Condensation and frost inside car
12-01-2011, 01:26 AM
#1
Condensation and frost inside car
How many people here drive their 944 car in the winter? It has gotten cold at night here the last few days and I am noticing an alarming amount of liquid on the inside of my windshield, and all windows. Car in question is an '86 Turbo
Tonight was the worst. I will park my car at maybe 8:00pm after using the heat and come back out to it many hours later when it has gotten close to or below freezing and I noticed the inside of my windshield was fogged up badly and as it has gotten colder the fog has gotten worse and now I am getting frost on the inside of my windshield, more frost than the outside. At first I thought maybe this was normal for these cars and started leaving my vent all the way down thinking maybe cold air was getting in through the cowl. But now that it has gotten this bad I know this cant be normal. Anyone experience this or have any advise for me? There must be a seal somewhere that is not working properly anymore.
The car has had a full respray so I am thinking maybe something was not installed correctly or at all? The passenger door handle is missing the seal behind the handle, could this be the problem? I am assuming they lost it when painting the car and were too lazy or cheap to buy a new one which is just unacceptable especially for how nice of a job the paint work was on the car. I have already ordered two new door handle seals but I feel like something else has got to be wrong...
Oh and also my lock cylinder in my drivers door handle was frozen too, I had to breathe on it for a minute to get it to move. That's going to be a pain in the ***.
Tonight was the worst. I will park my car at maybe 8:00pm after using the heat and come back out to it many hours later when it has gotten close to or below freezing and I noticed the inside of my windshield was fogged up badly and as it has gotten colder the fog has gotten worse and now I am getting frost on the inside of my windshield, more frost than the outside. At first I thought maybe this was normal for these cars and started leaving my vent all the way down thinking maybe cold air was getting in through the cowl. But now that it has gotten this bad I know this cant be normal. Anyone experience this or have any advise for me? There must be a seal somewhere that is not working properly anymore.
The car has had a full respray so I am thinking maybe something was not installed correctly or at all? The passenger door handle is missing the seal behind the handle, could this be the problem? I am assuming they lost it when painting the car and were too lazy or cheap to buy a new one which is just unacceptable especially for how nice of a job the paint work was on the car. I have already ordered two new door handle seals but I feel like something else has got to be wrong...
Oh and also my lock cylinder in my drivers door handle was frozen too, I had to breathe on it for a minute to get it to move. That's going to be a pain in the ***.
12-01-2011, 01:37 AM
#2
Today I got
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Wish I could help you. Yes I drive my car year round. Doesn't get too cold out here, but a couple mornings ago my windshield (mainly outside, somewhat inside) kept fogging up on the way to school. Also, when it rains and I have my windows up I have a major problem with it fogging up...
12-01-2011, 01:48 AM
#3
Hey Butters thanks, that is helpful some because you confirm you have a fog problem sometimes too but don't live in as cold of an area as me. I've never owned a car this old so I'm just not sure how much of this could be due to the nature of the car and how much is because of something I don't know about.
12-01-2011, 01:53 AM
#4
Pro
Although it could just be the glue separating in the glass, It could be the original windshield.
12-01-2011, 01:59 AM
#5
Burning Brakes
Excessive moisture in your car. I know it’s been raining allot here lately, so if you have a leak allowing moisture in the cabin you’ll also have frost when the temps are freezing. If your AC is in working order you should be able to pull moisture from the cabin when the defroster is run. Make sure the recirculation button is not on for this will keep the system closed not allowing the damp air to escape.
12-01-2011, 02:38 AM
#6
Excessive moisture in your car. I know it’s been raining allot here lately, so if you have a leak allowing moisture in the cabin you’ll also have frost when the temps are freezing. If your AC is in working order you should be able to pull moisture from the cabin when the defroster is run. Make sure the recirculation button is not on for this will keep the system closed not allowing the damp air to escape.
12-01-2011, 02:38 AM
#7
Were they a smoker? That can leave a really nasty film on the windshield.
