Dealing With Condensation

Vern1961

Vern1961

Vern1961

Soldato
Joined
29 Mar 2007
Posts
4,689
Location
Swindon UK
Not sure whether it's the atmospherics this year but I've had a particular problem over the winter with interior condensation. On cold mornings/evenings this translates to having to scrape ice off the inside of the windscreen, sometimes more than outside. The immediate worry apart from the extended prep time is water everywhere on the dashboard when the scrapings melt and possibly get in the electrics.

I've tried a sponge and paper towels to remove the moisture from the interior altogether, but it's back within a day or two.

I guess a 50 mile blast down the M4 with heaters on full and windows wound down might be one answer but not very eco-friendly. Wondered if there is an easier solution, maybe circulate the air within the car for a few days rather than draw from outside?

The Corsa didn't do this last winter and I've never had interior condensation to this extent on previous motors I've owned.
 
Re-circ will make it even worse. You could try getting some silica crystals or something to soak up the moisture
 
Silica sounds like a good idea.

I'll have a quick recee round the bodywork, but the car is only three years old, no holes I can see and all the door seals in good nick.
 
I was at an Audi dealership today and noticed a lot of the cars sitting in the forecourt had condensation on the rear windows. They can't all be leaking!
 
Its a Corsa?

They are terrible for this, and so many people have the problem - but not everybody.

The best thing I found was to drive with the floor heaters + aircon on, as well as cooling the interior before I stopped - but nothing eliminated it completely.

A few people have pointed at the pollen filter, but that isn't something I even bothered trying on my then 8 month old example. I was always convinced it was a mixture the condensation the aircon left in the vents, and getting in with wet feet (perhaps something to do with the material retaining the water?)

My ST fogs a little on the inside (no where near as much as the Corsa though!), but unlike the Corsa, the ST does a good job of clearing that almost instantly anyway.
 
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Just the cold weather.

All the cars at the docks needed scrape on the inside, and these are new cars!
 
Thanks for all the feedback.

Plenty of cat litter at home so I'll give that a try (clean stuff!) before going for the silica.

Car is going for annual service on Wednesday so I may ask them to check/change the pollen filter assuming it's not a silly price!
 
You can pick up a 'Moisture Mate' (plastic box filled with calcium chloride) from Halfords for a couple of quid. Since leaving it in the car I've not had any issues with condensation.
 
Most likely its bits of snow and / water attached to your shoes getting the carpets damn.

If your going for a long(ish) drive wack the air con & heat on full blast set to your feet. Open the windows a little so the warm, moist air gets sucked out and you should get rid of the damp in no time.

If it comes back after doing that a few times you need to have a look at any water leaking into the car...
 
con- den - sa - tion.....

changed my cabin filter and all was well, on the very coldest days i get a tiny bit of mist in the rear window but that goes pretty much straight away.
 
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