windows steaming up
- Thread starter andyollie
- Start date
AndyMac
Retired from service
I also had a problem with my A4 that seemed to steam up very easily and took ages to clear. The problem got a lot worse when I got in the car recently and stepped into a pubble.
I learnt a valueable lesson. If you find water in the footwell taste it first before concluding it is the heater matrix!
I found the problem to be the small foam gasket that sits between the lower half of the engine ECU box and the metal bulkhead. This gasket had deteriorated over time and had been allowing water to seep in and run down the wiring loom. This has been compounded by old leaves sitting around the box and holding water.
I lifted out the ECU and pulled aside the box, cleaned out and dried the bulkhead area and refitted the gasket with some sealant. So far, so good and it hasn't leaked since. However, I guess I have taken out over 2 litres of water from under the carpet, and because the carpet is backed with foam it has acted like a huge sponge. The drivers seat is out, the carpet has been lifted up and it is on it's fourth day of drying out.
I suggest that all other A4 owners keep an eye on this problem. Chances are mine had been leaking for a while but not enough water for me to feel it through the carpet.
My advice would be to remove the trim by the drivers footwell and puch your fingers under the carpet to see if it is wet.
Hope this helps,
John
I learnt a valueable lesson. If you find water in the footwell taste it first before concluding it is the heater matrix!
I found the problem to be the small foam gasket that sits between the lower half of the engine ECU box and the metal bulkhead. This gasket had deteriorated over time and had been allowing water to seep in and run down the wiring loom. This has been compounded by old leaves sitting around the box and holding water.
I lifted out the ECU and pulled aside the box, cleaned out and dried the bulkhead area and refitted the gasket with some sealant. So far, so good and it hasn't leaked since. However, I guess I have taken out over 2 litres of water from under the carpet, and because the carpet is backed with foam it has acted like a huge sponge. The drivers seat is out, the carpet has been lifted up and it is on it's fourth day of drying out.
I suggest that all other A4 owners keep an eye on this problem. Chances are mine had been leaking for a while but not enough water for me to feel it through the carpet.
My advice would be to remove the trim by the drivers footwell and puch your fingers under the carpet to see if it is wet.
Hope this helps,
John
Two things in my S3 which 'cause' the windows to steam up are when i run it with the recycler on or with the Econ on (condenser off) on a rainy day.
As soon as i run the condensor - sorted. As an aside - I really like the screen clear button /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif , but why hasnt anybody bar Ford AFAIK used heated elements in front screens.
But QuantumJohn has got me thinking too......maybe i should get my carpet shampooer thingy out to it to suck up any moisture that maybe in there.
Hope you get it sorted.
As soon as i run the condensor - sorted. As an aside - I really like the screen clear button /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif , but why hasnt anybody bar Ford AFAIK used heated elements in front screens.
But QuantumJohn has got me thinking too......maybe i should get my carpet shampooer thingy out to it to suck up any moisture that maybe in there.
Hope you get it sorted.
Ah that would explain that!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Ta
Still its quite old technolody - at least 10 years. Surely they could have sorted that by now! Or am i an ever-optimistic-the-future-will-hold-better-things fool! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Still its quite old technolody - at least 10 years. Surely they could have sorted that by now! Or am i an ever-optimistic-the-future-will-hold-better-things fool! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
[ QUOTE ]
QuantumJohn said:
I also had a problem with my A4 that seemed to steam up very easily and took ages to clear. The problem got a lot worse when I got in the car recently and stepped into a pubble.
I learnt a valueable lesson. If you find water in the footwell taste it first before concluding it is the heater matrix!
I found the problem to be the small foam gasket that sits between the lower half of the engine ECU box and the metal bulkhead. This gasket had deteriorated over time and had been allowing water to seep in and run down the wiring loom. This has been compounded by old leaves sitting around the box and holding water.
I lifted out the ECU and pulled aside the box, cleaned out and dried the bulkhead area and refitted the gasket with some sealant. So far, so good and it hasn't leaked since. However, I guess I have taken out over 2 litres of water from under the carpet, and because the carpet is backed with foam it has acted like a huge sponge. The drivers seat is out, the carpet has been lifted up and it is on it's fourth day of drying out.
I suggest that all other A4 owners keep an eye on this problem. Chances are mine had been leaking for a while but not enough water for me to feel it through the carpet.
My advice would be to remove the trim by the drivers footwell and puch your fingers under the carpet to see if it is wet.
Hope this helps,
John
[/ QUOTE ]
Wot he said /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I had the same problem in my S4.Windows were steaming up terrible.Found out the problem was water in the footwells being soaked up by the carpet.Absolutely saturated.
All the trim was removed, and the carpet taken out to dry out. The cause of the problem was the leaves and muck around the battery tray drain.(?) This filled up with water then run down the air vent next to it and into the car /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Fine now.
QuantumJohn said:
I also had a problem with my A4 that seemed to steam up very easily and took ages to clear. The problem got a lot worse when I got in the car recently and stepped into a pubble.
I learnt a valueable lesson. If you find water in the footwell taste it first before concluding it is the heater matrix!
I found the problem to be the small foam gasket that sits between the lower half of the engine ECU box and the metal bulkhead. This gasket had deteriorated over time and had been allowing water to seep in and run down the wiring loom. This has been compounded by old leaves sitting around the box and holding water.
I lifted out the ECU and pulled aside the box, cleaned out and dried the bulkhead area and refitted the gasket with some sealant. So far, so good and it hasn't leaked since. However, I guess I have taken out over 2 litres of water from under the carpet, and because the carpet is backed with foam it has acted like a huge sponge. The drivers seat is out, the carpet has been lifted up and it is on it's fourth day of drying out.
I suggest that all other A4 owners keep an eye on this problem. Chances are mine had been leaking for a while but not enough water for me to feel it through the carpet.
My advice would be to remove the trim by the drivers footwell and puch your fingers under the carpet to see if it is wet.
Hope this helps,
John
[/ QUOTE ]
Wot he said /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I had the same problem in my S4.Windows were steaming up terrible.Found out the problem was water in the footwells being soaked up by the carpet.Absolutely saturated.
All the trim was removed, and the carpet taken out to dry out. The cause of the problem was the leaves and muck around the battery tray drain.(?) This filled up with water then run down the air vent next to it and into the car /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Fine now.
Dean,
How long did it take for your carpet to dry out?
I am thinking I should have removed the passenger seat and centre consule and taken the whole carpet out. As only the drivers side was wet I just removed the drivers seat and propped the carpet up. Have been using a fan heater occasionally in the car. It's been like that for 10 days now and it still isn't quite totally dry!
John
How long did it take for your carpet to dry out?
I am thinking I should have removed the passenger seat and centre consule and taken the whole carpet out. As only the drivers side was wet I just removed the drivers seat and propped the carpet up. Have been using a fan heater occasionally in the car. It's been like that for 10 days now and it still isn't quite totally dry!
John
rent a dehumidifier unit and put one in ur car.
we had a load and when the bath overflowed and soaked everything, it soon dried everything out.
p.s. my windows sometimes steam up but i don't have wet carpets. i find when i put the aircon on, the water that is condensed (dried out) doesn't drain properly so that when you switch it off, the air passing through then becomes super saturated!
we had a load and when the bath overflowed and soaked everything, it soon dried everything out.
p.s. my windows sometimes steam up but i don't have wet carpets. i find when i put the aircon on, the water that is condensed (dried out) doesn't drain properly so that when you switch it off, the air passing through then becomes super saturated!
