Condensation

[bazbo1]

Hey all
We have 2017 1.4tsi yeti.
We have major condensation issues in the winter (i am in New Zealand and it's currently summer).

If we have a sunny day in the winter and then the sun goes down we get masses of condensation on the inside of the windscreen. We don't have climate control but do have AC and have tried all the tricks to get the screen to clear but it can take 5-10 minutes sometimes which just isn't good enough (AC on demister on full, vents to screen, recirc off etc etc).

Car is still under warranty here in NZ and has been into the dealer but they couldn't find an issue.

We don't have a sunroof, but I have noticed water collecting on the ledge of the front passenger door. It does not seem to be ingressing into the car though.

The amounts of condensation are quite extreme, one cold night it even froze to the inside of the screen! It's more droplets of water than a mist.

My feeling is that the AC and fan system is working ok and the problem lies with water ingress somewhere. We don't have  animals in the car and I cannot find damp patches on the carpets anywhere. I do think it may be related to the water pool on the ledge of the passenger door, but that could of course be a red herring. The pollen filter is clean and dry

Currently I cannot do anything as it's summer here. Once it goes cold again it will go back to the dealer again so they can experience the problem first hand. It's immensly frustrating and embarrassing if you have a friend in the car and cannot go anywhere for 5 minutes whilst the screen is misted up.

 

Here is a video i took (unfortunately in the dark so not that clear)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Hz4fhEt25Zc9cz7X7

 

and here is a video showing where the water collects on the passengers side:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/sGWJ14DA2qV4AvMu7

 

This video shows the type of condensation we are dealing with (this was mild in comparison)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/jqfYj73oYXAFTQxM9

 

I have searched forums all over for answers but to no avail.

 

Any ideas anyone please?

 

Cheers
Bryan
 

[Ryeman]

Welcome to the forum, they are generally asleep at this hour, but I’d start with asking if you could fill out your signature area with specific details relating to your particular version of the Yeti incl options if any........that’ll save time later.

New Zealand n - s has a wildly varying climate so in general term where are you located eg north island, near the sea, prevailing winter winds etc would, I imagine, have an influence on ambient humidity levels and temps.

My Yeti was climate controlled AC.........I didn’t know you could have anything other.

My recollection was that hitting the demist button was the shortcut to pretty efficient way of resolving the problem the odd time it occurred.

Our NZ mod might pop up with some suggestions.

Dave.

[bazbo1]

Just now, Ryeman said:

Welcome to the forum, they are generally asleep at this hour, but I’d start with asking if you could fill out your signature area with specific details relating to your particular version of the Yeti incl options if any........that’ll save time later.

New Zealand n - s has a wildly varying climate so in general term where are you located eg north island, near the sea, prevailing winter winds etc would, I imagine, have an influence on ambient humidity levels and temps.

My Yeti was climate controlled AC.........I didn’t know you could have anything other.

My recollection was that hitting the demist button was the shortcut to pretty efficient way of resolving the problem the odd time it occurred.

Our NZ mod might pop up with some suggestions.

Dave.

Thanks Dave, will do.

 

I am in Wellington lower north island, pretty windy place and doesn't get too cold really, but enough to create the condensation. As I said in the post I have done everything that needs to be done to clear the screen but it just doesn't work. My previous car (a Honda Odyssey) was parked in the same spot and would clear any condensation within 30 seconds. The yeti in comparison takes over 5 minutes at times.

[Ryeman]

I was just thinking - the best way to set yourself up for a bad misting is to have late pm warm sun with high humid just before sundown.

[bazbo1]

4 minutes ago, Ryeman said:

I was just thinking - the best way to set yourself up for a bad misting is to have late pm warm sun with high humid just before sundown.

absolutely, but I have never had such an issue with other vehicles here in NZ. and indeed the dealer has not had this issue with other Skodas (albeit the sample size of owners here is quite small). 

Edited 11 February, 2019 by bazbo1

[Ryeman]

I assume the flap valve for fresh/recirculation actually works and the direction controls work in every other sense.

[bazbo1]

1 minute ago, Ryeman said:

I assume the flap valve for fresh/recirculation actually works and the direction controls work in every other sense.

 

I have no reason to think they don't and the dealer has been over the system already and found no issues. (maybe they missed it?)

 

there is certainly air blowing onto the screen when it is set to screen. Whats interesting though is that the drivers side takes longer to clear than the passengers.....

[Ryeman]

Re your ‘manual’ system, do you need to adjust the temperature selection to hot or is that automatic?.

[bazbo1]

1 minute ago, Ryeman said:

Re your ‘manual’ system, do you need to adjust the temperature selection to hot or is that automatic?.

 

You have to manually set the temperature using the "red to blue" dial (old school!). But it makes little difference to clearing the screen if it's cold or hot (in fact it can only really be cold when the car has just been started up after the engine is cold).

[bazbo1]

[Ryeman]

Just now, bazbo1 said:

 

You have to manually set the temperature using the "red to blue" dial (old school!). But it makes little difference to clearing the screen if it's cold or hot (in fact it can only really be cold when the car has just been started up after the engine is cold).

Well first I’d select max heat ......I’m assuming the ac pump is a reverse cycle type and produces it’s own heat but I might be completely wrong.  Either way I’d be insuring max heat as a priority for the screen.

It certainly is odd that the dealership can’t work it out.

[bazbo1]

well like I said I have tried both max heat and max cold to little difference in effect. I'm pretty sure the AC does not supply heat , only the engine temp does that.

[Urrell]

3 hours ago, bazbo1 said:

I'm pretty sure the AC does not supply heat , only the engine temp does that.

It does not supply heat but it does dry the air passing over it making removing moisture/ humidity much more efficient.

[Upsidedown]

May seem like a daft question but is the photo you posted of your car?

[bazbo1]

4 minutes ago, Upsidedown said:

May seem like a daft question but is the photo you posted of your car?

No it's not but it is exactly the same. Thats a pre-facelift car, ours is 2017 facelift but it has the same controls

Edited 11 February, 2019 by bazbo1

[Upsidedown]

The reason I ask is that, and I stand to be corrected (!), that the photo showed a layout I thought was pre at least 2015 yet you say your vehicle is 2017. Did you buy in from a Skoda dealer?

 

Nevertheless the condensation problem you are having is very weird.

 

In response to some comments on this topic on the other forum, I have found Skoda NZ very good to deal with unlike some of the problems people have had in the UK.

[bazbo1]

7 minutes ago, Upsidedown said:

The reason I ask is that, and I stand to be corrected (!), that the photo showed a layout I thought was pre at least 2015 yet you say your vehicle is 2017. Did you buy in from a Skoda dealer?

 

Nevertheless the condensation problem you are having is very weird.

 

In response to some comments on this topic on the other forum, I have found Skoda NZ very good to deal with unlike some of the problems people have had in the UK.

that photo is a pre 2015 vehicle, but we have a 2017 with the same controls. the radio , gear lever etc are all different but the dials are the same. it's just the non climate control version.

[Upsidedown]

Thanks for the clarification.

 

As no doubt you have surmised, my guess is that there must be water / dampness somewhere in the interior to cause this problem. Having looked at the carpets, have you looked in the boot well? I have read of leaks from the rear screen washer (do you have one?) ponding in the boot well.

[TruckbusUK]

Also check the condition of the cabin/pollen filter, this if old and clogged can also give condensation symptoms as you describe.

 

Hope it helps.

[bazbo1]

Just now, TruckbusUK said:

Also check the condition of the cabin/pollen filter, this if old and clogged can also give condensation symptoms as you describe.

 

Hope it helps.

Done that and it's all good, plus the car is barely 2 years old!

[SurreyJohn]

Is anything wet, any carpet, boot floor well etc, could be a leak somewhere.

 

Get pollen filter removed and put back, if not in and seated properly moisture can run in from near wiper areas

 

Although unlikely possible leak from heater matrix (normally only happens to much older cars), but if coolant level drops this could be it.

 

If the a/c is working then logically can’t have refrigerant leak, but it could be low concentration so the air dryer not working fully.

 

A non-car answer is to get one of those moisture absorbing balls and use it to fully dry the air manually, leaving it in car for few days, once the moisture already there is absorbed hopefully won’t come back.

 

 

 

 

[DGW]

Have you or the dealer used a moisture meter to check if the carpetting throughout the car is dry?

[Austin 7]

Greetings Bazbo1

 

I've just been to check the door seals on my Pre-FL Yeti.  There is an inner rubber seal fixed to the car body which goes all round the door.  there is also an outer rubber seal fixed to the door which goes all round.  Finally there are (presumably) wind noise filler seals round the window and door trailing edge.  Where you show water collecting is outside of the first two seals, and probably results from rain runoff being channeled down the front of the window and into the space between the front of the door and the body.  I suspect therefore this may not be relevant to your problem.

 

One thought occurs, with automatic climate control the AC runs quite often, and has a drying effect on the cabin air even in winter.  I wonder if you are not running the AC frequently enough or long enough to de-humidify the cabin ? (Apologies if you are)  Generally, I find modern cars far less prone to mist up than in the "bad old days".  However, if you get lots of people piling in with wet clothes and shoes it can still happen.  Rubber mats are worse than carpets, as there is nothing to absorb the traces of moisture.

 

The driver's side may be worse for demisting as the air ducts in the dash are possibly different each side to pass round the steering column and instruments.

[bazbo1]

12 hours ago, Austin 7 said:

Greetings Bazbo1

 

I've just been to check the door seals on my Pre-FL Yeti.  There is an inner rubber seal fixed to the car body which goes all round the door.  there is also an outer rubber seal fixed to the door which goes all round.  Finally there are (presumably) wind noise filler seals round the window and door trailing edge.  Where you show water collecting is outside of the first two seals, and probably results from rain runoff being channeled down the front of the window and into the space between the front of the door and the body.  I suspect therefore this may not be relevant to your problem.

 

One thought occurs, with automatic climate control the AC runs quite often, and has a drying effect on the cabin air even in winter.  I wonder if you are not running the AC frequently enough or long enough to de-humidify the cabin ? (Apologies if you are)  Generally, I find modern cars far less prone to mist up than in the "bad old days".  However, if you get lots of people piling in with wet clothes and shoes it can still happen.  Rubber mats are worse than carpets, as there is nothing to absorb the traces of moisture.

 

The driver's side may be worse for demisting as the air ducts in the dash are possibly different each side to pass round the steering column and instruments.

 

No wet clothes or anything like that in the car, plus we use the AC regularly so no reason for the air to be as humid as it is. 

[bazbo1]

14 hours ago, DGW said:

Have you or the dealer used a moisture meter to check if the carpetting throughout the car is dry?

 

No but it had crossed my mind. Would one of the wood moisture meters work?