Odd: Condensation/icing inside windows

I have a '97 Legacy Wagon and live near Chicago. In winter if temps are below about 10-15 degrees and it is sunny, when I park my car in the sun, the windows (inside) away from the sun ice up. I always have to remember to park facing the sun to avoid having to scrape before driving off.. My assumption is that the car is warming up from the sun and evaporating some of the moisture from the carpets and then because the windows are so cold, it freezes. Sometimes if it is a little warmer, it will just fog up but not freeze. No fix I suppose, but just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I never have before this car.

Reply to
kapjim
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Do you keep the air control on fresh, or is it on recirc? I ALWAYS run on fresh mode and make sure they are left on FRESH when parked.

Also, I don't heat the floor in real cold weather I wear boots. Seems to help

Reply to
clare

I've had that happen on a couple vehicles. It seems to be after snow has been blowing around. I just assumed snow had gotten into the air intake.

Reply to
Dean Hoffman

I had an old pontiac that would do that. I solved it by cracking the windows whenver I parked. It had enough overhang over the windows that precipitation wouldn't get in if you left them cracked less than an inch or so. The subarus aren't like that though. I think if you cracked a subaru window you'd wind up with more moisture in your car than outside if it were to rain or snow. If it's clear weather though...

Reply to
weelliott

If I were both of you, I'd move out of Chicago...

Reply to
Hachiroku

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Agree as I have a 97 Sube that will also frost over on the inside and toss in a wet ice fishing shanty into the equation, the moisture, she builds up :0)

First thing I do in cold weather is roll the windows down once I put it into the (home) garage. That helps get a little moisture out and yes I have been subjected to snow covered seats when I crack the windows a tad too much when having it parked outside and forget it is supposed to snow.

OZ, in the Chicago area himself.

Long live the potholes.

Reply to
Duh_OZ

Glad to know I am not alone. I do try to remember to crack the window as this problem (for me) seems to only occur on sunny days.

Reply to
kapjim

I've had this happen every now and then. Seems like the car gets stuck in some sort of environmental condition. Maybe a moist object in the car, or somebody with wet boots soaked up the rug.

Anyway, I've had a little success by simply thoroughly cleaning the inside of the windows. I seem to remember that the moisture won't condense as much on the windows if their are clean of dust and grime.

Reply to
Chicobiker

I've had this happen every now and then. Seems like the car gets stuck in some sort of environmental condition. Maybe a moist object in the car, or somebody with wet boots soaked up the rug.

Anyway, I've had a little success by simply thoroughly cleaning the inside of the windows. I seem to remember that the moisture won't condense as much on the windows if their are clean of dust and grime.

Reply to
gotbent

Used to happen with my '97 Saab 96 when I lived in Massachusetts. I'd get in the car after the temps would fall to -20F at night and when I'd get in the car in the AM and exhale, the inside of the windshield would freeze over. Looked like a crystallography experiment. I'd try to scrape, but the windows needed hot air from the defroster to stay clear. Since yours just ices up in the sun, I think you might have moisture from your body and breath in the car decondensing as it warms up and finding the cold windshield to recondense and freeze. Have you tried leaving the door open for a minute after you exit after parking? This could let the warmer moist air in the car escape before you close up for the night.

Reply to
gotbent

Don't most cars retain the last 'Fresh/Recirc' setting when they are turned off? perhaps experiment with the 2 settings overnight. My guess would be 'Fresh' would allow for better chance of dry air to enter the car if mats/carpet are wet but - i dunno.

Reply to
1 Lucky Texan

I really have no problem with the car overnight. The issue is more than just my breath and body moisture I think, although if I get in the car on a cold day coning sweaty from the gym the windows DO fog up

- all of them. I don't think opening the window for a minute before leaving would help, but I will try the experiment today and report back, as well as cracking the window while it is parked. Part of why I suspect it is evaporation from the carpets is that with the low sun angle this time of year, when the car is parked away from the sun the carpet can be in direct sunshine for a time.

Reply to
kapjim

Most likely it is wet carpets/w'ever. Try to switch the vent setting to 'Fresh'' (NOT 'ReCirc') when leaving the car. I suppose a long-shot could be the heater core could have a leak as well. Is there any smell of coolant in the car? (sweet/toasted marshmallow ?)

Reply to
1 Lucky Texan

I'm pretty sure it's the wet carpets. No smell. When I both opened the door for a minute before getting out and left both windows open an inch today, the problem did not occur despite favorable single digit temps and bright sun.

I usually use recirc since it blows harder on that setting but since many of my trips it's till just barely warmed up when I get where I am going (in this cold weather), I guess the setting wouldn't make any difference so I'll also try that.

Reply to
kapjim

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