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CONDENSATION AND ICE on WINDSHIELD! Dangerous driving. Help! V70-XC70 1998

Help! Our 1998 V70's interior windows have terrible condensation and even ice in the winter. We do NOT have AC and it can NOT be fixed as it's not just a refill, but the actual AC system that's needing repair.

WHAT do you suggest we do to help remedy this problem? It's really dangerous, especially at night time. The ice build up inside is awful. BUT it isn't all the time.

We turn the heat on full blast, set it on the defrost setting (even tho we don't have AC), crack the windows, and use a microfiber cloth for the water and/or icescraper for the ice.

Other than this, we love the car, but this issue is going to push us over the edge if we cannot figure it out.

Oh - and we just ordered some DampRid.

THANK YOU!








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    CONDENSATION AND ICE on WINDSHIELD! Dangerous driving. Help! V70-XC70 1998

    You mention parking the car in the garage - does your garage have ventilation? Heat?

    You may be parking in a steam bath.

    If the weather is good, try parking outdoors with a couple of windows cracked.

    If the weather is damp, close your garage up, when it is dry (as dry as it gets in your area) open up some ventilation - if you have a double hung window, open the top and bottom 3 inches, if not try to get one vent up high and one down low.

    At one of our fire houses, a cement block garage with brick veneer, we actually added low level vents in the garage doors - they can be closed as well.

    Cold dry air should remove a lot of moisture.

    Parking in the sun with windows cracked during the day can do a lot.

    In the '60s Tom McCahill, known as the father of car testing, advised his readers to keep their windows cracked as the heat of the sun, and condensation caused more damage to the instruments and interior of cars than a bit of rain once an a while.

    As a teen, I took his advice to heart and always cracked my windows unless rain was due. Ventvisors really changed this game.








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    CONDENSATION AND ICE on WINDSHIELD! Dangerous driving. Help! V70-XC70 1998

    We have two XC70s - I have always had vent visors on my cars and leave one window open in the rear - this has always dissapated moisture.

    Unfortunately, Volvo does not sell vent visors for my XC70, nor does anyone else. I think that Volvo does sell them for your car.

    So, I measured the rear visors on SUVs at the supermarket until I found rear visors to fit, I left a note on the SUV with the best fit and the owner gave me the year of the Nissan pathfinder that was the best match.

    I had to buy a set with all 4 windows, so I only put one visor on each car - an open window does dissipate moisture quite well when it is cold and dry.








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    CONDENSATION AND ICE on WINDSHIELD! Dangerous driving. Help! V70-XC70 1998

    My money is on saturated carpets, either from regular winter traffic and/or a leak into the cabin somewhere.

    I had a leak from an improperly installed replacement windshield. I got rid of the excess moisture by running a household dehumidifier in the cargo area of my wagon overnight.

    Good luck!








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    CONDENSATION AND ICE on WINDSHIELD! Dangerous driving. Help! V70-XC70 1998

    Is the air not hot? That could be a thermostat issue. Check the temperature gauge after driving one mile, it should be getting warmer and eventually point to the halfway mark.

    You are in the Seattle area, quite damp most of the year. That means your shoes and floor mats could be wet, adding to the problem. If you open more than one window, stop doing that. Open only one about an inch, and then only a front window - never a rear window.

    --
    Keeping it running is better than buying new








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      CONDENSATION AND ICE on WINDSHIELD! Dangerous driving. Help! V70-XC70 1998

      The air is hot! I did take out the floormat under the driver's side tonight; it was soggy from the rain/snow. I got a big thing of DampRid and am airing the car out in the garage with the doors open and newspaper on the driver's side floor to hopefully suck up that moisture.








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    CONDENSATION AND ICE on WINDSHIELD! Dangerous driving. Help! V70-XC70 1998

    I've experienced this, and even when wiping, it doesn't seem to get all the way clear. This thread has some suggestions https://ask.metafilter.com/149862/How-to-defog-the-windows-without-airconditioning And, maybe sounding odd but a paper dust mask to reduce moisture coming from your breath? Unfortunately too, it really does seem to be AC that does the best job. G-luck
    --
    Farewell 'black manta' ('97 850) Hello 'rocket sled' ('06 V70R)







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