Should I be worried - interior windscreen condensation (again!)?

[Tim_]

Your fogging isn’t as bad as mine.

After warming the car earlier and since the sun has gone down there’s condensation formed on the inside, it’s the cold glass causing the interior moisture to condense but that’s all.

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[twiggy]

Do you have your aircon on often? I find if I use it just once the windows tend to mist up after.

 

[Spider]

Haha - exactly what I just added to the car! Got mine from Amazon - same price I think (£8). Few pics attached - this is a good example of where I see issues, not used the car at all today so it's been sat in the sun for a few hours. I'll report back on how I find the dehumidifier pouch. Those droplets are from the outside in case anyone notices!

Running round with your aircon on and windows closed helps dehumidify the air in the cabin (if you can bear it this time of year). This is because water condenses in the aircon unit and is expelled so drying the air....

This is also why sometimes demisting is quicker with the aircon on than with the heater on as moisture simply condenses on the colder window

 

[TimG]

Do you have your aircon on often? I find if I use it just once the windows tend to mist up after.

Thats how I use mine outside of hot summer days. I do switch it on occasionally to keep it exercised & keep seals flexible even if not strictly needed. I dont like the Auto function as you have no control over air flow direction. It is the car most in need of aircon in summer sun I've had.

 

[Fatbob V2]

Been watch this post for a while as I get misting mostly on the rear window.
Sometimes I can fire up the car, remove the Disclok and the clocks are also misted up. Carpets all seem dry but I too think the Disklok could be the culprit as it’s a big piece of cold steel.
It does take an age sometimes for the car to be clear of condensation once started. I don’t really use the AC, only to de mist.

Looks like I’ll also invest in one of those pouches.

 

[Tim_]

So after misting up again post 25 minutes running with the air con on its completely clear today, moisture on the outside of the windows only. Same with all the other cars.

I don’t think the disclok makes a difference as that has no condensation on it nor does it have any absorption properties.

 

[TimG]

Been watch this post for a while as I get misting mostly on the rear window.
Sometimes I can fire up the car, remove the Disclok and the clocks are also misted up. Carpets all seem dry but I too think the Disklok could be the culprit as it’s a big piece of cold steel.
It does take an age sometimes for the car to be clear of condensation once started. I don’t really use the AC, only to de mist.

Looks like I’ll also invest in one of those pouches.

Wouldn't the condensation be on the Disclok? By all means get a signal blocking pouch but dont give up on the Disclok

 

[Fatbob V2]

Wouldn't the condensation be on the Disclok? By all means get a signal blocking pouch but dont give up on the Disclok

Disclok is here to stay! It’s big and bulky but the day I don’t use it ..............
I don’t recall seeing any condensation on it but it is freezing cold. I will have a good feel around for damp but it’s always been dry under the mats. I’ll pull up the plastic trims and lift the carpet up.

I don’t think I have ever owned a car that didn’t have some steaming up/damp/impossible to keep clean windscreen.
I picked up my new company car last year and that had been parked under a tree and was full of tree sap. The wipers were just moving the sap around. Audi agreed to swap the wipers but I’m not convinced they cleaned the screen properly so it never really improved. Quite dangerous on a wet dark night. Did it myself in the end, a lot better but not perfect. Got a chip in the screen now so that may be the fix!

 

[Kristian87]

I wonder if the engine has anything to do with this? That v8 does generate a lot of heat. I went for a 10-15 min drive this afternoon, pleasant day - sunny, about 7/8 degrees. Whilst driving, I had the tempt set to 21 & the ac was on. I drove the last mile or so with the windows down by a couple of inches - not fully down, just to let some of that crisp cool air back in. An hour to 90 mins after driving I stepped back outside to take a look and the usual irritating view greets me. I was sure to put the dehumidifier pouch back on the dash when I got out - seems to have had little effect here.
I do note however, that as the sun sets here the whole left side of my car gets a decent amount of sunshine - the passenger door glass was actually warm to the touch. Again, that could contribute to that big change in temp.
I did wonder about the disklok too, but I added mine at the same time of year as the temp dropped significantly so it's hard to tell.
The only real world test I guess is for me to do a like for like comparison with another Mustang. May have to have a friendly chat with a dealership & see if they can give me a loan Mustang. It needs to go in for an oil change anyway I think (back at 5% life and just hit 10k). It really makes me nervous seeing where exactly this condensation crops up - it's all to similar to what I experienced a year ago, even though the carpets are not soggy right now, I seem to have similar symptoms.

 

[Kristian87]

Update - a further half an hour and you can see the condensation has started to go - perhaps as the temp is leveling out?

 

[Gregs24]

That looks normal to me. Drive with the climate on and don't open the windows. The outside air is pretty saturated today - dew point is + 3 or 4C hence the reason for the fog patches.

My Mondeo has had climate on auto since the day I bought it - never steams up and only need the heated front screen when very cold and frosty

Sadly the Mustang doesn't have the electric heated front screen common to all other Fords

 

[Kristian87]

That looks normal to me. Drive with the climate on and don't open the windows. The outside air is pretty saturated today - dew point is + 3 or 4C hence the reason for the fog patches.

My Mondeo has had climate on auto since the day I bought it - never steams up and only need the heated front screen when very cold and frosty

Sadly the Mustang doesn't have the electric heated front screen common to all other Fords

Good point - I rarely use the climate actually. As you say, shame the stang doesn't have the proper heated windshield...got it on my Fiesta and they are brilliant.

I'd still like to see the same effect on other cars though - 4 in the driveway at the moment and yet mine is the only one looking like this. Dad drove his A5 today, although it was a few hours before me, and I don't see any condensation on his.

 

[TimG]

Disclok is here to stay! It’s big and bulky but the day I don’t use it ..............
I don’t recall seeing any condensation on it but it is freezing cold. I will have a good feel around for damp but it’s always been dry under the mats. I’ll pull up the plastic trims and lift the carpet up.

I don’t think I have ever owned a car that didn’t have some steaming up/damp/impossible to keep clean windscreen.
I picked up my new company car last year and that had been parked under a tree and was full of tree sap. The wipers were just moving the sap around. Audi agreed to swap the wipers but I’m not convinced they cleaned the screen properly so it never really improved. Quite dangerous on a wet dark night. Did it myself in the end, a lot better but not perfect. Got a chip in the screen now so that may be the fix!

Have you tried methylated spirit for cleaning the screen, also damp newspaper though that will make your hands black?

 

[swooshdave]

Good point - I rarely use the climate actually.

When you say climate do you mean the AC or any heating or cooling ever?

In a moist climate you have to control the climate, especially running the AC to dehumidify the air.

Even if the interior doesn’t feel damp you can be assured that there is moisture in the interior than will condense at night when the temps drop.

 

[Kristian87]

When you say climate do you mean the AC or any heating or cooling ever?

I mean the "auto" button. I only really use that in the summer to keep the interior climate consistent. At the moment I stick with the defaults - and just change the temp accordingly. The AC light is usually on from what I've noticed.

I'm booked in at Ford Hungerford on 7th Jan. Just sent them a lengthy email detailing my drama from this time last year. Let's hope they give this issue the proper care & attention it needs. I may be panicking over nothing of course, but whilst I'm in warranty still, it's best to have these things looked at thoroughly, by a competent dealership of course.

Watch this space.

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