Massive condensation buildup in car...
 

Minor problems keep arising with this car of mine, none serious , but becomes a nuisance when they buildup...

Since it's winterTime here in BC, canada, My car freezes in the middle of the night, so early mornings when i get up to work, i have to scrape the ice frozen from my windshield, as well as the rear (since my defroster doesnt work no more :S). now my problem is that i'm not just scraping outside, but inside the car as well! WTF!!?
moisture builds up inside my car, making the inside of my windshield frozen as well.. I'm not sure where that moisture is coming from, but it was not like this any other year...

It's possible that air/moisture could come in from the driver and passenger doors i removed the doors to put new speakers in last year, but that still doesnt explain why the FRONT windshield is frozen..
its definately a sealing problem, thats where the cold air is coming in from, but i'm not sure where... has anyone had the same problem?
any solutions??

KC
2000 Protege LX

well i know for a fact in my situation, i done use the recycle air button switch thats does not get air from out side for the vent heating. it will build up fog or condensation on the inside of your glasses very quickly. if your are having problems with your A/C or regular heating unit, it could be stuck on that setting.

if you leave it on windshield vents it should force air from outside to come in which should prevent the fog build up, because the air outside should have less humidity from outside.


if you drive with the windows down a CRACK, do you still get the same build up...

hope that helps.

cause i dont think its the cold air, i think its the humidity inside your car trapped that is building up on the window then then foging and eventually freezing..

I hope we are tlaking about the same thing...

describe it a little more if i got it wrong

cheers

Hey Omron, I have had that happen in other cars I've owned, but I don't think he's talking about when driving but in the morning before the car is started.
However, I think what you described is causing his problem in the morning.
Frizzy, are you running the windshield defroster with the recirculate 'on'? Or do you run the car at all after you park for the night? With or w/o the interior fan on?
Those would be my best guesses...it's a carry-over from the day before somehow.

I get massive humidity buildup in the Miata, but not in any regular (enclosed) car. I wonder if you could get a plugin dehumidifier like they have for gun safes and would it work? Hmmm...

hey guys, thanks for the quick response

U know, it really could be the humidity trapped in the car, but if thats the case then how do i get rid of most of the humidity in there?
i keep my windshielf defroster with the recirculate 'on', but i have tried to leave it 'off' to test it out, but same problem.
my car is parked outside in the cold at night, but during the day it out in the sun.
i still have this feeling that air is somehow coming in from the doors, cuz i can feel small amounts of air coming in from that direction when i'm driving on the highway.
oh and also, i've noticed that when i crank the heat up for a few minutes to heat up the whole car, then turn the heat off, the car stays warm for like 4-5minutes, then gets cold again, like the heat is exiting the car quickly somehow..

KC

i dont know about your car but my car air condition system for my car will not allow the system to be in Windshield vent and recirculate, it automaticially switiches to air from outside.


you should only be able to put the car in recirculate when you turn to ther dashboard vents, then you can pushthe button.



Is that how it is for everyone else?

I have a 2001 ES


Either way, if you have it on windshield vent only or windshield +Floor vent it should not allow build up of condensation...

but if you turn it to

Dashvent only or Dashvent + foot vent, you will have a problem with condensation, (slighty with air from out side switched on) and alot with the recirculate button on.

i have a 2000 lx, unlike ur 2001, which has a button to switch from recirculate, 2000's and under have a switch to change from either/or.

do u suggest that when i leave my car to park at night , leaving it off the windshield vent? cuz i've been leaving it on windshield vent, maybe thats why it does freeze up the windshield at nights..

Hey everyone,

Just bought a 2003 Protege LX, lost my 1999 to an accident. Both cars seemed to have the same condensation problem, but the 2003 is much worse.

I've driven for extended periods with the air coming from outside, windows open a bit, and the AC on. While that clears it up quick enough, the condensation still returns.

Does anyone have a solution?

dundelinger

Don't breathe.

Wow, hilarious. :rolleyes: