Steamy windows!

[sjrainsford]

Hi all.

 

Not sure if others have experienced the same problems, but I find the auto climate control in my Elegance to be rubbish.  My front screen regularly steams up, especially if it has rained previously.  I'm forever having to hit the max screen button just to blast it clear.  It only takes a few seconds normally.  It's almost like it doesn't direct enough air toward the screen during normal auto operation.  I expect it to steam up, say when you get in the car on a wet day.  But this is ridiculous!

 

[Huskoda]

Do you turn your air conditioning off? It should always be on to act as a dehumidifier.

[sjrainsford]

No, I leave the air con switched on.  I've had numerous cars over the years with auto climate control and never had this problem.

[pipsyp]

Common VAG problem, the system holds residual moisture from previous AC/heating use. In wet/damp weather its best just to run AC, not a problem in warmer/dryer weather.

All rather a shame the humidity sensor in the rear view mirror base cant be set to trigger the AC in the event misting is detected....it surely could do given its capable of deactivating start stop to prevent misting that could occur if the engine shuts off.

[sjrainsford]

But I have an hour drive to work and it steams up every 5 minutes for the whole journey!  I wouldn't mind if there was a little residual at the start that needed clearing, but and hour into my journey takes the p**s.

[Neily03]

What setting are you using, low, medium or high?

[sjrainsford]

Tried all!

[Black_Sheep]

Are all of the front vents open? - had this issue the other day after kids had been messing around and closed all the vents. Otherwise better than Mk2 for this issue.

Edited 5 June, 2014 by Black_Sheep

[Huskoda]

I would say there must be a water leak somewhere into the AC system, if it get so wet and stays that way.

[ChrisRs]

I would concur

There is definitely something wrong somewhere

Have you told the Dealer yet?

[Neily03]

I have mine set to High with the AC on all the time and don't have any problems with steaming up, unless I get in wet.

[sjrainsford]

Not been to the dealer yet.  It's got a few niggly issues, but it's a company car so i've not really bothered.  But I find this really annoys me so it looks like it's going in soon as.

 

I've also got reverse gear popping out sometimes when it feels like it, and the clutch release bearing or related area making a grumbling noise sometimes.  I've done 8k miles in it now and I can't say as i'm overly impressed.  It's amazing how little things can combine to let you down overall.  

The fuel consumption however is very impressive, i'm regularly seeing mid 60s on runs.  My long term average is 55 and climbing weekly.

[andyvee]

There is something wrong with your car or you have a water leak in to the body of the car then. If you leave the system on Auto, A/C turned on, all vents open then you shouldn't be getting any steaming up of the windscreen.

 

On mine, when it is in danger of steaming up, you can hear the system direct to air to the screen and the Start Stop will be unavailable with a reason of there being a possibility of the windows fogging or something similar - does yours ever do that?

 

It might just be you have a dodgy humidity sensor so it is thinking everything is OK when it isn't?

 

What temperature do you have the system set at?

[gullyg]

There is something wrong with your car or you have a water leak in to the body of the car then. If you leave the system on Auto, A/C turned on, all vents open then you shouldn't be getting any steaming up of the windscreen.

On mine, when it is in danger of steaming up, you can hear the system direct to air to the screen and the Start Stop will be unavailable with a reason of there being a possibility of the windows fogging or something similar - does yours ever do that?

It might just be you have a dodgy humidity sensor so it is thinking everything is OK when it isn't?

What temperature do you have the system set at?

I have the same issue on my car as the OP, never noticed the airflow being redirected.

I just turn on the heated windscreen but not a brilliant fix.

The dealer looked and didn't see any problems.

Climate control on high with ac and auto on, temp 19.5 or 21.5.

[Colin1961]

I have a 1.6tdi elegance and never have steamed up windows, just a few times when starting of from cold mist may creep up the bottom of the glass but gone in seconds.

On my old elegance mk2 I always shut the aircon off or it steamed up like mad but it down to paper air filter for cabin getting damp. If your car is not drying out the aircon system on wet days maybe thats your problem.

Try driving with aircon switch off until the cars engine has warmed up and dryed out the aircon.

(The winter packs heated screen helps too).

[V6Jules]

I have no issues in mine but I keep a rechargeable dehumidifier under the passenger seat. I do this with all of our cars and keeps them dry and smelling fresh when not used for a week or so and helps with misting in the mornings etc.

However if yours is always misting up something is wrong I'd say.

[hravec]

VCDS >

 

*** Change the sensitivity of the humidity sensor ***

Unit 08, in coded byte 14 changed to 08

[Andy205]

I cleaned my glass inside with Autoglym glass polish and problem went away until I got in the other day soaked and all the windows misted.

No biggie - will re-polish glass again as it could do with a clean and if it needs redoing every 2-3 months it's a 15 minute job at worst.

[Rob123]

I had this until recently. 2 hour drivehome from work late at night, and had to keep putting Max windscreen doo dar on.

Have you cleaned the interior glass since new? I hadn't, but now cleaned windscreen and front two windows and its 100% better. Rear passenger windows and rear window still steam, but they've not been cleaned yet.

For info, I used autoglym window cleaner cos that's all I had, but I guess windowlean or whatever would do the job, just something to get the thin layer of probably protective grease off them

Edited 7 June, 2014 by Rob123

[sjrainsford]

Funny you should say that Rob, I've just cleaned the screen for the first time after having it. So I'll report back if it has made any difference.

[Rob123]

Also funny that Andy205 said the same thing, while i was typing mine.

Anyway, because I left the back half un-cleaned (out of lazyness), at least in my car, I know that was the problem.

On start-up, I do get a bit of misting along the bottom of the windscreen from the AC, but it clears quickly. Much better than it was

[sebkoch]

 

VCDS >

 

*** Change the sensitivity of the humidity sensor ***

Unit 08, in coded byte 14 changed to 08

 

And it changes the sensitivity to which level...?

[aki78]

And it changes the sensitivity to which level...?

This coding completely solved my steaming issues I used to have on rainy days.

The air is drier in the cabin and the demist function starts in time and prevents steaming.

A/C is always on AUTO and set to medium.

I keep all wents fully open.

Edited 25 February, 2016 by aki78

[sjrainsford]

This coding completely solved my steaming issues I used to have on rainy days.

The air is drier in the cabin and the demist function starts in time and prevents steaming.

A/C is always on AUTO and set to medium.

I keep all wents fully open.

Same here!  Works a treat.

[Mallettsmallett]

I get this. It's like every 10 minutes or so, the humidity sensor goes on holiday and the car starts to creep mist on the side windows. You blast it, it goes, and sure as eggs are eggs, it happens again.