Condensation on the windscreen/noisy fan

Faults and Technical chat for the Skoda Enyaq
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rory2112
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2021 7:27 pm

Post by rory2112 »

Evening, Is anyone else noticing more condensation/misting on the inside of their windscreen than in previous cars? When driving I seem to need the max/demist button on a lot more than my Kodiaq. I'm also noticing that the fan that serves the windscreen seems to make a 'fluttering' noise. It's not really loud or pronounced but definitely noticeable. Should it do this? any constructive comments gratefully received.

metalmadhammer
Posts: 228
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2021 12:44 pm

Post by metalmadhammer »

We found the Kodiaq to be really bad for misting up and even freezing inside. So much so I bought 2 of those bags of silicone to absorb moisture and they do work.

I've had to demist very little this week or previously and I hadn't noticed the fan noise.
Enyaq 80 Suite, Race Blue, Panoramic Sunroof, 20" Vega Alloys and a silly overpriced rubber mat for the boot.
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RichR
Posts: 1918
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2021 11:53 am
Location: South end of North Yorkshire

Post by RichR »

Usual advice for 'why do my windows steam up in autumn/winter', that hasn't changed in decades:

Do you have climate control set to auto, or have you got it on manual with aircon disabled? When you open the door or get into the car with a wet coat on, that moisture in the air evaporates. raising the humidity. If it touches anything cold (ie glass), it'll condense back into droplets of liquid. Unless you can get all the moisture out of the cabin, it will condense on the glass whenever it's cold. Heating the windscreen stops it condensing there, but doesn't get rid of the water that's in the air and on the seats and carpets.
Short journeys also don't give enough time to dry the interior properly, so that can exacerbate the problem. Plus modern cars tend to have soft fabrics everywhere which holds onto moisture, unlike older cars with hard plastics and exposed metalwork.

Aircon not only cools but also removes moisture from the air in the cabin and deposits it outside (making a little wee under the car). So it's the best mechanism to get rid of the water you brought in by opening the door or having wet clothes. If the climate control is on automatic, it has a humidity sensor which tells that that there's too much moisture in the air and to put the aircon and recirculate on to remove it. In conjunction with the heater you get hot, dry air coming out the vents and the cold damp air is sucked in by the recirculation inlet in the footwells then deposited outside the car as it condenses inside the aircon unit. Once the cabin air is dry enough it'll revert to outside air and reduce the aircon level to maintain the humidity at a comfortable level.

Yes, having the climate control on auto uses a little more electricity - but I'd rather be comfortably warm and able to see out the windows than saving a few pennies per journey. If you decide you want to run it on manual, then you are responsible for the humidity as well as the temperature. Aircon is not the big power hog it used to be in the 1980s, it's better if you leave it enabled. Also use pre-heat timers to run the climate control for 15 minutes before you get into the car to warm and dry the air whilst it's plugged in.

TL;DR: Leave the climate control set to automatic so the car so it can measure the humidity and remove the excess moisture with aircon as needed. :)
Enyaq iV 80 Sportline, Energy Blue, Assisted Drive Plus, Infotainment Plus, Convenience Plus, Comfort Seat Plus, Transport Pack, Heat Pump, ME3.2, Built Nov 2021.
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