Steamy Windows

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Breedsey
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Steamy Windows

Post by Breedsey »

I have a 99 406 estate and my windows keep steaming up, anyone know how to stop this?
Could it be a leak in the heater matrix or something to do with the aircon or something like that?
Last edited by Breedsey on 07 Mar 2009, 15:56, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by myglaren »

All the windows or just the screen?
Is it accompanied by a 'curry' smell (coolant).
If it is mainly the screen with the smell, then almost certainly the heater matrix.

My C5 will mist the screen up for a few seconds on starting and I put this down to moisture in the 'tubes' - condensation/melted ice from the aircon, doesn't happen when I use economy mode that cuts out the compressor. Clears very quickly though.

Check your pollen filter, if it is soaked then it is a reasonable indicator.
The trick is supposed to be to turn off the aircon a few minutes before completing your journey to clear ice and water from the condenser but who the hell remembers that. Just run it in economy mode when you don't need the cooling effect.

It can also be water (rain) in the ventilation system - there is a drain but it can get clogged up and let the water lie in the system - eventually it will overflow into the car and you will get wet feet :)
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Post by Breedsey »

Yeah it's pretty much all the windows and i can smell coolant but there's no moisture under the dash that i can find. Where's the pollen filter and are the drain, i'll have a look in there.
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Post by myglaren »

The pollen filter is (usually) in the blower trunking in the passenger footwell. It's a flat rectangular holder that slides out.
The drain - unfortunately don't know but somewherre under the heater box - someone more knowleggable will help with that unless I can find a link to the Citroen one.

Get thee to a motor factor or workshop and procure some Forte leak sealer to cure it for the moment as a new matrix is quite a task and you need some thinking time before tackling it.
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Post by Breedsey »

Nice one, cheers for that, i'll have a look over the weekend and let you know what i find.
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Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

sounds like a pin hole fracture of the heater matrix there won't necessarily be any coolant leaking onto the floor as yet.

to test this theory out turn off all the air vents direct all of the air flow to the centre console vents and turn on the heater fan full blast if you get a spray of warm mist venting from the centre air duct chances are its a fracture of the heater matrix.

try not to breath the mist spray it can be carsonagenic apparently.
(causes cancer) it will most certainly give you a nasty sore throat from prolonged exposure. similar to not maintainning your air con filter which can give you leigonares disease.

regards. Nigel.
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Breedsey
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Post by Breedsey »

Right, had a quick look at the heating system, cant find a pollen filter and haven't checked the drains bu, there's no fine spray when i put the blowers on full and i've found that if i put the air con on, even with the temp set to warm, the windows clear almost instantly but with the a/c off it steams up and i can smell coolant. And it's all of the windows right to the back and it's worse when it's cold but not quite as bad when it rains???

My wife's MG ZR has done the same (apart from the coolant smell) since it was brand new.

Any more suggestions?

I'm thinking of getting some forte leak stop anyway and seeing if that helps.
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Post by CitroJim »

Breedsey wrote: I'm thinking of getting some forte leak stop anyway and seeing if that helps.
That's not a bad plan at all... Stop Leak is good stuff and stopped up the leak on my 2.1 for months until we put a new matrix in.

If you can smell coolant then it's the matrix :(

My experience is that any damp in the car, whatever the source, will cause steamy windows. I had a scuttle leak on my Activa and the clue was that the windows steamed up at the drop of a hat almost instantly even though the damp was not obvious (under the carpets).
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Breedsey
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Post by Breedsey »

Ok, i might have a look under the carpets while i'm at it then?

When i bought the car the cover in the passenger footwell that hides the fan motor was hanging down, i'm wondering if they knew it had a problem and had tried to fix it??
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Post by myglaren »

Breedsey wrote:Right, had a quick look at the heating system, cant find a pollen filter and haven't checked the drains bu, there's no fine spray when i put the blowers on full and i've found that if i put the air con on, even with the temp set to warm, the windows clear almost instantly but with the a/c off it steams up and i can smell coolant. And it's all of the windows right to the back and it's worse when it's cold but not quite as bad when it rains???

My wife's MG ZR has done the same (apart from the coolant smell) since it was brand new.

Any more suggestions?

I'm thinking of getting some forte leak stop anyway and seeing if that helps.
Just been to check my son's 306 as the trim was out to replace the blower motor and integrated blower control but unfortunatley he has refitted al the trim.

Had a look in my car but again it is buried behind the trim panels and I'm not keen to remove them as I still haven't replaced the other side from me fitting a new blower control last Septemberish.
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