Odd: Condensation/icing inside windows

[kapjim]

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.

 

[clare]

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.

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

 

[Dean Hoffman]

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.

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.

 

[weelliott]

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.

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...

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

===========
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.

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

 

[Duh_OZ]

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...

===========
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.

 

[kapjim]

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

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.

 

[Chicobiker]

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.

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.

 

[gotbent]

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.

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.

 

[gotbent]

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.

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.

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

Used to happen with my '97 Saab 96 when I lived in Massachusetts. I'd getin
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 upin
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.

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.

 

[kapjim]

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.

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.

 

[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.

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 ?)

 

[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 ?)

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.