Freezing on inside of windscreen

[Gollom]

Lately, the windscreen of my S204 is freezing up on the inside when it has been frosty for a few days on the trot. Can't see anything obvious such as deterioration of seals etc. and am wondering if the fact that it is often not driven for 3-4 days at a time is the issue. Observations please?

 

[chic0821]

Don't know, but try some silica gel which absorbs moisture in the car. I use this when the cars are "hibernating" (from Amazon)

FiNeWaY@ 1kg NEW DRY CAR VAN HOME REUSABLE DEHUMIDIFIER BAG SILICA GEL MOISTURE DAMP ABSORBER WITH COLOUR CHANGING INDICATOR WITH ANTI SLIP PAD​

 

[markjay]

Another option is car litter. Buy a bag, put some of it in an old sock, tie a knot in the sock and leave it on the dash.

 

[W1ghty]

Do you run the air con all the time ?
Does the air con work ?
Any damp on front carpets or boot wheel well ?
Does the car only do short journeys so the air con wouldn’t have a chance to dry anything out ?
Gummi pfledge all the door and boot seals
check all the front windscreen drains
Has the pollen filter been replaced in the last couple of years ?
Check that water isn’t running down the windscreen scuttle and into where the pollen filter meets the bulkhead in the engine bay

 

[chic0821]

Another option is car litter. Buy a bag, put some of it in an old sock, tie a knot in the sock and leave it on the dash

But won't the cat then introduce some moisture into the car? Just saying

 

[markjay]

Another option is car cat litter. Buy a bag, put some of it in an old sock, tie a knot in the sock and leave it on the dash.

Corrected...

 

[ToeKnee]

Corrected...

Bugger! Just spent a fortune on some car litter.........

 

[SpikyMikey]

Bugger! Just spent a fortune on some car litter.........

Plenty car litter in Mrs S's car: Polo wrappers, car park tickets, dog biscuit crumbs, hair grips.....

 

[StMarks]

Plenty car litter in Mrs S's car: Polo wrappers, car park tickets, dog biscuit crumbs, hair grips.....

If ^ that's in order to sustain the mice population, so their combined bodyheat prevents the interior screen being cool enough to freeze, it may prove to be be counterproductive.? (Oh Rats)

 

[ALFAitalia]

If its on the inside you have a leak somewhere....check those carpets and boot floor and see where its wet and where its coming from. My car NEVER freezes on the inside.....my wife's car does it all the time as it has a leak that will, over time, FILL UP the spare wheel well......and as yet I have been unable to trace the source of the ingress.

 

[rich1068]

Do you run the air con all the time ?
Does the air con work ?
Any damp on front carpets or boot wheel well ?
Does the car only do short journeys so the air con wouldn’t have a chance to dry anything out ?
Gummi pfledge all the door and boot seals
check all the front windscreen drains
Has the pollen filter been replaced in the last couple of years ?
Check that water isn’t running down the windscreen scuttle and into where the pollen filter meets the bulkhead in the engine bay

All this

 

[Blackbird1]

All this

I too have had the all the filters changed and a/c works fine. I have rain and ice on the inside especially on the screen.
I guess it's seals then.

 

[W1ghty]

Lately, the windscreen of my S204 is freezing up on the inside when it has been frosty for a few days on the trot. Can't see anything obvious such as deterioration of seals etc. and am wondering if the fact that it is often not driven for 3-4 days at a time is the issue. Observations please?

Any update buddy ?

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Lately, the windscreen of my S204 is freezing up on the inside when it has been frosty for a few days on the trot. Can't see anything obvious such as deterioration of seals etc. and am wondering if the fact that it is often not driven for 3-4 days at a time is the issue. Observations please?

Take the car mats out , they might be damp. If I park with the sun shining on the rear glass , all of my mercs have misted up the front screen, which in turn can freeze on cold nights. It doesn't happen all the time ,but has done a few times , if I'm home during the day ,I drop a window a cm and lock up fully at night .

 

[DITTRICH]

The hallmark of a functioning A/C is that it produced condensed moisture on the OUTSIDE of the windscreen. I would think the OP gets in the car with damp/wet shoes/boots and keeps the heater on. Higher temperatures mean the car will absorb water liquid into the internal air (which my be recirculated in the winter to get the temperature up quickly). At night the air cools so much (below 0c) that the moisture in the air condenses and freezes. The ice is likely to be within a few cms of the windscreen vents. Of course there could also be water getting into the car too and the drainage channels should also be checked out.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Take the car mats out , they might be damp. If I park with the sun shining on the rear glass , all of my mercs have misted up the front screen, which in turn can freeze on cold nights. It doesn't happen all the time ,but has done a few times , if I'm home during the day ,I drop a window a cm and lock up fully at night .

It shouldn't though..... not without water getting into the car somewhere. Condensation does not just magically appear.... there needs to be moisture in the car in the first place. I don't ever get condensation in any of my cars without a leak or water being in the car, wet mats etc, and never have. Merc or not. Mist forming on the rear screen of the A Class was the first clue that I had a leak onto the boot.... now cured.... so now no mist.

 

[oldguy57]

It shouldn't though..... not without water getting into the car somewhere. Condensation does not just magically appear.... there needs to be moisture in the car in the first place. I don't ever get condensation in any of my cars without a leak or water being in the car, wet mats etc, and never have. Merc or not. Mist forming on the rear screen of the A Class was the first clue that I had a leak onto the boot.... now cured.... so now no mist.

Not sure I agree. Not all condensation is caused by water leaks. As others have said difference in air temp can cause condensation particularly in a totally air tight car. I've had cars which have never seen rain and sat in a cold garage condense inside. No moisture in the cars at all. House windows can condense for a similar reason.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

It shouldn't though..... not without water getting into the car somewhere. Condensation does not just magically appear.... there needs to be moisture in the car in the first place. I don't ever get condensation in any of my cars without a leak or water being in the car, wet mats etc, and never have. Merc or not. Mist forming on the rear screen of the A Class was the first clue that I had a leak onto the boot.... now cured.... so now no mist.

Wet feet usually is all it takes, or my sweaty work coat left in the boot.

Mercs are too air tight and only the air con or an open window can release h2o vapours totally . Or heat .

 

[ALFAitalia]

True.....that will cause a light misting in the car and it should dry out the first time you drive with the AC on.....but serious regular condensation like beads of water on the inside or enough water to cause ice in the inside takes a significant amount of liquid.....that's a leak or saturated mats.