Technical Rear back and side windows steaming up

[Mytheroo]

My rear window and rear side windows steam up very easily. I've not noticed anything specifically damp. Is this normal for the Stilo, are there specific areas to test?

The air seems to be on flow-through mode, pressing the button changes the sound/speed of the air so something is happening there.

 

[Artermis]

You 3 door or 5 door?

It has been raining a lot lately so there is a lot of damp in the atmosphere that you can't avoid, so it will happen.

If you've got any manual windows check that winder handles are pointed to the 6 oclock position or close by when the window is shut. I have known them manage to drop before now.

Make sure you keep your air conditioning turned ON even if you've got the heater on. That dries the air.

Also check the carpet under any floor mats you've got installed to make sure carpets aren't wet - which might indicate water ingress. Of course drivers side you might expect to be a little damp depending on usage with you getting in and out.

Sometimes it can be stupid things... My old Alfa 156, if left parked facing down hill during heavy rain, would leak water into the rear foot well. It would run down the back of the door, along the bottom of the door and into the footwell at the front side of the rear doors. If you left it parked facing up hill, no problem.

 

[Artermis]

I could add... it's not one i've ever tried but people say if you fill a set of ya lady's tights with some decent cat little, the type that has those absorbing crystals in (dont know if its actual cilica gel or not) in the footwell that it helps dry a car out.

 

[Ralf S.]

My old beast (5dr) is difficult to steam up compared to other cars (high ceiling I guess)?

If yours is damp/misting up then there is water in there somewhere.

Have you go a sunroof (check the water drains out of the guttering)...?

Have a peek under the windscreen scuttle panel. Is there a puddle of water collecting in there? It should drain away completely... anything a few mm deep means a drain is blocked.

You need to get your hands onto the carpet in the footwells.. Press a piece of newspaper down on it, to see if it comes up damp. Water in the footwells not from a sun-roof/drain could be a leaky door seal.

Also check the spare wheel well. Water in there is probably from a rear light seal (or "not seal").

Having said that - park the beast in the sun this weekend with the windows open to dry it out. If you regularly park in the shade and do short trips, the inside will become damp because everything around it is damp. If you dry it out, it should tend to stay dry.

Ralf S.

 

[Mytheroo]

3-door
electric windows
no sunroof
no aircon.

Your replies have reminded me that the spare wheel securing nut is missing (I cut my Seicento one off but haven't attached it yet) so there is a hole there, but it's raised up high and not really in a splash area, but I guess aero could be sucking in spray there. I'll do a full carpet check and try the talcum trick if anything is damp. One rear light cluster was missing a nut when I first got it, but I sorted that while weather was still warm. It clears with the windows down for 1 minute so its not a massive issue, was just wondering if there were obvious stilo places to check first like there were with the Seicento.

 

[Mytheroo]

update:

was just reading about the pollen filter and I've just removed it to see if that helps the airflow.

I also found the vents to the rear seat footwells were covered by flaps of carpet...cut top and bottom but held against the vent at the sides. Is this a carpet for another model perhaps and it should have had these fabric tabs removed?

I also noticed that nothing happens (apart from the LED switching on and off) when toggling the recirculation button. I couldn't see anything happening on the airbox thing (proper name escapes me) and there was no change in airflow or airflow sound. I presume this button should activate a solenoid or motor on a flap of some kind? Does anyone know how to view/feel/test this flap?

 

[Mytheroo]

so turns out the recirculate motor wasn't moving the flap. I managed to wiggle it enough from the passenger footwell that it toggled to the fresh air position, and the steaming up issue has gone.