When it's cold I'm noticing a lot of condensation building up on all windows of my car - it started mostly with moisture building up quite heavily toward the bottom corner of the rear window, but it's now building up on the windscreen and passenger windows.

I've noticed the condensation builds up when the suns out, and mostly on the side of the car the sun shines on - no idea if that has any significance.

And when I say condensation this isn't just a little bit - it's enough to form droplets inside and I'm worried it's going to start making the car smell mouldy/damp (on closer inspection I've found water-stains on the rear seats where water has been dropping from the window/seal).

I guess it's a window-seal or something gone, but not sure what to look for or how to check this. Also not sure what this is like to fix and if it'll be expensive. It's not a major issue, but it is a bit annoying.

By the way I drive an RB5 if that's relevant.

Any info/advice/people with previous experience of this would be helpful!

Ta

 

Phew, where to start?

Firstly, and MOST importantly, check that somone hasn't left the air intake on recirc, it should be bringing in Fresh air from outside the car.

Condensation INSIDE the car can be due to ANY dampness in the car. From ANYWHERE Including the boot.

You need to find out where it's coming in and stop it, then get it dried out.

Let's look at where it gets in:

Are your front carpets damp? If so, wipe fingertips in damp and place on tongue. If it's sweetish, your heater matrix has gone and there's your culprit If it's fresh water, is it just ice/snow you've tracked in? Or is it there even when it's dry? If it's the latter, it may be your front screen seal has gone. If so, it needs removed and resealed.

Are the rear seats/rear parcel shelf damp? If so, the rear screen seal has gone and it needs to be removed and resealed.

Is there damp inside the boot? (Yes it DOES affect the inside of the car). Check the spare wheel well, down inside where the tools/jack are stored, behind both rear lights and down inside the wing, driver's side.
If you find any damp, now's the time to find out where it's getting in. Dry it as best as possible with paper towels. Lie down in the boot with the lid shut and a torch and have someone spray it all round with a hose. The most likely culprits are:
1. Rear lights. Remove, scrape off sealant and reseal using Carafax grey.
2. Spoiler. Remove and reseal holes as above.
3. Rear screen: As for rear screen above.
4. Boot seal. Might need new one, or lift and seal under as above. Clear any obstructions round it.
4.Air outlets low down on inner wing. They can get stuck open, clean out and ensure they close.

Once you have sorted out how it gets in, dry it out as best as possible with clean old towels and paper towels, drive with heaters full on, then open all windows, repeat a few times. Car mats and boot mats/wheel cover etc can be dried inside the house.
Or beg, borrow or buy a dehumidifier.

And before anyone asks, I've had ALL these water ingress problems EXCEPT spoiler holes.

 

You mean this prevents moisture from building up inside? So i should be doing this everytime i park? Or only for extended period of times. What about insects and rodents going in? So i've heard....

 

i had the same problem fella. look under the back seat left side foot well lift the carpet up i had loads of water in there hell knows were it cam from, i have to remove the carpet insulation and dry the carpet out, now it seems all fine and the rotten small has also gone, i removed thre passenger seat as well and lifted the hole passender side of the carpet up,

 

You sir have a leak

Or at the very least something wet that shouldn't be

 

running the air con for a few minutes will help remove some of the moisture in the air.I also have the same problems with my car and was told to check the cabin filter (and someones taken it out).I have no idea how this would reduce the moisture in the car but they tell me it does

 

Is this a genuine comment?

 

i had a similar problem with my classic, the passenger side rear wing inside the boot was full of water where the jack goes, it was coming in through the light seal. i fixed that but still had a damp boot. i pulled out the boot liners on each wing and discovered a hole in the drivers side rear wing i could get 3 fingers into(thinking a rubber seal has fell out) so i sikaflexed a small sheet of aluminium over the hole. waitnig now to see if that has fixed the prob.

 

or dont do like me and valet your interior in -2 conditions (long story) and think,ah,the hot air from the heater etc will dry it out in no time,1 week later i still get ICE on the inside of my windscreen,sometimes more than on the outside LOL when its really cold

learn from my stupidity guys ha ha ha

 

Run the aircon, it dehumidifies !

 

Aircon? Oh, you mean the £1000 extra aircon NOT fitted as standard to 98 UK cars?

 

It will be a leak chap, check all carpets for moisture or even a lake of water (if really bad). If just moisture, easy way to spot is put kitchen roll under the mats and they'll then go damp real quick. It's likely a door window weather seal (the bit inside the door itself that stops rain etc coming into the car) broken slightly and allowing it to drip into the inside of the car - the stuff usually looks like thick cling film. Or you could have leak in boot as said earlier, check spare wheel location for water as brain plug there wont brain much. I had this once but that was because my IC water spray tank was leaking on one of the pipes and filled the spare wheel area up to about 1" level!

 

It will be a leak chap, check all carpets for moisture or even a lake of water (if really bad). If just moisture, easy way to spot is put kitchen roll under the mats and they'll then go damp real quick. It's likely a door window weather seal (the bit inside the door itself that stops rain etc coming into the car) broken slightly and allowing it to drip into the inside of the car - the stuff usually looks like thick cling film. Or you could have leak in boot as said earlier, check spare wheel location for water as brain plug there wont brain much. I had this once but that was because my IC water spray tank was leaking on one of the pipes and filled the spare wheel area up to about 1" level!

Forget air con, get leak fixed

 

Er....Yes.

 

You wont get insects coming into the car. That is what the pollen filter is for! I leave mine off recirc mode, and only ever really change it if im following a stinky car or van.

 

Me too..or driving through clouds of smoke/dust, or through a long tunnel.