General steaming up

[dpr1974]

Hi all, bought a 98 punto 1.7td a while ago (needed a head gasket) been on the road for a few days now and it won't stop steaming up!
it's steamed up when i get in it in the morning and if i'm away for just a few minutes then it's all foggy again, any ideas?

many thanks,

david

edit: i should point out that it has been pretty crappy weather here for the past week.

 

[Brickdust]

Not regularly cleaning the inside of the windows makes them steam up much more readily. Leaving heater vents open at night also causes dampness=misting. Faults? Any sign of damp carpets(which really take some drying out once wet,best done indoors) leaking door seals, blocked drains (especially in the area below the windscreen under the bonnet; there are two big rubber non return drains there which can get full of leaves). If the heater matrix was leaking this would normally show in falling coolant level and smell of hot antifreeze inside the car. If you only do low private mileage the car will not have much chance to get aired this time of year, especially if it is not garaged and dampness caused by wet feet etc will hardly have a chance to dry out.Good luck!

 

[SeanW]

Following on from Brickdusts first point: try mixing 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts water with a couple of drops of washing up liquid in a spray bottle. Then dry it/scrub with newspaper (the free local jobby is wonderful for this).

Also, be aware that some glass cleaners are absolute crap-in-a-bottle! I use(d) Asda's own. Windolene isn't too bad though, my Uncle uses that to great effect.

 

[dpr1974]

Thanks for the advice, now all i need is for it to stop raining.

 

[DaveMcT]

Check the heater gutter at the back of the engine bay is not filling up. There are rubber drains at the bottom which get clogged.

You can dry out the interior by putting a mains fan heater in a footwell set to high BUT NOT on continuous as it will get too hot. Leave 2 windows open about 1 inch

Run the heater every night in alternate footwells until the car dries out.

Unless the car is garaged, security is a snag is so keep NOTHING in the car and use a steering stop lock.

Check your coolant. If its been refilled with water you might not get much smell from it. Makes sure you have proper coolant in the system. Without proper coolant apart from it freezing up, the engine and radiators will corrode and eventually clog up/leak.

If you have proper coolant in there and the heater matrix is leaking you will smell the coolant.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I assume you've the air supply on fresh air in and not air recirculation

Jon.

 

[DaveMcT]

Clogged cabin air filter?

 

[J4M35]

I have the same problem, (I know its because the seals have perished), tried everything, cleaning them etc, even tried rain x anti fog which did absolutely nothing!

I've even had frost on the inside of my wind screen (bad idea using de-icer on the inside )

There's not a lot you can do, other than garaging it over night,

good luck!