foggy windows
Moderators: RedRacer, spiffyguido
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rod_a88
- Lude Dude
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- Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 5:47 pm
- Location: San Mateo
foggy windows
I was wondering if foggy windows are common thing in a 3G, i can not seam to get rid of the fog on the windows. i turn on the defroster to full blast but it only gets rid of about half of the fog on the wind shield, and barely any on the side windows. i have had two 3g's so far and both have been notorious for foggy windows. so i was wondering what to look for in order to solve my problem.
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spiffyguido
- Moderator
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- Prelude Model: 1991 SE-SR
- Location: Alberta, Canada
- Contact:
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spiffyguido
- Moderator
- Posts: 2196
- Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2005 2:55 am
- Prelude Model: 1991 SE-SR
- Location: Alberta, Canada
- Contact:
Your heater would still work fine. What happens is that a bit of the coolant from the engine lines that go to the heater core might be leaking into the core. This bit of water then gets ejected out of the core by the air flow. It wouldn't take much of a leak to get a lot of fog. Think of an air humidifier.
Another option: are you sure that your fan is not set to re-circulate air from the inside of the car? The button on the far right of your heater control indicates whether to take air from the outside or inside the car. If re-circulate is on, or the mechanism is broken and the car is re-circulating air, you'll get foggy windows for sure.
Another option: are you sure that your fan is not set to re-circulate air from the inside of the car? The button on the far right of your heater control indicates whether to take air from the outside or inside the car. If re-circulate is on, or the mechanism is broken and the car is re-circulating air, you'll get foggy windows for sure.
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RedRacer
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- Prelude Model: 1995 Si w/mods
- Location: Alabama
First, let's just assume that nothing is broken or working incorrectly and go through the best measures for clearing car windows.
Defogging the windshield of a car would seem like a simple enough task, since most modern automobiles come with a 'defroster/defogger'* installed. But the truth is, it's quite difficult for most people to achieve a clear windshield because they don't understand why or how condensation forms on a windshield.
Your windows can get steamy for different (but related) reasons:
It's too hot and humid inside the automobile, and so water particles accumulate on the inside of the windows, upon the relatively cool surface of the glass. This is what happens when you park the car at night to, um, talk with your passenger(s). The windows 'steam' up because water vapor which has escaped from your lungs due to your, um, breathing, is trapped in the hot, stagnant confines of your car's interior.
OR
It's too cold and humid outside the automobile, and you have your air conditioning (or 'defroster')* running at a very cold temperature. In this instance, the water vapor is accumulating on the glass, because the interior of your car is warm, relative to the outside temperature. Water vapor condenses on cold surfaces.
These are two distinct problems, but you can use your defroster, or any fan directed at the windshield, to accomplish windshield clarity.
But remember, if your windshield is compromising your view of the road, pull over to solve this problem -- do not attempt to solve the problem while also driving. That could be dangerous.
One common mistake in windshield-defogging is the belief that there is something wrong with the windshield defroster. There's not. The problem is you. I'm sorry, but I'm just being honest. You turn it on at full blast set for the coldest temperature (or the hottest temperature), and then get all pissed off when, after about thirty seconds of blissfully clear glass, you are dismayed at new formations of condensate. You give up, thinking your defroster is not working. But you just didn't give it the right instructions, that's all.
The first line of defense should always be fresh air. Very often, fresh air, either let in through the windows or the vents, can eliminate condensation without the need for a 'formal' defrosting process. But sometimes this won't work; if it's raining; if you're particularly sweaty; if it's particularly humid outside; or if it's too cold outside to roll down the windows.
In the event that fresh air does not work, (and for both scenarios above), you must attempt to minimize the difference in temperature between the two sides of the glass. Follow this process:
Turn on your car's defroster (and if that does not automatically engage the air conditioning, if you have one, turn on the air conditioning too). This applies in any weather. The 'air conditioning' involves a dehumidifying process which is very helpful at windshield defrosting. If you don't have air conditioning, but rather, just a fan vent pointed at the windshield, turn that on instead.
Now, the most important step: Find the right temperature! If it's hot outside, start with the temperature adjusted to the hottest setting until all of the fog disappears from the glass. Then, slowly begin moving it to colder and colder settings until you see the first hint of frost beginning to form on the windshield again. Immediately turn the temperature back ever-so-slightly warmer, and you should have found the equilibrium point.
If it's cold outside, you'll want to do the opposite: Start with the temperature as cold as possible until all of the frost disappears, and then immediately begin adjusting the temperature warmer and warmer, until the first signs of condensation reappear.
