Windscreen Condensation

Does anyone have a problem with condensation on the inside of their windscreen? This seems to happen when the weather is cold and damp. If so, are there any known cures? Thanks

Yes, I had the same problem. I turned on the defroster and it went away.

Looooollllllllllllllllllllllllll...............laughed my head off from teflon's answer. Check you circulating air-button. Make sure it is turned off.The prevention of fresh air entering the vehicle could cause this. Also check the particle filter, make sure it isn't soiled. Cheers and safe driving.

The few times that has happened to me was in cold damp weather and I had the air off. As soon as I put the air on automatic (outside venting), it immediately cleared up.

Move to California. In my S the A/C comes on to get rid of condensation (I don't have e drive). Which is very counterintuitive since I'm putting on the heat. Now I crack a window before I freeze my **** off. Early Tregs had this Problem (don't know if they fixed it, see vortex board)

During the winter, colder weather, I leave the A/C compressor disabled. Had a switch installed in the glove box specifically for this purpose. I also switch it off if the OAT is low enough to cool the car without A/C operation. Latter, no A/C use, results in improved fuel economy. Don't know much of your particular circumstance but remember that when you use the A/C, for whatever reason, and then subsequently shut it off, there will ALWAYS be a thin film of condensate, moisture, left on the evaporator cooling vane surfaces. Prior to the conversion to the new less efficient refrigerant this was not very often a problem. But to make up for the loss of refrigerant efficiency the cooling evaporator has become a much more complex and dense device. 4400 square inches of cooling vane surface area for a freon based system vs over 10,000 square inches of new ones. In the more southern US states that oftentimes results in the formation of mould and mildew spores, and for us in the more northern US states it oftentimes means sudden and unexpected fogging over of the interior surface of the windshield. The best solution of I found is to not use the A/C for dehumidification and/or defogging of the windshield, but simply turn up the temperature setpoint at the same time your select the defrost/defog/demist function. And yes, the A/C can be helpful. But in order for the A/C to work when the OAT is below, say 50F, the relative humidity must be extraordinarily high. Remember that the reason electrostatic "sparks" are more common in cold weather is because cold air is ALWAYS drier air. But there is yet another serious conflict in the use of A/C to defog the interior surface of the windshield. In order for any level of dehumidification to occur the incoming fresh airflow must be cooled to its dewpoint, the point at which airborne water vapor will condense out of the airstream and accumulate on the cooling surfaces of the A/C evaporator. So, in the wintertime the incoming fresh airflow will already be at a fairly low temperature and therefore also at a fairly low RH. By design, your car's A/C evaporator cooling surface area will NEVER be allowed to decline below about 35F as a result of A/C operation itself. So, the only way you might succeed in drying that incoming airflow via the A/C is if the airflow through the cooling evaporator is very S...L.....O.......W. Put a warm bottle of milk in the frig, no matter how cold the frig is, for only a few minutes and you will still have a warm bottle of milk. The closer the incoming fresh airflow is to 35F, and the lower its RH, the less efficient the A/C will be inhelping to defog your windshield. That of course is in direct conflict with your need to quickly defog the interior surface of the windshield. So, forget the damned A/C, disable it if you can, and apply maximum heat and airflow to most quickly defog your windshield. More information at: http://www.airsept.com/eed.html

I think I prefer Torags' answer!

Don't ask him about rebuilding an engine!!!

Thanks for the replies. It's a bit too early to absorb wwest's reply but from the bits I understand, I think he might be right.