Condensation

[recomdos]

Hi chaps,

The A3 suffered some condensation on the windscreen tonight - it was quite bad, and took an eternity to dry (even after wiped with a cloth).

I was thinking it may be somethign to do with the pollen filter - so had a quick look tonight, but didn't see anything that would point out as obvious. I've not looked under the trim anywhere for damp yet - though there is some water on the door sills (as many people suffer from) perhaps that's the source of the moisture?

Any further ideas? I can't really be bothered with havign to clean the glass every time I leave work in the winter nights - not fun! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Rob /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[JamS3]

Rob

This happened to my mates car the other day. I think its because it has been fairly warm and sunny today then as afternoon came the temperature really dropped (as I know I was washing the car!). So the inside of your car will have been fairly warm then cooled quickly hence the condensation.

Thats my scientific input anyway!!

J

 

[Khufu]

can you use the aircon to draw the condensation out?

 

[recomdos]

Thanks J - all the other cars in the car park were 'densed lol. So maybe your philosophy is correct?

[ QUOTE ]
can you use the aircon to draw the condensation out?

[/ QUOTE ]

Usually it zaps it all away no problems at all!!! This time I had to sit and wait - until I figured it wasn't doing anything at all and that the condensation was very heavy. I wiped it with the cloth and it was as if it had been rainging inside!!! Hence why I posted about it :S

hmmm....

 

[Khufu]

i had an old golf that I had to scrape the frost off of the inside of the windscreen as well as the outside /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[pflowers]

I would guess that you have a leak, usually the first sign is the car misting up and not clearing easily. The aircon should clear it pretty quickly. Check the boot / footwells.

 

[chrisb]

I have a water collection problem that recurrs on my A3: it collects inside the driver's side side compartment (ie: behind the trim) in the boot. If it gets bad, it spills into the spare wheel well. It's easily fixed- there's a drain grommet that can be reached from below the car that gets blocked by road dirt. Take it out and clean itand it's OK. I check it every 6 months now.

 

[Khufu]

i think it will be a one off. Once the weather stabilizes (gets colder lol) it wont be as bad.

 

[recomdos]

[ QUOTE ]
i think it will be a one off. Once the weather stabilizes (gets colder lol) it wont be as bad.

[/ QUOTE ]

I hope so Khufu - will keep an eye on it...liek I can miss it! lmao!

 

[benk]

khufu - I know what you mean about scraping both sides of the windscreen - my first car (a '69 escort) was always damp inside in winter, and it was misery sitting there in the dark, scraping ice into my lap.

Then would come the adventure of driving home, with the thrill of the manual choke (keeping pulling it out until it touches rear seats), random splurts when it wants to stall, and brakes slightly less effective than holding a carrier bag out of the window.

I do still miss it though, mainly 'cos of the rear wheel drive and spitfire-like exhaust note.

 

[Khufu]

I also forgot about the condensation that froze on the sunroof and dripped down your back when it melted /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif 1st car was a MK1 golf - probably the most fun to drive car I have owned.

 

[benk]

sunroof? ****** luxury that is. I had :
one wing mirror,
hand-operated wiper jet,
no heater (not worth mentioning anyway),
poor headlights, and
godawful brakes (I didn't even notice when the master cylinder leaked out of the piston and soaked up into the carpet)

and I loved the car...

until the suspension looked like it was going to pop through the bonnet.

 

[madvw]

[ QUOTE ]
khufu - I know what you mean about scraping both sides of the windscreen - my first car (a '69 escort) was always damp inside in winter, and it was misery sitting there in the dark, scraping ice into my lap.

Then would come the adventure of driving home, with the thrill of the manual choke (keeping pulling it out until it touches rear seats), random splurts when it wants to stall, and brakes slightly less effective than holding a carrier bag out of the window.

I do still miss it though, mainly 'cos of the rear wheel drive and spitfire-like exhaust note.

[/ QUOTE ]

hahaha, brings back memories of my first car, a mk1 fiesta.. I'm still certain to this day, even though it didnt go as fast, it was more fun...

I wouldnt even think about nipping onto a field in my S3 and taking it for a few laps on 2 wheels...

 

[nigeltee]

hey,

Just got a link from the a4 forum.

I have got water in the drivers footwell of my a4. passanger side felt ok. I also had water in the sparewheel well.
Any one have ideas as to where it may be coming in? I havent done any investigating yet, cos i only found it last night and its dark when i get home from work.


