Steamy Windows / Blower Problem

[myfirstgalaxy]

Hi all, I've had a look round the forum but can't see anything to help. (I may have missed it?)

 

My blowers don't blow enough air at the window to keep it mist free when it's raining outside. It's ok when I'm driving alone, but put 2 people in it in wet weather and it's horrific. If I had 7 people in I'd have to wait for the rain to stop before driving, IT'S THAT BAD. The air blows hot or cold as required so nothing wrong with the heat controller and the fans work in all 4 positions, each position blowing harder than the previous, it just doesn't blow anywhere near enough. The directional controller seems to work ok too, so I'm wondering if the air intake can get blocked or something??

I'd really appreciate any help anyone could offer. Thanks in advance, Karl.

[Bigjeeze]

A) could be air con is required on.

B) More likely to be a blocked or soaked cabin filter. When that gets wet or blocked it lets wet air in. You might also check that you have no lwaterleaks anywhere.

[Phil yer boots]

A) could be air con is required on.

B) More likely to be a blocked or soaked cabin filter. When that gets wet or blocked it lets wet air in. You might also check that you have no lwaterleaks anywhere.

I have same problem sometimes were is the cabin filter??

[a18nkd]

cabin filter on my mk1 is under the bonnet there is a shelf at the back of the engine bay you need to take this out there shoud be a bolt or two either side next to the wings also a bolt in the middle then the shelf slides out you will then see the cabin filter on the back right hand side, e-bay have the filters on for a few quid cheap to replace so worth a try

[acecard]

Might seem odd to switch on aircon with hot air but it usually solves this problem!

[Bigjeeze]

Have a look in the FAQs it tells you how to change it there.

[bigdave982]

Air con works cos it removes moisture from the air, ideally it should be on all year round. Unless like mine its broken

[myfirstgalaxy]

So basically, check the cabin filter and if that's ok I'm screwed cos my air con doesn't work. Looks like I may have to consider a different car then, I can't be doing with this all winter.....

[acecard]

Or give all the pax a cloth each - I've done that before now

[rookie123]

I have the exact same problem - aircon has never worked since I have owned the car and I don't really need cold air in Scotland!!!

 

Anyway, I use a product called RainX Anti-Fog on my windows during the rainy season (all year up here) and it works reasonably well. Get it cheap on Ebay!!!

I wouldn't say that the windows are totally clear when the car is fully loaded with kids, but it is much better than if I don't use it - and still cheaper than another car or fixing the aircon!

Usually lasts about 3-4 weeks before I need to reapply, but a bottle lasts about 5 applications on my Alhambra.

I do have a heated front screen and it is never too bad anyway, but the side windows can be totally steamed up if I don't use this.

[antzatgalaxy]

I don't think you have much hope of demisting the windscreen without air con or heated window matrix (does your car have heated front windscreen?). It's such a large windscreen and it gets cold, so when damp, you'll always end up with condensation. Can probably get by in the summer months, but beyond that.... I've also used a cheaper equivalent to RainX and it helps, but it was not enough. Even using the screen wash is enough to chill the window on a warm humid day and cause mist up! The problem is made much worse if the car has water ingress anywhere, or a whole lot of wet people get in. If your cabin filter is wet, then sort source of this problem first, it'll help.

 

You could buy a car plug in ceramic blower heater and fix it to the Dash facing the window? might help.

[alan_131]

Are you loosing any coolant? If so, maybe heater matrix....just thought I'd brighten your day...

Mine leaks, and when the engine gets hot enough to pressurise the system, I sometimes get misting. AC fixes this now I've had it regassed. Also, a REALLY grsping at straws thing, but a couple of american sites had posts from people who eventually found their heating was on recirc.... I bought a ceramic (150w) heater - useful only for warming hands sadly....

[myfirstgalaxy]

I'm not losing any coolant and cannot find any apparent leaks. I have a heated front screen but not much of it is still in working order - a common problem - when they work they're brilliant, but when they start to give up it's a rapid decline. My air con also doesn't work but it seems getting this fixed may be my only option. The air controller is not on re-circ either. The original reason for this post was that the blowers don't seem to have enough 'blow' in them. When the directional controller is in the windscreen position hardly anything comes from any other vent. I've had plenty of different cars before and on all of them you could keep the side vents open and pointed at the side windows to keep them clear even when the controller was set to windscreen. It just hasn't got enough blow, despite everything seeming to be working correctly. I'll give rainx a try and price up getting the air con fixed.

[antzatgalaxy]

When was the cabin filter last changed? If it hasn't been done in a while, then it could be clogged? That would at least increase your air flow. Have you checked if it is wet or not? Blower tends to work of not work and it sounds like yours is working ok. The flow up the windscreen is nowhere near as good as it was on my Astra, but that never steamed up as bad as my Galaxy even without air con!

[myfirstgalaxy]

I'm trying to get to the cabin filter today to check it, but can't find the link on here to tell me how, so i'm using good old fasioned 'pulling bits off till I reach it' method.

[myfirstgalaxy]

Finally got the damn thing out after finding the usefull link (under pollen filter for those other thickies like me). Filter wasn't that bad, I've seen worse, but changed it anyway. Problem is now a little better than it was but it's still not as I'd like so I'm looking into fixing the air con. Thanks for all the help and advice.

[seatkid]

I never had much problem when my a/c was not working for over 4 years. 3 things to check

 

1. Make sure the system is NOT in recirc mode (intentionally or otherwise)

 

2. You dont have a water leak - common areas are blocked drainage from the scuttle panel under the windscreen (very common), a faulty front windscreen seal (usually after a replacement screen has been fitted), leaking bulkhead seals, blocked water drainage tubes from the a/c evaporator, blocked drainage from the sunroof. Check you dont have damp passenger or drivers footwell carpets when it rains.

 

3. There was a third thing, but I've forgotten what it is......damn this old age thing....

[SilverBeast]

3. There was a third thing, but I've forgotten what it is......damn this old age thing....

 

Separated rear wash pipe hose in passenger footwell?

 

This is under plastic trim near front edge of door opening. Rear wash won't be working if this is the case, and it will pump water into the sound deadening foam under the carpet. My carpet didn't feel wet but foam was sodden.

[Az2102]

hi. did we get to the bottom of this asite mine also does this and cabin filter was changed last year but still the same. ac doesn't work either.

[BrianH]

hi. did we get to the bottom of this asite mine also does this and cabin filter was changed last year but still the same. ac doesn't work either.

Does your rear washer work? (does water get to the rear screen or does it sound like it works but nothing comes out)

 

Do you have a sweet sickly smell coming from the heater when its turned to the hot setting?

 

Do you have a gathering of water round the pollen filter area (open the bonnet and look above the bulkhead panel - if its gathering water up due to blocked drains that won't help either)

[Az2102]

hi thanks for your reply.

 

the washers work. it was disconnected in the passenger side footwell when I got the car. fixed that on day one.

 

no smells.

 

will have to check drains.

 

thanks again. will update once checked.

[BrianH]

hi thanks for your reply.

 

the washers work. it was disconnected in the passenger side footwell when I got the car. fixed that on day one.

 

no smells.

 

will have to check drains.

 

thanks again. will update once checked.

 

Of course probabbly worth mentioning that you will only get a smell from the heater of antifreeze if theres actually any antifreeze in the cooling system - So the other thing to check is does it lose any coolant? any difference with the problem if the heater is set to cold?