New car and condensation!

[2ndskoda]

Just outed my CR90 TDI se plus, and bought a 1.2 TSI SE.

Now have great front screen condensation problems to contend with. On the earlier car (Climatronic AC) the screen cleared in no time - whereas in the new car (Manual AC) this now takes an age to clear!

Do others have this problem - have not cleaned the screen inside as yet (only 400 on the clock)

Your thoughts appreciated - is there a possibility that the AC is not working correctly?

[Gazbull17]

Try cleaning the inside of the screen with glass cleaner spray or use glass wipes.

My wife's Fiat 500 used to do the same but I gave it a thorough clean on the inside with glass wipes and it seemed to stop it.

It's worth a try .

[Moist Von Lipwig]

When the car is cold I find the screen can take a few minutes to clear but with the engine warmed it should clear quickly. I do not believe that the AC works (or climatronic) unless it has some heat to complete the cycle of the system, I have seen people quoting temperatures but not sure what the figures are.

Giving the screen a good clean can make a massive difference.

Remember it has also been really wet the last few days. I got caught out in the rain the other day, got in the car with the kids with wet coats for the drive home. Next day had really bad condensation on the screen as there was more moisture than usual in the car. Kept the AC on and heat up for longer than usual and after that it was fine.

Is it condensation or misting you are getting? If it is condensation on a regular basis then I would be concerned unless you are regularly getting into the car in damp clothes. The only time I have had regular condensation in a car is when there has been water ingress! Check the rear windows are up (physically if manual as they can look up).

[Ootohere]

The stuff that Dealership/Showroom Valet teams use on new windscreens does not help with misting.

 

Best get it properly off the screen,

it goes blueish and smears after a time due to A/C use and is hopeless in cold weather.

 

george

[jim157]

We had loads of problems with condensation last year so I got a little moisture trap and sat it in one of the rear passenger footwells; which seemed to eradicate the issue.

 

A couple of months ago I treated all the rubber door seals with Autoglym Vinyl and Rubber care and put a new moisture trap in.  Now, I don't know if it was an issue with the door seals or just one of those things but the car no longer steams up and the moisture trap hasn't 'trapped' any moisture of note, unlike last year where it was full of water after a couple of months.

[sharkrider]

I know it may seem like a stupid question after climate, but you do have your manual airconditioning ON right? to dry the air....... (and the cleaning stuff works wonders)

[pirving]

Mine has manual a/c. Never had any problems. Any misting clears quickly with fan on max and directed to screen, even if a/c turned off.. Condensation (water droplets on screen) obviously takes longer. Clears 200% better than my wifes's Jazz.

 

Would agree with clearing whatever dealer smears the screen with though

[TeebsVRS]

In my experience both the Mk1 and Mk2 fabia are pretty susceptible to screen condensation, however new. Using a little portable dehumidifier (or even a sock full of rice) really does help.

[Gazbull17]

I haven't experienced it in my Monte, always clears pretty quick although like I posted earlier, my wife's Fiat 500 did suffer at first.

Don't think it's a common thing amongst Fabias, I think it's just down to a coating on the inside of the windscreen which hasn't been cleaned off fully.

[2ndskoda]

Gave the screen a very quick (but not thorough) clean. Made a tremendous difference   - will therefore do it properly in the next few days.

Thanks for your comments guys

Purgatory

[fabiamk2SE]

This was a pain for me too. Being a biker, one of the things to stop the visor steaming up is to apply neat fairy washing up liquid (on a damp cloth), leaving a few minutes and polishkng off, then polishing off again.

I did this on the entirety of my windscreen and never had the problem again.

Just be careful not to get fairy on anything else though, as it does contain salt and is highly corrosive

[The Plumber]

Strangely noticed the same thing as in the op's case; former Elegance with climatronic, little condensation inside but the Monte with standard manual A/C does get quite a bit, particularly on the windscreen and yes it takes longer to clear :wonder:

 

 

TP

[johnh510]

I know it may seem like a stupid question after climate, but you do have your manual airconditioning ON right? to dry the air....... (and the cleaning stuff works wonders)

AFAIK with current basic spec Fabias, manual aircon comes on automatically when the airflow is directed directly at the windscreen.

