Steamy windscreen

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kinrsole
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Steamy windscreen

Post by kinrsole »

Hi
Just got a Xantia but am having problems with the windscreen steaming up.
If the A/C is on the screen clears instantly but if I switch it off the screen mists up quickly.The control is set to re circulate the air.I have tried all possible combinations of setting but the screen will only claer with the A/C on.
I have just done a quick search and found a post sugesting the heating matrix may be leaking.
How do I check to see if this is the problem?
cheers
kinRsole
tomsheppard
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Post by tomsheppard »

You'll have wet carpet in the front passenger's footwell.
kinrsole
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Post by kinrsole »

The carpet feels dry.
Any ideas what else could cause the problem.I can feel air being blown at the windscreen but it doesn't seem to clear it.
simonhoward34
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Post by simonhoward34 »

Try switching the re-circulate off, A/C off and leave the fan blowing full for a few minutes. On mine if the A/C has been on for a while then switched off the screen steams up too. If you do the above it demists on mine.
If the air is on re-circulate it will steam up after a while as no fresh air is getting in the car and will become more and more humid due to people in the car breathing the air.
Hope this helps
wrinklet1
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Post by wrinklet1 »

Kinrsole,
No matter what you put the fan on, it steams up, yes?
If so, your heater matrix must have packed up on you.
Sorry about the bad news.
Same thing happened on my car, Xantia 1.9TD, I ended up changing it with a new one.
Regards
Paul
Stuart McB
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Post by Stuart McB »

You ain't got a blocked pollen filter? or may be a wet one (pollen filter that is)? VX Tigra once with a small split in the windscreen valance over the pollen fiter. This let in just enough water to soak the filter. Blower on, would send moist, damp air in to the car. The air con would dry it as it came through.
kinrsole
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Post by kinrsole »

Will try all the suggestions.
I hope it something simple as I have just bought the car of a mate!
jeremy
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Post by jeremy »

If its filled with antifreeze and the heater element has gone you should be able to smell the antifreeze. If its got no antifreeze then thats probably the reason the element has gone.
Jeremy
rory_perrett
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Post by rory_perrett »

Even with the aircon on my screen can mists up if the control panel is set on air re-circulate for any length of time.
Rory
debutant
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Post by debutant »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by kinrsole</i>

Hi
Just got a Xantia but am having problems with the windscreen steaming up.
If the A/C is on the screen clears instantly but if I switch it off the screen mists up quickly.The control is set to re circulate the air.I have tried all possible combinations of setting but the screen will only claer with the A/C on.
I have just done a quick search and found a post sugesting the heating matrix may be leaking.
How do I check to see if this is the problem?
cheers
kinRsole
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Ok, back to basics ..... I drive a brand new car and it does exactly the same. The explanation is simple if you think about it. People use their aircon whenever they can with this humid weather we have the last few weeks. If the A/C is on it cools the car but also the COOLS the windscreens! When switching it off, the windscreen is close to sub zero and will condens due to the humidity. Common sense to me though, but members here might proof me wrong! Don't think the heater matrix is the issue here.
This is the UK remember .... [}:)]
Cheerio!
J
kinrsole
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Post by kinrsole »

On the plus side the car dosen't smell of anti-freeze and the car is totally dry inside.
When the fan is switch on I can feel air being blown at the windscreenso the fan is working ok.
In my original post I said the control was set to re circulate when in fact it is set to fresh air.
If the A/C is off the whole car slowly steams up over time as if the air is being re circulated.When the control to change from fresh air to re circulated is move I can heard things moving and the tone of the fan changes so i am pretty certain this is working OK.
I have not checked the pollen filter yet but wil do as soon as i get chance.
If I were to leave the A/C on all the time would this cause me any problem
cheers
kinRsole
Stuart McB
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Post by Stuart McB »

I think leaving the air con would give the MPG a bit of a slapping as well as the preformance.
tomsheppard
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Post by tomsheppard »

The Recirculation always dries the air within the car when the a/c is on. Always.
The windows however can get so cold that the windows mist up on the outside!
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wotsupnow
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Post by wotsupnow »

My xantia 1.9td steamed up really badly with a/c off but that was the radiator on its way out so moist air was sucked in from under the bonnet, if you're not losing any water then it's just the air condensing on your cold window. I leave the a/c on all the time and I'm getting average 45mpg with mostly A road driving.
Pete
John F
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Post by John F »

The inside of the windows always steam up if recirculate is used for any length of time; don't forget you and possibly passengers are in the car and the humidity caused by breathing in and out is considerable.
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