Condensation on inside of car windshield 132 reg

kenny_david

Hi all i know this has been posted before but never for a brand new car.

I have a new 132 VW Passat and this morning the inside front window was covered in Condensation and was so bad it took 10 minutes to clear enough so I could drive.
Should this happen with a new car??? I've only had it for a month and a half. It was raining heavily last night so I'm worried that the windscreen seal's are leaking.

ba_barabus

Sounds like a leak.

I'd check the carpets and go from there. I'd also be returning it to the dealership.

Stallingrad

Sounds like a leak alright though check all the carpets first, kids spilling water in the car can have the same effect.

Elessar

I had this problem in a 12 reg Golf I had last year. I'm not sure what it was but two things:

On the golf when you turn off the fans, it doesn't close the vents to the outside. So if you have the vent directed up to the windscreen, overnight air can get in and condense on the interior of the windscreen. Keep the vents directed towards you or to the footwell.

It also turned out that the drivers door wasn't seated properly which was fixed under warranty.

Could also be that the air recirculation is stuck on. Take it to the dealer.

Gary ITR

Getting into the car soaked after being caught in the rain can cause this too, happened me yesterday, needed wipers on the inside

kenny_david

ba_barabus wrote: »

Sounds like a leak.

I'd check the carpets and go from there. I'd also be returning it to the dealership.

Stallingrad wrote: »

Sounds like a leak alright though check all the carpets first, kids spilling water in the car can have the same effect.

Gary ITR wrote: »

Getting into the car soaked after being caught in the rain can cause this too, happened me yesterday, needed wipers on the inside

I went out to the car and checked for dampness/wet carpets but probably useless now as the sun is shining and the inside was hot, and there was no wet/damp spots if it happens again I will check this first.

I didn't get too wet yesterday

kenny_david

Elessar wrote: »

I had this problem in a 12 reg Golf I had last year. I'm not sure what it was but two things:

On the golf when you turn off the fans, it doesn't close the vents to the outside. So if you have the vent directed up to the windscreen, overnight air can get in and condense on the interior of the windscreen. Keep the vents directed towards you or to the footwell.

It also turned out that the drivers door wasn't seated properly which was fixed under warranty.

Could also be that the air recirculation is stuck on. Take it to the dealer.

I will try selecting the footwell heater before I get out of the car for the night to see if that makes a difference but that sounds like a design fault if that is the case, also were there any tell tale signs that the door wasn't seated properly??

biko

While it's sunny, open the window a crack to let any condensation out - or just drive with windows down a bit.
It could be nothing or it could be a seal. If you can figure out what the issue is yourself it'll be easier to get it fixed.

joolsveer

Turn on the aircon. Should dry up the air.

Countdown1982

Hi there, i had the exact same problem this morning was a 131- Seat Leon.

Got into the car and inside was full of condensation.

coylemj

Clean the inside of the windscreen (it's called a windshield in the US) using a good glass cleaner like Autoglym, their window cleaner has a light blue panel on a snow white plastic bottle, it looks like a pack of Silk Cut Blue. Most auto accessory and car care shops sell them.

It makes a huge difference if you keep the inside of the windscreen clean and never rub the windscreen with your hands (body oil) or a paper tissue (makeup) which will only smear more muck on the glass meaning there will be a layer of tiny globules of oily dirt for moisture to stick to. If the glass is clean then the car's demist function should clear any moisture in seconds.

kenny_david

joolsveer wrote: »

Turn on the aircon. Should dry up the air.

I did that and it didn't have any real effect

kenny_david

coylemj wrote: »

Clean the inside of the windscreen (it's called a windshield in the US) using a good glass cleaner like Autoglym, their window cleaner has a light blue panel on a snow white plastic bottle, it looks like a pack of Silk Cut Blue. Most auto accessory and car care shops sell them.

It makes a huge difference if you keep the inside of the windscreen clean and never rub the windscreen with your hands (body oil) or a paper tissue (makeup) which will only smear more muck on the glass meaning there will be a layer of tiny globules of oily dirt for moisture to stick to. If the glass is clean then the car's demist function should clear any moisture in seconds.

Ok the window could be dirty but if I do have a leak would I not be masking the problem by putting on the Autoglym window cleaner I know letting washing up liquid dry into a cloth and then wiping the window with it does the same thing but should I need to do that for a new car only a month and a half old??

MarkR

Do you have the fans off in the car when you drive? Should have it set to fresh or whatever it's called to get air into the car. Or it's a leak.

kenny_david

MarkR wrote: »

Do you have the fans off in the car when you drive? Should have it set to fresh or whatever it's called to get air into the car. Or it's a leak.

I have the fans on but I use them when needed and not for all the journey. and I very rarely use the recirculated air setting

TBi

kenny_david wrote: »

I have the fans on but I use them when needed and not for all the journey. and I very rarely use the recirculated air setting

I never get why people turn fans off, i leave mine on all the time to have a nice airflow in the car.

Anyways it might be worth seeing if it happens again or calling the garage to say you've noticed it at least. So if it happens again you can say "hey this is the second time and i already pointed it out!"

Elessar

kenny_david wrote: »

I will try selecting the footwell heater before I get out of the car for the night to see if that makes a difference but that sounds like a design fault if that is the case, also were there any tell tale signs that the door wasn't seated properly??

Yep. Water droplets would gather on the upper rubber seals inside the door and occasionally drop onto me in heavy rain. If you ever see droplets inside on the seals get he doors checked. Mine came out of the factory like that.

holdmybeer

I got a guy with a smoke machine to fill the car then waited, turned out it was worn rubber seals on the boot. Most restoration garages can do this, I cant imagine they would charge you much or you could rent a smoke machine from a local dj rental shop. I couldnt stand that wet dog smell from condensation, it will worsen in the winter months.

lway

+1 for checking the boot. It was happening on my car (8 years old though, not a 132) I checked all the carpets etc and couldn't find any damp, ran a hose over the car and all to see where water was getting in, lifted the boot mat and the well where the spare tyre sits was nearly full of water. A damaged rubber gromit where the rear light wires go into the boot was letting water in. Water from the road must have been splashing up and then running in the back of the gromit. Some of that sealant paste that you use in bathrooms and a bit of fiddling with the gromit to get it back in place fixed it.