Now it has finally turned cold I can't wind down my windows in the morning for about 10 minutes after the car has started as they have frozen in the runners . Whats the best method to prevent this ?   Although I have had several new cars in the last 30 years its the first time I have had this problem unless it was about -10c, but its only barely freezing at the moment and its starting to annoy me.

Garage ;-)

Why do you need to open the windows in the morning? Is it because they are frozen/misted? They shouldn't be...and you also should avoid all unneeded electric charges when you set off with a frozen car (avoid dooropenings, windowlowerings, trunkopenings, folding of the mirrors, etc) because of the possibility of wear and tear on the motors and the strain on the battery.

 

A perfectly clean windscreen will not freeze. It's dirt and moisture that freezes. Top tips? Allrighty then...

 

1. When you come home in the evening, about 5 minutes from home, crack the window open. This makes sure you remove all the hot/warm/moist air out of the car. When you arrive, put the wipers in the service position. Get them off the screen.

2. Clean the windscreen, using some windex or equivalent + paper towels. Do this *every* evening when you know you have to use the car in the morning. Every month, use some Autoglym Glass Polish ( CLICK ) This will clean the windscreen proper, and add some water repelling as bonus. Also do the AG Glass Polish on the inside, should remove all dirt on the inside.

3. Get one of the cheapo windscreen covers (the silver insulated one) and put that on the windscreen. Flaps inside the doors, leave the wipers up!

4. In the hallway, we have a bucket with the "de-icing"-spray and a clean MF towel for the side windows in the morning. Clean this towel when you get home in the evening.

5. Get the pingi dehumidifier ( CLICK ) and throw it on the dash when you get home.

6. In the morning, go out with the bucket and de-ice the side windows with the spray. Remove windscreen cover, put the wipers down, put the pingi bag and the bucket back inside the house, get in the car, start the car, and drive off after 10 seconds with the heating on full demist + AC on to help with the demisting. Wear a scarf the first 10 minutes so your breath goes into the scarf instead of onto the windshield on the inside.

 

Additional tips;

 

1. Get the rubber mats. When it's wet or snowy the fabric carpets soak up moisture and keep it retained. The rubber mats can be poured out and dried inside.

2. Take off your wet coat and throw it in the boot (on your rubber boot mat, ofcourse)

3. For your particular problem, in the evening, lower your windows and clean the top of the windows and the runners with paper towels to remove all moisture.

4. You might want to check the drainage channels at the bottom of your windscreen to remove leaves, mud, etc.

5. You might want to renew your interior/pollen filter (5 seconds work, get the partnumber from the invoice of your last service and buy it off the internet or from the local dealer, doesn't cost anything) It's known to hold moisture when old.

 

That's about it...I had bad problems with moisture/fogging in the beginning, using AG glass polish on the inside every month made about 40% difference, the Pingi did another 40%, and the remaining 20% is taken care off by the AC in about 30 seconds. The ice forming is purely because of lazyness in the evening (not accounting for torrential freezing icing) because I didn't bother to prep the car. Bottle of "de-icer" and a clean MF towel for the side windows and 5 minutes of work in the evening is all I need to be clear in the morning.

 

Other notes

 

1. I had a replaced windscreen on my Octavia. Using a plastic ice scraper one day, the entire windscreen was scratched to hell...Even the side windows + rear were badly scratched (previous owner did that). Was it the scraper, sand on the windscreen or in the ice, or something else, I don't know. But I will *never* scrape the ice if I can help it.

2. I have a full car cover, but I don't use it. Only cover up the windshield. The thought of a plastic cover rubbing on the car panels with a bit of sand or grit between them, makes me cringe...

Edited 11 February, 201412 yr by Too Tall

Wow!!

I'm exhausted!!!

And you didn't even have to type all that, how do you think I feel?

Me too, I would still be there at 2 am :0)

Leave them open?

Now it has finally turned cold I can't wind down my windows in the morning for about 10 minutes after the car has started as they have frozen in the runners . Whats the best method to prevent this ?   Although I have had several new cars in the last 30 years its the first time I have had this problem unless it was about -10c, but its only barely freezing at the moment and its starting to annoy me.

