September 1st. Here it is!


It's my pride and joy, and will have to remain so for the next 10 years!

It has only done 1200 miles thus far, so is it possible that it's still trying to lose some condensation because of its newness, or having been stored outside for a longish period of time (although I've checked the window date, and they would seem to be less than 6 months old May/June 2006)?

Do you think the sunroof would/could affect it even though it doesn't appear to be leaking?

I've also checked the carpets and usual areas for damp but they seem pretty dry.

I've just gone out to have another look at it this morning, and I've had to clear almost as much ice from the inside windscreen as the outside.

It's a bit disappointing, really.


On the plus side, I just found out this morning I've passed my advanced city and guilds collision investigation exams.

That makes me an 'expert' witness now, and I can proffer opinion at court.

So if anyone wants me to tell the court what I think of their soft speeding convictions...

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Fixed ideas are like cramp, for instance in the foot, yet the best remedy is to step on them.

Ian

If it has a spare tyre in a well in the boot check that it is dry. If it is wet check the boot/hatch seal and seals on the rear light clusters.

I have seen this quite often but mainly on older cars or cars that have had a rear end shunt though a neighbour's Mercedes E class has leaked from new.

Smashing

Or not!

Congrats, Ian!

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Just one more thing to try.....make sure the Recirculation button is not pressed. You need to bring in air from the outside to reduce condensation.

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Speed camera policy Kills

Check the drain holes in the engine bay aren't blocked. Specifically those drain holes for the air intake above the engine, usually covered by a leaf grille.

Leave aircon on all the time. Especially at this time of year. Otherwise you'll have a big bill to pay come summer. Besides, aircon on VWs makes no difference to fuel economy (that I ever found).

Lift the carpets. If the carpets are soggy underneath, return the car immediately and do not accept it back until fixed - and get a courtesy car.

Cycle through the air blower directions - there might be a pool of water in one vent that isn't getting evaporated.

Also, make sure the windscreen is cleaned properly. They're often delivered still with suction cup marks on, they never get cleaned.

Firrst of all -RP -MOST SINCERE CONGRATS.

Second - Ian - had a problem like this on an old sierra - passenger footwell also wet ,linked with loss of engine coollant- turned out to be heater matrix faulty -

I had this problem in my old MG after the head gasket went (ahh, Rover's trusty K-series engine - happy days!). The engine access cover is on the parcel shelf so it filled the car with steam (fun at 60mph).

After I got it fixed the condensation was terrible but one of those moisture absorbers (from Woolies random crud section) did the trick.

FWIW, I like to keep the inside of the windscreen as clean as possible as often as possible. Gives the moisture in the air less to cling to.

Pour a lager into a dirty glass, and it will fizz over more easily than pouring it into a clean one. Same principle.

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Simon

Memo to SS members - nights out with SM - insist on a clean glass

Coincidentally, I've also got a new car with a major condensation problem!

Well ok, not "new" new, but new to me. Had it for 3 weeks now and thus far I'm putting it down to the professional valet the previous owner had done before he sold it to me. The tell tale signs are that the carpets (and in particular the boot carpet) felt moist and absolutely reek of sickly smelling carpet shampoo.

My theory is that the combination of that plus the continual heavy rain we've had, plus putting wet umbrellas in the boot (its an estate) are all contributing to the higher than normal condensation level.

It is easy to fall into the trap of blasting the demister up full to take all the water off the glass, only for it all to recondense again as soon as you park up and the air cools. I'm trying to make a point of driving with the sunroof tilted open to ensure that the air actually circulates out of the car, and I think the top tip earlier about not drying the cloth in the car was a belter.

In your case it does sound awfully like a dodgy seal or a missing grommet somewhere.

Anyway, great to hear from you Ian, and congrats on your new qualification. I'm off to experiment with pouring lager into a clean glass, and then contrasting this with pouring another one into a dirty glass perhaps...

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CSCP Latin for beginners...
Ticketo ergo sum : I scam therefore I am!

JT- trying the lager trick -fro my new glass to the last one i drank out of - like you - no fizzing yet - only "ahhh" , another good pint.