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Frost on *inside* of Windshield

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by several, Dec 2, 2009.

  1. several

    several New Member

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    I've been noticing the windshield takes unusually long to defog the morning dew and that the windshield wiper didn't have an effect on it.

    This morning was our first frost since I bought my 2010 III w/Nav. Imagine my reaction when while scraping the windshield I noticed that there was frost on the INSIDE of the windshield.

    After a mostly flawless experience since I drove it off the lot in late July, this is a pretty significant frown-maker.

    Taking it in to a dealership near home tonight.

    :mad:
     
  2. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    Make sure the inside of your windshield is SUPER clean so any moisture won't cling to it. Use something like invisible glass that cleans it really good and doesn't leave any streaks
     
  3. several

    several New Member

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    Methinks you're misunderstanding. There's frost on the inside of the windshield in the morning. Too thick to see through.

    That much moisture should not be getting into the car. Ever owned a car that had frost on the inside in the morning if your windows were closed all night? I haven't.

    Something somewhere is not properly sealed or not closing properly.
     
  4. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    I have, but I live in a lot colder place than you. It's not uncommon for me to track snow into my car where it is later melted by the heater. When the car is parked it starts to cool down inside. Some of the water vapor from the melted snow will freeze on the inside of the windows. It's pretty much normal winter operation.

    The remedy for this is defrost. The Prius has an excellent defroster.

    Tom
     
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  5. several

    several New Member

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    Yeah, it's been dry here for a week. There's no moisture in the car.

    I've noticed an amazing tendency on these forums to assume someone posting something has no clue what they're talking about. I posted in case anyone else is having the same issue so they can know they're not the only ones and to learn what is done to fix it.

    When I get it fixed I'll do a follow-up post with a report of what was fixed to correct the problem so people can reply to say that the technician who fixed it did it wrong or did something s/he didn't need to do.
     
  6. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    I have had it happen to me almost every morning when I was driving a school bus for 11 years. Moisture has an amazing tendency to cling to anything and if the windshield is not absolutly clean it will make it worse. Moisture will get into any car, they are not sealed like a submarine.
     
  7. several

    several New Member

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    Yeah, I'm sure all school buses are properly sealed like a 2010 high tech car.

    The amount of moisture I'm seeing could easily damage the nav and other electronics in the car.

    But keep on thinking i'm an idiot if it makes you feel better about yourself.
     
  8. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    I have NO idea why you said that! I was trying to give you a possible solution to your problem. I guess I'll just keep quiet this place is not the friendly place it once was I guess. :-(
     
  9. several

    several New Member

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    Reread your post from someone else's perspective, remembering that text has no tone of voice. it was rather snarky.

    and yes, this place is not so friendly. hence my comments above and my reaction to your snark (whether intentional or not.)
     
  10. Danny Hamilton

    Danny Hamilton Active Member

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    I don't think you are an idiot. You have a concern due to an experience that you don't expect. Since I didn't see the frost I can't say if it would concern me or not.

    I can say that I have never owned a car that didn't get frost on the inside of the windshield during winter in Chicago. As much as I have ever assumed, this is why the defrost setting exists on the automobile climate control of every car I've owned. Typically when this frost occurs it is thick enough that I can't see through it until the defroster heats it beyond the melting point and then evaporates it. When I'm in a hurry, I've been known to use my drivers license to scrape the frost off the inside of the windshield so I can start driving right away.

    I've always assumed that the moisture is mostly from me breathing in the car, and perhaps a bit from melted snow on my shoes and clothing. I suspect that the fact that I don't keep the inside of my windshield *super* clean probably contributes to the phenomenon.

    Clearly this has not been your experience with cars you have owned in the past. I'm curious as to what cars you've owned that didn't ever experience this problem?
     
  11. several

    several New Member

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    Curious differences in experience. Geographical perhaps.

    If it's worth anything the service guy I spoke with first asked if i'd spilled anything in the car. When i said "no" he instantly said "well something's wrong then, bring it on in."

    Previous cars free of frost or dew on the inside:
    2008 Mazda 5 (current)
    2007 Toyota Yaris
    2004 Mazda 3
    2001 Honda Insight
    1998 VW Golf
    San Francisco Muni Bus Passes
    1989 Hyundai
    and all cars before that were in southern california so not really relevant.
     
  12. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Frost or moisture on the inside of the windshield is not an indication of moisture that will damage the electronics, unless the electronic design and testing was severely deficient. Numerous automobiles must endure near-100% humidity environments for extended periods, with occasional cooling-driven condensation.
     
  13. Danny Hamilton

    Danny Hamilton Active Member

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    I agree.
    I sincerely hope that they are able to resolve the issue to your satisfaction. Please do return and let us know what they fix.
     
  14. several

    several New Member

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    good point.
     
  15. mike lipke

    mike lipke New Member

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    Several,
    No one thinks you are an idiot, they are just being thorough.
    There have been some pretty clueless questions over time, and people are trying to help, but first want to rule out the simple and obvious solutions.
    You accuse others of being snarky, when one of your posts was equally so.
    Take a deep breath.
     
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  16. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    I can say the same thing for my cars in the metro Seattle area.

    When the cars themselves aren't leaking (the Suby was the only one that didn't leak its first winter, but it has a bad one now), there is enough moisture from breathing, wet feet and coats, melted snow from sports equipment, and precipitation while the doors are open, to transport a significant amount of moisture into the car. When parked outside, some of that will condense and freeze on the inside window surfaces.

    Seattle just came off a long wet spell, so of course my Prius has moisture inside. It is garaged, but that is not evaporating, and at this moment even the exterior is still very wet from the last rain.

    I have had a couple occasions where the amount of moisture inside my Prius windshield was surprising and slow to clear, but it hasn't yet risen to my concern level.
     
  17. mindmachine

    mindmachine Member

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    I live in ohio and i have had many different cars that have had frost on the inside and in warmer wet weather had condensation on the inside. That is what a defroster is for and the way it works even in winter it runs the ac to take the moisture out of the air. Just may be the ac drain is stopped up or plugged!!! Therefore keeping/trapping the excessive moisture inside the car.

    I am sorry but I cant believe in seattle and not have a very humid environment in which the car has to exist, especially this time of year.

    Anyway a plugged ac drain might be a contributor.
     
  18. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    ...and where they were driven. A mild climate such as Seattle is a lot different than Chicago or where I live.

    Tom
     
  19. kenoarto

    kenoarto Senior Member

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    Our car had the upholstery cleaned before we got it (we bought the demo). Took quite a while to fully dry out. Really crusted up the first night. Defroster WITH AC on works great. Car is generally frostier than all our other cars.
     
  20. Much More Better

    Much More Better Active Member

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    Frost on the inside is a fact of life in Winnipeg. With just me in my car, it's not so much a problem. But after carrying some passengers in the back, yeah, the windows ice up.

    You guys have never scraped the inside of the windows with a credit card?