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12-01-2011, 02:39 AM
#8
12-01-2011, 02:48 AM
#9
Pro
12-01-2011, 07:41 AM
#10
Three Wheelin'
Join Date: Jan 2010
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It is not so much the car as the environment and its use.
My wife has a brand new car, and it fogs up terribly and gets frost on the windshield all winter.
I start driving the car, and after a few days of commuting, no more foggy windows.
What is the difference you ask? She drives 14Km to work, I drive 110KM to work.
Getting in and out of the car in the rain, with wet shoes, wet coat, wet boxes/bags/cargo all bring moisture into the car. With it all sealed up, the water has no where to go, and never gets a chance to dry out during small trips.
Of course water leaks into the car will only make this worse.
My wife has a brand new car, and it fogs up terribly and gets frost on the windshield all winter.
I start driving the car, and after a few days of commuting, no more foggy windows.
What is the difference you ask? She drives 14Km to work, I drive 110KM to work.
Getting in and out of the car in the rain, with wet shoes, wet coat, wet boxes/bags/cargo all bring moisture into the car. With it all sealed up, the water has no where to go, and never gets a chance to dry out during small trips.
Of course water leaks into the car will only make this worse.
12-01-2011, 09:30 AM
#11
Burning Brakes
I had problems with freezing lock cylinders and excessive moisture. Inspect closely the carpet around the footwells (possibly pull it down if you're ambitious and suspect something), and pull up the carpets in the hatch area and check for any liquid (not brought in by luggage or shoes; it should be apparent). Pull up the false bulkhead cover and look for standing water and leaves. Check the hatch window to see it is not separating from the hatch frame (common and sometimes unnoticed) and that the hatch seal is still doing at least part of its job. Check that water isn't standing in the sunroof ledge area. Blow out/root out debris in the spoiler drains.
I've had the doors freeze shut on the 951 I drove in winter. I've found leaves and organic debris in places you wouldn't expect in all my 944-series cars. I once had both locks freeze with the engine running (frightening).
I oiled my key with gun oil several times before using the locks so to oil the mechanism and get the little cover door to work smoothly again. This was just something I thought of, so use it at your own risk. It did help substantially.
The gaskets around the door handles are a standard period Volkswagen part and very inexpensive.
I've had the doors freeze shut on the 951 I drove in winter. I've found leaves and organic debris in places you wouldn't expect in all my 944-series cars. I once had both locks freeze with the engine running (frightening).
I oiled my key with gun oil several times before using the locks so to oil the mechanism and get the little cover door to work smoothly again. This was just something I thought of, so use it at your own risk. It did help substantially.
The gaskets around the door handles are a standard period Volkswagen part and very inexpensive.
12-01-2011, 10:10 AM
#12
Woke up to the same inside frost!
The Rain-x anti-fog treatment didn't work last Winter season. I even put a container of baking soda on the dash to help but with little results.
I need to check the rear hatch seal again as there is a gap right in the middle, right above the lock cylinder.
The Rain-x anti-fog treatment didn't work last Winter season. I even put a container of baking soda on the dash to help but with little results.
I need to check the rear hatch seal again as there is a gap right in the middle, right above the lock cylinder.
12-01-2011, 10:23 AM
#13
Burning Brakes
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for sure humidity in the car somewhere.
You would be amazed how much water can get in just from missing door handle seals. When I got it the door handle seals were not on my S2 Cab and the drivers door didn't have a plastic membrane on it anymore. I drove the car 400 miles in the rain to get it home and the inside of the door card was soaking wet when I got it home. Since I added the door handle seals, put a plastic membrane and changed the door card the inside of the door has been bone dry.
You would be amazed how much water can get in just from missing door handle seals. When I got it the door handle seals were not on my S2 Cab and the drivers door didn't have a plastic membrane on it anymore. I drove the car 400 miles in the rain to get it home and the inside of the door card was soaking wet when I got it home. Since I added the door handle seals, put a plastic membrane and changed the door card the inside of the door has been bone dry.
