Steam from AC?

Oct 27, 2004 6 Replies

While driving on the highway in my 97 Legacy wagon with the air conditioning on, I noticed a steam-like substance coming out of the vents. I could actually see the airflow. It wasn't hot, and when I put my eyeglass in front of the vent, no fog condensed on it. There was no odor either. When I turned off the AC, the "steam" disappeared. My girlfriend says it's just steam. Why would steam be coming out of the vents? Has anyone encountered this?



Thanks, Wayne


Read your manuel, It is not steam. It is water vapor. You can stop it by just adding enough warm air from the heater. Not a lot, just enough to stop the condensing water vapor from comming out of the vents.

Thanks,

I thought it was some kind of odorless poison gas leaking from who knows where inside the engine compartment.

Wayne

It's not steam. Steam can only occur above 212 degrees Farenheit. What you have there is actually man-made rain. Cold air hits humid air causing condensation.

conditioning

If you fly a lot, you will often see it when they first turn on the AC packs when they first start them upon the plane. It goes away in a few minutes if you turn on the recirc since the air being cooled is not as hot and humid as that from outside.

-Kurt

Wayne wrote:

It is steam. But it depends on how technical you want to be. Steam is water vapor. This substance is water vapor. Steam can form at all kinds of temperatures, depends on the pressure.

From M-W dictionary: Steam:

2 a : the invisible vapor into which water is converted when heated to the boiling point b : the mist formed by the condensation on cooling of water vapor

i had this just once about 5000 miles ago, it hasnt happened since...at the same time, where the rainwater vents are, at the bottom of the windshield, became blocked , mainly cos i park underneath trees a lot, and the water drains out of a rubber tube, by the front diff, i cleared this tube and it hasnt happened since !!!

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