92 Astra Demisting problem

Almost certainly the pollen filter needs changing. This becomes clogged up with crap and sometimes gets damp. It's under the plastic bit at the bottom of the windscreen.

There may be leakage from the heater matrix. This is a little radiator which receives hot water from the engine and air is blown through it into the car. If there's a leak, you get wet air. Are you having to top up the engine coolant? If you are, then there's your problem.

Rob Graham

Check the re-circulation controls, SWMBO car had the same problem, she had failed to notice the diverter switch for fresh or re-circulated air. If it is stuck on re-circulated air then all you are doing is throwing more wet air at the window. (That said it took me ages to work out what it was aswell).

Thanks for the advice so far guys, here's the current situation:

2: Not loosing any coolant so dont think the heater matrix is leaking

Thanks again for your help.

Graham

AFAIK on a few cars you can actually see the recirc butterfly flap over the recirc intake through the glovebox. Regardless, generally the blower fan will sound a little louder on recirc (in my experience anyway).

Cheers

David P

Thus spake Graham Robinson unto the assembled multitudes:

Just don't do what I once did with a 1990 Astra I had: I had problems with misting, thought nothing like as bad as you by the sound of it. I thought it might be a clever wheeze to buy one of those moisture absorber packs - the type with a tray of (silicon?) crystals fitted to a bowl underneath. I had this brilliant (!) idea of putting it on the rear shelf of the car. You're supposed to empty the bowl every day or so of course, but naturally I forgot about it. One day while driving to work I had to make an emergency stop....

Wheee! The moisure absorber pack, complete with 3/4 full moisture bowl (which shows it worked!) flew from the rear shelf, and dumped silicon solution and half-exhausted crystals all over the back seat. A right bugger to clean up it was, too.

I didn't use it again after that.

Here endeth this lesson ;-)

The recirculation system is vacuum operated. You can watch the operation of the recirc flaps with the pollen filter removed.

HTH

Anthony Remove eight from email to reply.

Thanks again guys for the help. I'll recheck the pollen filter after the car has been stood in the rain, perhaps it had dried out by the time i checked it, and i'll check the recirc flaps as you suggest Anthony. Also thanks to Andy for the tip with the bowl of water on the rear shelf, i might use that one when my mother in law visits next .

Graham