General Misting

[tomanderson91]

Well first of all I'd like to thank those here for all the useful advice.

Recently I have noticed my car mists up like crazy, when I get to work I usually park behind another colleague and his car will never mist up but as the day goes along mine will mist up, so when I come to leave I have to leave the engine running to warm up then put the blowers on 4.

Surely this isn't normal ? Is there anything I can do to fix it or at least reduce it.

 

[Austin Mini]

My old Mitsubishi Colt did that and I put it down to the steeply raked windscreen. I bought some anti misting stuff from Halfords but I recommend you dont use it as its c**p. In the end I used a chamois to wipe the screen then go into work. My car too was the only car in the car park (100+) that misted. I traded in and bought a MINI and it stopped.

 

[Andy Monty]

first have a good feel and press of the carpets? any damp patches notably round the drivers pedals?

 

[tomanderson91]

I had a feel around on the carpets, I didn't feel any dampness, I recently cleaned the car fully inside and out and ever since then not a drop of mist/condensation so not exactly sure what happened but I didn't seem to do anything in particular that would contribute to the problem disappearing, but oh well it's gone so it must be a good sign..

 

[Juggers2k]

It would be worth checking the coolant levels in the engine.

On a Cavalier I used to own the heater matrix rusted through, so coolant water was dripping into the car behind the centre console.
The car was constantly misted up, and by the time I realised what it was it was too late - head gasket went.

So if you engine coolant is dropping it could be that.

 

[grandejdtm]

Fill a sock full of dried rice and stick it under the rear seats.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

You don't have tha air on recirculate for the ventilation system do you? And have to anything interfering with the door seals? Sister had aftermarket blinds in her Panda which interfeered with hers and allowed rain water in.

 

[udtrev]

I always found that Squirrile when had a misting issue, it was the window on the driver's door

Apart from that I had no issues with misting when I had my Panda

Trev

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I always found that Squirrile when had a misting issue, it was the window on the driver's door

Apart from that I had no issues with misting when I had my Panda

Trev

You had blinds as well didn't you Trev

Did the rear ones over hand the door and catch the seals on the 'C' pillar

 

[udtrev]

You had blinds as well didn't you Trev

Did the rear ones over hand the door and catch the seals on the 'C' pillar

The rear door ones were held in by clips you stuck on the pillars - never had an issue with missing at the back

I also had 2 small blinds that neatly fitted into the niche where the small side windows were

 

[energyman]

Any misting is due to the temperature and relative humidity of the the air inside the car and the temperature of the inside surface of the glass. the higher the air temperature and relative humidity and the lower the temp' of the glass the more misting of the glass.
This is a universal law of physics. To cure. Raise temperature of glass, not practical when car not running. fully open the car windows 2 or 3 minuets before parking to to rapidly reduce temperature and humidity of air within car cabin.

 

[jakey1192]

i have the same problem but ive got window tints all round (obviously not the windscreen) and thaught this had something to do with it? ive changed the pollen filter twice and its still not cured it. i have to have the heaters on 2 and blowing onto the windscreen all the time.. and my windows open a little bit. Annoying when its raining cos cant see F*#K all!! :bang:

 

[energyman]

Cars that mist up regularly and quickly have cheap and scimpy vent systems. The problem is that to reduce the size and the cost of the heating and cooling heat exchangers the amount of air allowed to vent out from the cabin is reduced to a minimum. This means the cabin can be heated or cooled quicker useing smaller equipment. The problem is that the air in the cabin gets overloaded with moisture from breath and any dampness in the cabin and the more moisture in the air the quicker the car will mist up. Thats why opening the window helps as it allows more air out of the cabin but the downside is the cabin get colder.