I'm sick to death of the windscreen steaming up!!!!!!!

brmartyn · Post by **brmartyn** » 25 Jan 2011, 19:40

As its cold outside this time of year and not much sun light I find myself having to drive with an old tea towel on my lap. I'm getting really fed up with having to constantly wipe the inside of the windscreen not only that but all the other windows as well!!! Has anybody got any suggestions why this happens or the best way to prevent it? It's dangerous to drive when you can't see anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 25 Jan 2011, 19:44

sounds like your xantia has some water tightness issues

Might be worth having a feel under the carpets and back seats for water, either that or the heater matrix is leaking ahem.

D

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 25 Jan 2011, 20:11

Sounds like a bit of a problem .... id say a leak, as Dean suggested. A leak from where though ...

Post by **CitroJim** » 25 Jan 2011, 20:24

Ahh yes, definitely a leak and in my experience (and I have a LOT of experience of leaky Xantias

) it does not take a big one either to cause a fog...

Prime suspect by far is a scuttle leak allowing water to insidiously leak in and accumulate under the passenger footwell carpet. gallons can collect and not show any signs on the top of the carpet.

To check, open the passenger door, lift the door seal rubber up and then slide your hand under the carpet. If it comes out rather moist you have your problem.

Then sniff it and taste a tiny bit on your finger tip. If it's tasteless and smells musty then it's rainwater. If it's very sweet or very bitter it's antifreeze and you may have a dread heater matrix leak. Mind you, if you did you would have smelt curry by now.

The next favourite is water collecting in the rear seat wells. Lift the rear seats, peel back the floor covering and look for damp in the seat wells. If you have goldfish there then you have a leaky sunroof gutter or the roof rack fixing holes under the rubber door gutters have lost their bungs and are letting in water.

Do those checks Brady and get back with the results and then some more specific advise can be given.

Finally, does the rear window mist up badly as well? If it does then there's a set of very specific advice for that too... Feel in under the boot carpet in the vicinity of the rear light clusters...

brmartyn · Post by **brmartyn** » 25 Jan 2011, 20:43

CitroJim wrote:Mind you, if you did you would have smelt curry by now.

Oh s**t I've smelt curry for ages now!!!! I bet for as long as I've had the car!!!

Does this mean a problem with the heater matrix then?

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 25 Jan 2011, 20:45

CIMG3125 by Deanxm, on Flickr

D

hdi_man · Post by **hdi_man** » 25 Jan 2011, 20:45

check your mats are all dried out and clean the inside of the windscreen with some glass cleaner. you can also leave a packet of that decessant salt somewhere ?

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 25 Jan 2011, 20:46

brmartyn wrote:
CitroJim wrote:Mind you, if you did you would have smelt curry by now.
Oh s**t I've smelt curry for ages now!!!! I bet for as long as I've had the car!!!

Does this mean a problem with the heater matrix then?

Yup, it's now time for you to put a weekend aside, say goodbye to the skin on your knuckles, order in a super size box of teabags and digestives and get stuck in

Post by **CitroJim** » 25 Jan 2011, 20:48

brmartyn wrote: Does this mean a problem with the heater matrix then?

Brady, sit down, get a stiff drink...

I have some bad news...

Yes

Now, all may not be lost. Do still check under the passenger footwell carpet and look for antifreeze under there and a very sticky residue on top of the carpet.

Before doing anything much and if you're not loosing any significant coolant, it is worth adding a dose of Forte Stop Leak to the system. I've personally had it stop a leaky matrix totally. It may not stop the smell totally as the matrix will be covered in antifreeze crystals but it will stop the steaming up. The problem is the matrix and the matrix housing is damp and it evaporates onto the screen...

Use only Forte Stop Leak. It can often be found on eBay although strictly it is trade only and not for retail sale.

brmartyn · Post by **brmartyn** » 25 Jan 2011, 20:52

So the Forte Stop Leak would simply be poured into the radiator?

Post by **CitroJim** » 25 Jan 2011, 20:58

brmartyn wrote:So the Forte Stop Leak would simply be poured into the radiator?

Yep. Into the header tank. You may have to drain a bit of coolant off to make room for it. The bottle contains 500mL if I remember properly.

It's seriously good tackle...

brmartyn · Post by **brmartyn** » 25 Jan 2011, 21:04

So I've just checked under the passenger footwell and every thing seems fine no damp no smells and no funny tastes!!!!! to be honest its pretty tidy under there!!

Post by **CitroJim** » 25 Jan 2011, 21:21

brmartyn wrote: to be honest its pretty tidy under there!!

That's a big relief

imperial21 · Post by **imperial21** » 25 Jan 2011, 21:25

I would say you would have noticed your car getting through engine coolant as well if your heater matrix os leaking.
Mine did but i put the forte stop leak stuff in at christmas and now i dont have a leak i am really pleased, hopefully in the summer i will change the matrix, maybe !!!!!!

brmartyn · Post by **brmartyn** » 25 Jan 2011, 21:32

Forte Stop Leak

This stuff then?