A smidgen of vaseline on the window edges should do the trick.Same on door rubbers,stops the sticking and damage of door rubbers in the icy conditions.

I have heard it said that lubrication is the key to success, now I know what they mean :0)

Silicone spray. The guys with sciroccos swear by it as they have frameless doors.

 

Also good for door/boot seals, waterproofing umbrellas, bottoms of sleds, drawer runners, etc. Every household should have a can!

I'd go with post #2

Move to Spain

Yep, a little touch of silicone spray along the rubber.

 

Or very sparingly with Vaseline if you don't have any.

 

Post #3 should give you plenty of ideas on improvements though! That will all help

Why do you need to open the windows in the morning? Is it because they are frozen/misted? They shouldn't be...and you also should avoid all unneeded electric charges when you set off with a frozen car (avoid dooropenings, windowlowerings, trunkopenings, folding of the mirrors, etc) because of the possibility of wear and tear on the motors and the strain on the battery.

 

A perfectly clean windscreen will not freeze. It's dirt and moisture that freezes. Top tips? Allrighty then...

 

1. When you come home in the evening, about 5 minutes from home, crack the window open. This makes sure you remove all the hot/warm/moist air out of the car. When you arrive, put the wipers in the service position. Get them off the screen.

2. Clean the windscreen, using some windex or equivalent + paper towels. Do this *every* evening when you know you have to use the car in the morning. Every month, use some Autoglym Glass Polish ( CLICK ) This will clean the windscreen proper, and add some water repelling as bonus. Also do the AG Glass Polish on the inside, should remove all dirt on the inside.

3. Get one of the cheapo windscreen covers (the silver insulated one) and put that on the windscreen. Flaps inside the doors, leave the wipers up!

4. In the hallway, we have a bucket with the "de-icing"-spray and a clean MF towel for the side windows in the morning. Clean this towel when you get home in the evening.

5. Get the pingi dehumidifier ( CLICK ) and throw it on the dash when you get home.

6. In the morning, go out with the bucket and de-ice the side windows with the spray. Remove windscreen cover, put the wipers down, put the pingi bag and the bucket back inside the house, get in the car, start the car, and drive off after 10 seconds with the heating on full demist + AC on to help with the demisting. Wear a scarf the first 10 minutes so your breath goes into the scarf instead of onto the windshield on the inside.

 

Additional tips;

 

1. Get the rubber mats. When it's wet or snowy the fabric carpets soak up moisture and keep it retained. The rubber mats can be poured out and dried inside.

2. Take off your wet coat and throw it in the boot (on your rubber boot mat, ofcourse)

3. For your particular problem, in the evening, lower your windows and clean the top of the windows and the runners with paper towels to remove all moisture.

4. You might want to check the drainage channels at the bottom of your windscreen to remove leaves, mud, etc.

5. You might want to renew your interior/pollen filter (5 seconds work, get the partnumber from the invoice of your last service and buy it off the internet or from the local dealer, doesn't cost anything) It's known to hold moisture when old.

 

That's about it...I had bad problems with moisture/fogging in the beginning, using AG glass polish on the inside every month made about 40% difference, the Pingi did another 40%, and the remaining 20% is taken care off by the AC in about 30 seconds. The ice forming is purely because of lazyness in the evening (not accounting for torrential freezing icing) because I didn't bother to prep the car. Bottle of "de-icer" and a clean MF towel for the side windows and 5 minutes of work in the evening is all I need to be clear in the morning.

 

Other notes

 

1. I had a replaced windscreen on my Octavia. Using a plastic ice scraper one day, the entire windscreen was scratched to hell...Even the side windows + rear were badly scratched (previous owner did that). Was it the scraper, sand on the windscreen or in the ice, or something else, I don't know. But I will *never* scrape the ice if I can help it.

2. I have a full car cover, but I don't use it. Only cover up the windshield. The thought of a plastic cover rubbing on the car panels with a bit of sand or grit between them, makes me cringe...

 

Bloody Hell!  That's what you call comprehensive.

 

I prefer No2 though!  

I will give the silcone spray a try.

I will give the silcone spray a try.

Always worked well on BMW frameless windows in the winter