Hello everyone,


Ever since I got my vehicle it has had a tendency to fog up very easily on hot weather or cold weather---this has been a virtual non issue on just about every other vehicle I have owned. Dealing with it usually involves me either setting the temperature to uncomfortable settings, and/or putting it on the defog setting at a high fan speed, which is noisy. That said, does anyone know why this problem happens in the first place? Is there any good way to stop it from happening, or is one stuck with perpetually fiddling with the ac and fan settings every time it comes up?

 

Must be very humid there in Candy Land.
Where is that, BTW ?

 

Candy Land is very close to Padre Island in Texas

 

Also, do you think this is the indication of a problem, or something inherent to Crossfires?

 

I couldn't say.
Mine is a roadster, perhaps that matters, but I have never had a condensation problem.
You have installed a new cabin air filter ?

 

I have. The issue has existed regardless of how new the cabin air filter is. If the temp starts going 80 and above, it gets humid. If the temp gets into the lower 50s/40s it gets humid.

 

Chris
Do you have any water leaks in the interior cabin of the car? Are your rugs wet in the foot wells, feel the carpet? Do you park the car under trees, where debris can fall behind the hood and lodge in the openings around the windshield wipers? Any leaks from around the windshield moldings? Any water sloshing around in the doors?


You may want to check all of these locations, as well as the trunk.
Get back to us with your findings.....
Dennis
DTMenace

 

My car had that fogging problem too. My issue was the hose that drain filler cap area had broke allowing water in and got the insulation inbehind the cover of the wheel in the trunk wet. The area wont fill up with water and you will not notice it being wet unless the cover over the wheel is removed and you put you hand in there. here is a pic of my old and new hose to show where it had broke

 

Thank you guys for the suggestions. I will try to give you a report tomorrow

 

For the record Chris, the interior fogging is rather normal in these cars. Not so much in the Ragtops but the coupes. Air flow is essential so yes check the cabin filter as it may be restricting air movement. Try running the system without it.


This issue may be the reason our Headliners fail. So a solution, if found, would be helpful to all.

 

I too have window fogging problems. All cars may experience this issue but with the CF, it was and is overwhelming. The first time the window fogged up, I had to pull over because visibility became zero. The solution is to immediately direct the airflow to the defroster and adjust the air is cold as possible. The fogged window happens in non winter weather (for me) because the CF is garaged during winter months. Sometimes, when the car is first started (after running for a while) heat is released to the front window, the front window fogs heavily. I use the a/c immediately full blast to the window defroster with no airflow anywhere else. The problem is very unsettling. I have no water leaks that I am aware. Beware to all owners of CF!

 

It is possible that the AC cooling coil under the dash has a blocked drain and is filling with water. The hose comes out of the firewall, it should leave drips under the car with the AC running. If it backs up it can get into the car and really be a problem.

Also the air intake for the heater that is under the cowl can have water enter through it when the drains to the area where the wiper motor is get plugged. Water then overflows into the car. These drains are really easy to get plugged when you park the car in an area with little leaves.

 

Thanks onehundred80 for the explanation about a/c cooling hoses, etc. Are you suggesting that THIS is the reason that the front window fogs so heavily that I can not see out? As for condensation under the vehicle, I have seen with my other vehicles that there is some condensation underneath. I always considered this normal. I have no indication that I have any standing water inside the CF. How do I get to/locate the hose you cited in your response? Or do I have to have Chrysler dig/dismantle to get to the hose buried under or in the dash? Would there be anything in the CF manual?? The fogging issue is very scary when it happens and immediate action is needed turning the a/c full blast at the front window is crucial to avoid a collision. Thanks again! PS Beaner referred to a busted hose and reference to a wheel. What wheel? Steering wheel?? Thanks for any additional direction.

 

The water SHOULD come out of the hose and leave the condensate under the car, these have been known to get blocked or come off the fitting, not on the Crossfire that I have seen but it could happen.
The most likely source of the problem is water entering the heating/cooling system via the air intake for the system that is under the cowl. If you open this file you will see the drain that is on the passenger side, there is one similar on the driver side in more or less the same position and one in the center. You can see from the pic how mine was partially blocked by debris. When this really blocks up the water rises and there is an air inlet, which you cannot see in my picture, that lets water run into the heater fan area, and into the cabin. When the carpets get wet and you may be unaware that they are actually damp, the air gets humid in the car. That coupled with the water in the fan area is enough to make the windows steam up. They may steam up with the car just sitting idle, but turning on the car and heater fan just puts a lot of moist air on the window.

My car does it at times, but only when it is humid and cool outside, and my car does not leak. Putting the fan on only makes it worse. I found it worse in another car years back when the car was parked in an underground parking area and when I came out into the open the windshield would instantly fog up inside.

I cannot see from above where the hose comes out from the heater box area, it is behind the heat shield, you can probably see it from underneath the car. The cowl area drains exit behind the wheels inside the fenders I think. You can stick a flexible wire down these if they are plugged inside.

Beaner is referring to the broken hose that drains the fuel cap area, this hose passes through the trunk area and exits under the car and behind the rear passenger wheel. It is that hose you see hanging down.

 

Thanks MUCHO onehundred80, when the weather breaks a little more, I'm gonna print out your response and see if I can find the areas that you cited. Maybe there is some blockage. What does happen is when I have been driving, and park and then come back to the car and start up, if I don't remember to have the fan blowing promptly and aggressively whether I need it on or not, the heat buildup releases onto the front windshield (when first starting the blower/defroster), so I need to do this BEFORE I take off from being parked. Otherwise, I have a completely fogged window. If a family member drives the car (wife/son, soon daughter- but I doubt it), they would really be in trouble because they are not as familiar with how to clear the window quickly. Albeit, I don't let anyone drive the car……….. good excuse, eh?

 

My roadster seems to "fog up" a little easier than my other cars but not as bad as yours sounds. I did have to keep the airflow setting with one of the up arrows selected to keep a little flow to the windshield. With it set that way it rarely fogged but if airflow was dash and floor it would gradually fog.

 

Hello 180, I re read your post and you acknowledged that with window fogging, you have the same issue I have. Yes, sometimes when humid (or hot air from engine comes up through the defroster when first turned on?) and cool outside, this does occurs. I am not aware of any water leakage, no damp carpet, etc. in my CF. I have not looked under the CF for water dripping, but will do so once warm weather sets in and a/c is needed. Can't wait! I have found that turning the blower on full blast on a/c and directing full airflow to the defroster does knock out the condensation fairly quickly, especially if I'm driving. I do this immediately upon any fogging. If highway driving, I'm a dead CF owner. I puller over one time early on before I determined how to eliminate the fogging- quickly. I'm not so sure I have the expertise to dig into the cowl area and look for hoses that may be blocked, but I'll try anything once. I don't have a small gear puller. I may be confident to poke around maybe remove the cowl but beyond that, may be beyond my pay scale. Thanks for your suggestions! I'll use your pictures as a guide- THANKS!

 

You can see the drain holes without taking the cowl off, look down the cowl to fender gap each side by the hood hinges and they are under the toothed rubber barrier, you can see them with a flashlight.

 

180- you son of a gun- the rubber flange on the driver side wiper arm is missing. Would this allow water to get into the areas of the CF to cause or add to the window condensation?

 

No .............