You said that you're not getting the antifreeze slime on your windows from a mist off of a leaking heater core. *(you'd probably be tasting it too if it were a significant leak, as well as maybe finding moisture in the floor of the car.
So, assuming it's not the heater core, and you're using the right methods like what I described above, then, if you have AC, I would suspect an AC system that's not working correctly. Either not cycling properly, not enough refrigerant or a compressor that's going bad.
I know that Honda's tend to be "wet" cars, at least that was the experience I had with my Accord. it was next to impossible to keep the windows clear when it was cold and raining.
In fact I just noticed the windows in the Prelude the other night. Cold, wet and rainy and the windows would clear and then fog, clear and then fog... the air in the car would just not dry out enough to keep the glass clear. I suspect that my compressor may be getting ready to go out too.....dunno.
~J
Defogging the windshield of a car would seem like a simple enough task, since most modern automobiles come with a 'defroster/defogger'* installed. But the truth is, it's quite difficult for most people to achieve a clear windshield because they don't understand why or how condensation forms on a windshield.
Your windows can get steamy for different (but related) reasons:
It's too hot and humid inside the automobile, and so water particles accumulate on the inside of the windows, upon the relatively cool surface of the glass. This is what happens when you park the car at night to, um, talk with your passenger(s). The windows 'steam' up because water vapor which has escaped from your lungs due to your, um, breathing, is trapped in the hot, stagnant confines of your car's interior.
OR
It's too cold and humid outside the automobile, and you have your air conditioning (or 'defroster')* running at a very cold temperature. In this instance, the water vapor is accumulating on the glass, because the interior of your car is warm, relative to the outside temperature. Water vapor condenses on cold surfaces.
These are two distinct problems, but you can use your defroster, or any fan directed at the windshield, to accomplish windshield clarity.
But remember, if your windshield is compromising your view of the road, pull over to solve this problem -- do not attempt to solve the problem while also driving. That could be dangerous.
One common mistake in windshield-defogging is the belief that there is something wrong with the windshield defroster. There's not. The problem is you. I'm sorry, but I'm just being honest. You turn it on at full blast set for the coldest temperature (or the hottest temperature), and then get all pissed off when, after about thirty seconds of blissfully clear glass, you are dismayed at new formations of condensate. You give up, thinking your defroster is not working. But you just didn't give it the right instructions, that's all.
The first line of defense should always be fresh air. Very often, fresh air, either let in through the windows or the vents, can eliminate condensation without the need for a 'formal' defrosting process. But sometimes this won't work; if it's raining; if you're particularly sweaty; if it's particularly humid outside; or if it's too cold outside to roll down the windows.
In the event that fresh air does not work, (and for both scenarios above), you must attempt to minimize the difference in temperature between the two sides of the glass. Follow this process:
Turn on your car's defroster (and if that does not automatically engage the air conditioning, if you have one, turn on the air conditioning too). This applies in any weather. The 'air conditioning' involves a dehumidifying process which is very helpful at windshield defrosting. If you don't have air conditioning, but rather, just a fan vent pointed at the windshield, turn that on instead.
Now, the most important step: Find the right temperature! If it's hot outside, start with the temperature adjusted to the hottest setting until all of the fog disappears from the glass. Then, slowly begin moving it to colder and colder settings until you see the first hint of frost beginning to form on the windshield again. Immediately turn the temperature back ever-so-slightly warmer, and you should have found the equilibrium point.
If it's cold outside, you'll want to do the opposite: Start with the temperature as cold as possible until all of the frost disappears, and then immediately begin adjusting the temperature warmer and warmer, until the first signs of condensation reappear.
You said that you're not getting the antifreeze slime on your windows from a mist off of a leaking heater core. *(you'd probably be tasting it too if it were a significant leak, as well as maybe finding moisture in the floor of the car.
So, assuming it's not the heater core, and you're using the right methods like what I described above, then, if you have AC, I would suspect an AC system that's not working correctly. Either not cycling properly, not enough refrigerant or a compressor that's going bad.
I know that Honda's tend to be "wet" cars, at least that was the experience I had with my Accord. it was next to impossible to keep the windows clear when it was cold and raining.
In fact I just noticed the windows in the Prelude the other night. Cold, wet and rainy and the windows would clear and then fog, clear and then fog... the air in the car would just not dry out enough to keep the glass clear. I suspect that my compressor may be getting ready to go out too.....dunno.
~J