Steamed up - Is it a Clio thing?

[HaveaCuppa]

I’ve spent the last 6 months or so chasing leaks in my 182 and think I’ve pretty much sorted them. However, with the cold weather at the moment, the windows steam up like mad overnight.

My recirculation flap has been stuck open since the summer and I’ve not been able to close it yet. Would this be making the car suffer condensation during these cool/damp nights? It’s only really on the front screen, drivers window and half of the rear quarter window.

I’ve pulled carpets and checked for leaks and found nothing. It’s bone dry. I’ve fixed the following leaks already:
- scuttle drains cleared including middle one
- heater box seal replaced
- heater matrix replaced
- door seals are ok
- drainage holes in the sills are clear
- rear boot bungs are sealed
- seat bungs fitted

The air con is currently needing gassed and the rear of the car is fairly stripped apart from a decently thick full length boot mat.
Admittedly the windscreen seal is a bit s**t, and a new screen is on my to do list after Xmas.

Anyone else with this issue?

 

[Pistachio]

Mine is doing that just now. I'll turn on the auto screen clear with a.c. and get it totally clear. Then if I stop at a shop it is steamed up again when I get back in.

 

[HaveaCuppa]

Mine is doing that just now. I'll turn on the auto screen clear with a.c. and get it totally clear. Then if I stop at a shop it is steamed up again when I get back in.

I’ll get the AC re-gassed and go from there then as I’ve not used it since early this year. I can’t remember it being this bad last year either, even when it was chucking coolant in the footwell.

 

[imprezaworks]

Check the pollen filter. That may be due a swap

 

[imprezaworks]

Car windows misting up constantly? - Page 2 - General Gassing - PistonHeads UK

 

[Danith]

It's an old car thing

 

[Sash]

Pollen filter and/or there’s moisture somewhere. Fix the AC, it’ll help dry the car out.

 

[leeds2592]

Mines always been bad for it, even with no leaks and after changing the pollen filter. I bought one of those big silica gel bag things years ago and stuck it under the passenger seat. Not sure if it helped loads but can’t do any harm.

 

[Krarl]

I've contemplated stripping mine back to a bare shell inside to dry it out. The foam under the carpet soaks up water like a super sponge. No matter what you do it will still have water in there

 

[Louis]

I thought all cars steamed up when you're inside without the ac on?

 

[JamesBryan]

It'll always do it.

The car isn't air tight, moisture will always get in.

That's why i'd never get rid of AC.

 

[frayz]

Mine almost never steams up, if it does, its next to nothing. But then i do keep a large silica bag under the seat in all my cars.

 

[imprezaworks]

That and this time of year with the rain on your shoes etc

 

[Louis]

And when dogging

 

[frayz]

And when dogging

I dont own a dog

 

[dave120]

Old cars arent airtight at all, especially Clios in my experience so they are affected by the changes in temperature like we see in the winter months.

Like you, I spent a long time chasing leaks and making sure my car is bone dry inside. When you start lifting carpets and inspecting seals, you realize there really isnt much to insulate a clio from the elements.

As long as my car was dry inside, steaming up overnight etc wouldnt bother me.

 

[JamesBryan]

Mine almost never steams up, if it does, its next to nothing. But then i do keep a large silica bag under the seat in all my cars.

Yeah i have two of those rechargable silica bag off Amazon in mine too.

 

[frayz]

Yeah i have two of those rechargable silica bag off Amazon in mine too.

Oh, and i fully sound deadened and insulated it lol.
Funny as i had people telling me that was going to cause condensation. Not sure how that could ever happen anyway because it keeps any humidity in the car from reaching a dew point.

 

[JamesBryan]

Oh, and i fully sound deadened and insulated it lol.
Funny as i had people telling me that was going to cause condensation. Not sure how that could ever happen anyway because it keeps any humidity in the car from reaching a dew point.

Yeah, probably why yours is better at not steaming up then.

Can't wait to get my AC gassed next week with it's MOT.

 

[HaveaCuppa]

Cheers folks. I can’t find moisture anywhere so I’ll get the AC gassed, double check the pollen filter and get one of those silica bag things.
It’s only at night tbh when the temp drops. Never seems to steam up when driving.

 

[dawgtired]

When I put the van together I fitted the AC just for this reason.
Clio's just do it

 

[Darren S]

That and this time of year with the rain on your shoes etc

Where you leave the car also matters. For the last several years in the underground car-parking at the apartments, I never had an issue. Now that it's parked outside again, I find that I'm using the AC more than I ever did back there.

As you say though - how many people leg it to their cars when it's raining and simply jump in with wet jackets, shoes, etc?

 

[Daz.]

I've never had a car that doesn't do it to be fair.

 

[K clio]

If you wear one of these it'll solve the problem (you can always get a refund it it doesn't work)

https://s.alicdn.com/@sc04/kf/HTB18j9haMmH3KVjSZKzq6z2OXXau.jpg_300x300q50.jpg