Hi guys,

I know it's a common issue on here, but with the recent cold weather, I've found that my Fabia is getting internal condensation (in addition to the normal external stuff), primarily on the 2 windscreens. I've found that if you wipe the interior glass dry with a microfibre cloth, it just re-condensates before you can count to 10, and using the AC on full blast (or rear windscreen heater) takes about 3 mins to make any kind of a dent and about 10 mins to clear it. Also, during the course of a journey the rear side windows will also mist up internally for a bit, despite being clear initially (even with the AC permanently on at 18C with a fan setting of 1-2).

I've gone through the usual culprits: pollen filter was replaced last October, and the plenum chamber was cleaned in August (and was clear). Whilst the rear doors do leak, there's a sheet of plastic between the door & seal, so the water is forced out onto the sill (the carpets are dry), so I don't think it's that.

I'm assuming this is mainly due to the low ambient temperatures, and me breathing..? (the car's never garaged, and it gets a lot worse very soon after I get in) Is there anything I can do to reduce the interior condensation? I think I've seen some anti-fog stuff advertised, but don't know if this would do anything at all..?

Thanks, and sorry if it's a daft question!

Hi guys,

I know it's a common issue on here, but with the recent cold weather, I've found that my Fabia is getting internal condensation (in addition to the normal external stuff), primarily on the 2 windscreens. I've found that if you wipe the interior glass dry with a microfibre cloth, it just re-condensates before you can count to 10, and using the AC on full blast (or rear windscreen heater) takes about 3 mins to make any kind of a dent and about 10 mins to clear it. Also, during the course of a journey the rear side windows will also mist up internally for a bit, despite being clear initially (even with the AC permanently on at 18C with a fan setting of 1-2).

I've gone through the usual culprits: pollen filter was replaced last October, and the plenum chamber was cleaned in August (and was clear). Whilst the rear doors do leak, there's a sheet of plastic between the door & seal, so the water is forced out onto the sill (the carpets are dry), so I don't think it's that.

I'm assuming this is mainly due to the low ambient temperatures, and me breathing..? (the car's never garaged, and it gets a lot worse very soon after I get in) Is there anything I can do to reduce the interior condensation? I think I've seen some anti-fog stuff advertised, but don't know if this would do anything at all..?

Thanks, and sorry if it's a daft question!

You'll probably find it is the doors that are causing it, mine does exactly the same. My carpets aren't damp to the touch, but i know they are leaking a little. It really only take a small amount of water under the carpets to cause the car to steam up, you can't always feel it in the carpet.

Best plan would be to seal the doors regardless, sit a dehumidifier or similar in the car for a bit afterwards and see how it turns out. I'm waiting for the rain to hold off for a day or two to sort mine out.

You'll probably find it is the doors that are causing it, mine does exactly the same. My carpets aren't damp to the touch, but i know they are leaking a little. It really only take a small amount of water under the carpets to cause the car to steam up, you can't always feel it in the carpet.

I'd be surprised, because I can't see how it could get in? There's a large sheet of plastic clipped to the door card, and running a reasonable way up the door - way past the bottom of the carrier, anyway (draw a level across the top of the "pouch" in the door card, and it runs across the entire door at that height, and half-way up to the lock striker at the back). I've run a Karcher "industrial" carpet cleaner over the rear (set only to "suck"), and it didn't bring anything out of the carpet (when I got the car, I got a mug of water out of it).

Best plan would be to seal the doors regardless, sit a dehumidifier or similar in the car for a bit afterwards and see how it turns out.

Yeah, it was on my "to do" list over the summer, but it didn't get done (had problems getting the capping on the door-pull trim off). :(

Edited 10 November, 201015 yr by martinch

One of my biggest gripes with the car is the air-con not working at low temperatures. One of the best uses of air conditioning is it's ability to dehumidify the inside of the car and Skoda have taken this function away on cold mornings.

I fiond the anti-mist pads available in Halfords do a great job on my windscreen and I suspect that using one of those will fix your problems.

One of my biggest gripes with the car is the air-con not working at low temperatures. One of the best uses of air conditioning is it's ability to dehumidify the inside of the car and Skoda have taken this function away on cold mornings.