1st cars were great, the antics and in gear speeds of a 1.1 mk 2 fiesta will never be repeated. Nor will getting 2 mountain bikes inc wheels and kit for a weeks holiday and a mate inside the car!

Regards

Nige

 

[recomdos]

[ QUOTE ]
I also forgot about the condensation that froze on the sunroof and dripped down your back when it melted /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif 1st car was a MK1 golf - probably the most fun to drive car I have owned.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry Khufu, but that just made me pmsl!!!! lol Just as funny as my dad's old A4. It had a leak on the passenger side of the sunroof. When we went away it was peeing it down and I was sat up front with rain jacket on - I dreaded roundabouts! Didn't find it funny then but looking back it's hilarious. hahahahah

Back on topic, it hasn't been as cold the last two night and not much condensation at all - just dries away in an instant with the air con. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Will try and check for water anywhere tomoz.

Rob /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Timbo]

My mum had a Metro which would dump a load of water out of the sunroof corner into the passenger's lap, making it look like they'd wet themselves!

On topic, mine's got the dreaded rear washer woes and leaks washer fluid into the boot a bit. The water then pools in the spare wheel well where it gets heated by the exhaust and fogs up the back window. Not a massive problem as there's only ever a tiny amount of fluid there.

 

[AndrewB]

Hi Rob,

Don't forget that the aircon dehumidifier doesn't function below a certain temperature... Maybe 5 degrees, but I'm not sure. So below that temperature, it doesn't dry the air out anymore, and hence the screen won't have nice dry air blasted onto it to remove the moisture.

I think the temperature in Durham has been around 5 degrees, cos my snowflake icon has been showing a couple of mornings last week.

The effect will be magnified if you usually use the aircon, because I think the moisture remains in the system when you turn it off. So next time the fans come on, if your dehumidifier is switched off with the cold weather, all that extra moisture gets blown onto the windscreen and takes ages to evaporate off.

P.s. hope you enjoyed your hols /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[recomdos]

Hi Andrew /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Long time no hear - what's up?

I've noticed the snowflake quite a few times aswell. Durham sure does get cold, and there's more to come!! The car has been ok on the condensation factor recently. And yes, I think you are correct about the air con not working below 5.

How's your car running? still happy? I'm amazed I haven't spotted you out and about as I've been over your way heaps of times recently!

By the way, the holiday was BRILL!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/woohoo.gif Thanks for asking! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Rob

 

[benk]

Timbo - if your rear wash-wipe is leaking then it could knacker your boot lock, and that will mean the alarm won't arm because it won't know the boot is shut, etc. It's worth getting it fixed.

 

[Timbo]

Yeah, you're right - I've just been being slack about getting round to it!

 

[benk]

There is a thread in the FAQ that HTC started about rear wash/wipes. It includes details of a repair kit if the problem is the broken pipe inside the washer spindle, and I put an image in to show where boot trim attaches, etc. It should allow you to do it yourself.

 

[AndyMac]

When I installed one of my stealth subs, the guys rear quarter was full of water. The pipe was leaking under the rear sub as there's a join there, just chopped the top off the split piece and reconnected, job done. The rear wash was still working, but p1ssing water down the rear wheelarch at the same time. Don't know if this is a weak spot, but if the underfelt on the rear wheelarch (at the back) is wet then it's likely that's where the leak is.

 

[Timbo]

[ QUOTE ]
There is a thread in the FAQ that HTC started about rear wash/wipes. It includes details of a repair kit if the problem is the broken pipe inside the washer spindle, and I put an image in to show where boot trim attaches, etc. It should allow you to do it yourself.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, I've seen that, thanks. The spindle was completely broken on mine, and I've fixed it once with a bit of biro tubing & epoxy but I think not well enough! The official repair kit is definitely the way ahead, I just need to get round to getting the local dealer to order it in and then set about fitting it.
Cheers! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[chrisb]

[ QUOTE ]
When I installed one of my stealth subs, the guys rear quarter was full of water. The pipe was leaking under the rear sub as there's a join there, just chopped the top off the split piece and reconnected, job done. The rear wash was still working, but p1ssing water down the rear wheelarch at the same time. Don't know if this is a weak spot, but if the underfelt on the rear wheelarch (at the back) is wet then it's likely that's where the leak is.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, It's a weak spot. Mine leaked there.

The rear qtr shouldn't fill with water though- there's a drain grommet that side as well. Mine used to just empty washer fluid over the drive.