Steamy windows recirc problem

[catzi]

I've had problems with my Octavia steaming up for ages. The dealer recharged the aircon last week and it made no difference.

I suspected the recirc flap was sticking so I sat in the car on Saturday and the pressed the recirc button while listening carefully. Initially when I pressed the recirc button I could hear absolutely nothing different but after a while (with my head next to the glove compartment) I could hear clicking like a motor jumping/sticking.

After playing with the recirc it then started working, and I could hear a big difference in the fan noise with recirc on. I could then switch it on and off using the button. When I've tried the car later in the day however it seemd to be stuck again and only worked after playing around with it for a number of minutes.

Am I right in thinking that the recirc engages when the car is reversed? My car is parked nose on to a driveway and I have to reverse it out every morning. My assumption is that the recirc comes on and stays on.

I assume that this is a dealer repair and there is nothing simple I can do myself?

[sebulbus]

Yes, it comes on in reverse, when spraying the windshield, and sometimes the air quality sensor triggers it, but with some delay, so nobody probably never noticed that.

[Obadiah]

I had misting problems with the wife's car, recently. Someone in the Fiat Forum suggested that leaving the recirc on, thus recycling warm air, would help with demisting.

[cheezemonkhai]

New pollen filters often help

[gregozedobe]

Recirc on usually makes fogging up worse. Best is heat on full, aircon on (it pulls moisture out of the air), fan on high speed (to move more air) and recirc off (to bring fresh air in).

[vRSLen]

The trouble is the air-con will do feck all if the ambient temp is less than 4 degrees.... AFAIK

[GAFF]

Is there a solenoid activating the flap for the re-circ? I remember tapping noises from mine and a solenoid valve was replaced. Just wondering if your problem might be a sticking valve?

[catzi]

I have used the A/C for quite some time to demist but, as vRS Len points out, it does feck all when the the outside temp is under 4 degrees. The only way to clear it is to roll the windows down a bit which is really crap when its freezing outside. If I'd wanted the wind in my hair I'd have a bought a soft top.

Have changed the pollen filter as well but that made no difference.

Car is going back to the dealer tomorrow so fingers crossed...

[catzi]

The garage just called me. They can't get the car to steam up - don't think there is a problem.

If I drive it home however it will be steamed up all round by the time I get back!

Told them to go back and look at the recirc again.

Honestly - it's like they don't want to fix it!

[catzi]

Garage finally decided that one of the flap motors is defective. Getting replaced tomorrow, however the mechanic seems to have fixed the flap in the open position 'cos the car hasn't steamed up since.

Hurrah! I can drive the car without having to roll the windows down - its a miracle!

[Tech1e]

I had misting problems with the wife's car, recently. Someone in the Fiat Forum suggested that leaving the recirc on, thus recycling warm air, would help with demisting.

Would be a little tricky as recirc is overridden when you set to defrost and opens up.

[stupep]

The trouble is the air-con will do feck all if the ambient temp is less than 4 degrees.... AFAIK

Let's get some proper science into this.

If the air being drawn in from outside is below 4°C, it's going to be dry anyway - the a/c won't make it any drier. (As cold air holds less moisture than warm air.)

The main cause of misting is the moisture in the air we breathe out. Putting on the recirculation will just keep the moisture in the car, so that's not the best idea. That's why cold, dry air from opening the window helps, as this will dispace the hot humid air.

The condensation will occur on the coldest surfaces, which in general will be the windows. So to remove it/keep it clear, the best way must be to blast reheated (and therefore dry) air across it. This dry air will gradually absorb the condensation, while also heating the glass so the condensation will happen elsewhere.

To reduce condensation occuring inside the car overnight, open all the windows for a minute or two after a drive to let all the humid air out and the dry cold air in. Obviously, don't forget to close them!

[Banana-Man]

might be a bit of a wives tale = but I have heard that if you wipe liquid soap onto your windows (inside) and rub it in until you can't see any residue it will stop your window steaming up no matter what the rain is doing outside or how damp you are from being out in the rain.

I will try this out later myself - as I have this same problem

[birchy]

I have an Octavia vRS '07 which i've had since new...and it is (and always has been) the steamiest car in my work's car park. This week, i've been scraping BOTH sides of the glass and i can't deny that i'm getting a bit pis*ed off with it (and the micky takers):

"16 grand for a brand new car and it's like a mobile shower cubicle...but it IS a skoda, after all"

"it's got a heated rear window...must be to keep our hands warm when we're pushing it cost it certainly aint a demister"

As you can imagine, i've been playing around with air con on, air con off, hot air, cold air, halfway air, blowers up, blowers down, blowers all over, recirculate on, recirculate off....

So what IS the solution? Last few days, i've been mopping all water off the inside of the glass (once it's thawed!) with paper hand towels and binning them...theory is that i'm taking the moisture OUT of the car, rather than recirculating it.

[dar]

my old '05 l&k octavia never steamed up, but my new vrs octavia, used to commute and parked in the exact same way- just needs a bit of sun during the day and will regularly steam up. Are Skoda using different door seals? there must be something that can be done?

[gadgetman]

Common issue that has an easy solution.

The forum's search feature is your friend

[birchy]

The forum's search feature is your friend

Ermmm....that is how i arrived at THIS thread! Have spent the last few hours searching the 'net and reading dozens of posts but there isn't (yet) a definitive answer. Some people say to use recirc with air con, others say NOT to use recirc. Some say to set the blower to hot with NO air con, others say to leave window open before locking up to get the temperature inside the car the same as the outside.

The obvious answers are related to water leaks, wet clothes and pollen filters...but would that apply to a BRAND NEW car and one that has still only done 3,000 miles? (and no, i haven't missed a zero off that).

[pastiche]

Our Octy 55 plate Elegance in all low tempetures clears the screen in seconds from cold start using the screen heater control button. But we have a weird spot in front of the driver which clouds up soon after starting the engine, but as i said it clears in seconds.

[gadgetman]

The obvious answers are related to water leaks, wet clothes and pollen filters...but would that apply to a BRAND NEW car and one that has still only done 3,000 miles? (and no, i haven't missed a zero off that).

Use the auto function, as that dehumidifies the car. You can use Auto and Econ if you want to avoid the compressor coming on if hotter than your desidered temp (ie let it fall naturally).

You could have stuck recirc flaps, or a leaf or road debris blocking a drainage channel. A poor seal around a door or the boot.

If your not happy with your dealer, assuming they've looked at it, then go elsewhere. They obv dont know what they're doing. If you havent been, then that'd be your first step.