Hmm ... I forgot about that ... it was < 4C all the way to work today, so it was probably just working on the heater, rather than the AC. :(

I fiond the anti-mist pads available in Halfords do a great job on my windscreen and I suspect that using one of those will fix your problems.

OK, will try that ...

This, I take it: link ?

Edited 10 November, 201015 yr by martinch

I recently bought a kit from halfords to prevent interior misting, come with a bottle of the fluid and an application cloth. Put about 10 coats on the front windscreen and 5 on the other front windows, what a difference it has made! Works wonders.. i'll get around to doing the rear windows whenever but the improved visibility from the front windows and screen is brilliant now. I used rainX interior stuff in the past but while it worked I don't think it worked as well as the halfords stuff

Edited 10 November, 201015 yr by Lew_VRS

One of my biggest gripes with the car is the air-con not working at low temperatures. One of the best uses of air conditioning is it's ability to dehumidify the inside of the car and Skoda have taken this function away on cold mornings.

The reason for that is that air con just doesn't work at those low temperatures. It removes moisture by cooling the air to below the dew point so the water condenses out. In cold weather that condensed water will freeze on the matrix - that stops the unit working. Additionally when the air is already cold the air con can't cool it by any useful amount so little or no condensation occurs anyway.

However! If you put the air con onto recycle it will detect the warmer feed and start to work.

Likewise for quickest clearing of the windscreen - max temp, air con on, max fan, air on recyle.

I have noticed though that Skodas are all pretty slow in this regard and both my Octavias have cleared the passenger side before the drivers side - a built in "feature" for lefthand drive no doubt.

However! If you put the air con onto recycle it will detect the warmer feed and start to work.

Likewise for quickest clearing of the windscreen - max temp, air con on, max fan, air on recyle.

Thanks. That's a nice explanation as to why it's disabled and an excellent tip! I'll try that.

My old Mitsubishi Galant had a special demist setting that turned the air-con on and that demisted the windows in less than 5 seconds, so they must have been using something clever like the combination you suggest. I also note that the new Mercedes cars have some form of instant heating element in the vents so you get warm air almost immediately on a cold morning. These switch off when the engine heats up. Doubtless we'll see this on other cars in the next few years, if it's not already fitted to some of them.

Fortunately my cars live a pampered existence in a heated garage, but it is a pain when they are out and about.

I don't understand fully what you mean by the plastic. You need something like on post #25 on this thread though.

The water has to drain to the outside of the car. If you have plastic inside the door card then it probably wouldn't do much... but it's difficult to imagine. You could have a popped rear washer pipe, so check your rear washer works - if it doesn't, then do a search.

Try putting the fans on feet and driving around with the heat up and window cracked open for a while.

Hope that helps.

I don't understand fully what you mean by the plastic. You need something like on post #25 on this thread though.

Yeah, that's exactly what I've done (except it's a large bin-bag in my case).

You could have a popped rear washer pipe, so check your rear washer works - if it doesn't, then do a search.

Forgot about that one! Will check on my way home

You could have a popped rear washer pipe, so check your rear washer works - if it doesn't, then do a search.

My washer pipe was leaking but still delivering to rear screen. The key seems to be if there's a delay from pressing the button to it coming out.

Yeah, that's exactly what I've done (except it's a large bin-bag in my case)

You can have my +10bhp curtains if you want

I don't need them any more. :no:

It's so nice to come out in the morning and just drive away instead of spending 10 minutes drying the

screen before I can see out properly.

My washer pipe was leaking but still delivering to rear screen. The key seems to be if there's a delay from pressing the button to it coming out.

Hmm ... I had a quick look at mine this morning, and it did produce some spray, although it seemed mostly aimed at pedestrians... Kinda hard to tell though, with all the rain (although the car behind's headlights helped in that respect) ... guess I'll need to have another look tonight... Having said that, all was fine this morning ...

You can have my +10bhp curtains if you want

If I put a red stripe across them, does that make them +20?

Edited 11 November, 201015 yr by martinch

This might sound a little daft, but open your windows and start the engine/fans before you get into the car.