(does on a 12 plate, not on 09)

[Trev2]

Agreed, my 10 plate Scout's a/c comes on automatically when airflow is switched to the screen only.

[sharkrider]

AFAIK with current basic spec Fabias, manual aircon comes on automatically when the airflow is directed directly at the windscreen.

(does on a 12 plate, not on 09)

 

 

Agreed, my 10 plate Scout's a/c comes on automatically when airflow is switched to the screen only.

 

I didn't know that! you learn something every day

[Ootohere]

Difficult to understand what A/C is going to be doing to clear a windscreen when that has not been on in a parked car,

cold engine, then comes on for the 90 -120 seconds or so on starting up a car that you want it to demist a windscreen.

& if below 2*oC outside, it is unlikely to be coming on.

 

If it does do something to clear the windscreen faster then great,

i can see where the car if up to running temperature, and you get a steamed window a blast of air using the A/C works to clear things. That is what a do manually when the A/C is switched off on a car with Climatic.

 

george

[Moist Von Lipwig]

Don't think the system is intelligent and senses if just started or the air temp. The AC on for windscreen setting seems to be a standard feature on the mk2 Fabia. Works well as you say George, when the car is running and the air temp is high, but pointless if too cold.

You can override it and switch it off by just pressing the AC button and the light goes out so it is not hardwired to be on.

[TeebsVRS]

So what is the best way to thoroughly clean the inside of the windscreen? Is the neat washing up liquid a good DIY solution?

[Ootohere]

Washing up liquid has been used for decades in Diving Masks and googles, & OK as a quick fix,

not the best though.

(old trick when i was young, if your wipers ever failed in heavy rain, you get a potato out of a field and cut in half and smear over the windscreen, the outside obviously, not inside.!

Telling an Apprentice to do it inside of the car was a joke, but actually it does stop misting up, but it is a mess.)

 

I clean with white vinegar or meths and sometimes polish up with scrunched newspaper if buying or driving a car thats had dogs in.

But i am a cheapskate.

It works though if you do not have good Vehicle glass cleaner at hand.

(The household glass cleaner stuff my sister cleans cars with is hopeless the minute it gets cold in winter.)

 

Inside i use 'Fog X' on the Glass once the windows are very well cleaned.

Still get streaking with different weather and A/C used, some glass or A/C seems worse than other though.

[fabiamk2SE]

Yeah i too use vinegar to clean the windscreen. Works well enough

I recently used rain x on the outside of the window. Wont be using that again though, made my wipers judder like mad!

[sharkrider]

George , aircon DRIES the air comming in, thus dryer air hitting the moist windscreen clears it faster (obviously you have the heat on!)

 

I think they auto turn off at about 3C to protect themselves.... (the aircon)

[Ootohere]

There is no heat in the system until the coolant gets hot when a car first start though.

thats the difference between start up demisting and when the cars up to temp.

 

yes ambient needs to be above +2*oC

[sharkrider]

still dryer air........

 (unless that cold!)

[silver1011]

My manual states that the A/C doesn't work at outside temperatures of 4 degrees celcius or below.

 

I used to use the automotive glass cleaner creams that were buffed off when dry but these were too much like hard work.

 

I now use Windowlene on my internal and external glass surfaces which works great. It just sprays on too.

[just music]

My Fabia has climate control, but I would think that the max demist button is effectively the same as setting the fan and heat to max, A/C on and pointing to the screen.

We often get in the car and find it steamed up inside, especially when it's cold and dewy. The max demist setting usually clears the windscreen within 60 seconds no matter what temp the car or air is, so the key must be the A/C removing the moisture from the air. It was 3deg this morning and it worked. Just setting the direction to screen and turning up the fan doesn't do anything.

I wonder if the OP is setting the direction to screen (which activates the A/C) then hitting the A/C switch, thinking that's switching it on, where in fact it's switching it off.

Edited 26 December, 2013 by just music