This. very much so. fix or get fixed the recirc motor, get some fresh air moving through the car to flush out the moisture. Don't look for more complicated or expensive failures until you have done thisColonelPanic wrote:IMHO, I would look at that motor for the fresh air damper first... Continued use of recirculate mode can easily cause fogging of the windows. You really want fresh air flowing through when using the defrost positions and it sounds like your motor has failed in a position that does not allow that.
And a final wiping with newspaper or the cheapo brown recycled paper towels.vibolista wrote:Using a good automotive glass cleaning product will cut this film and leave you with glass that should be less willing to stay fogged.
Good call, timsdiecast! I didn't mention the cabin air filter. That filter can certainly crud up and significantly lower the flow of outside air into the car's interior. Opening a window a tad in that case, will help get some of that excess moisture out of the car, until you get the chance to replace the filter.timsdiecast wrote:I see this all the time up here in Michigan during bad weather, and it happens in all cars, SUVs, pick ups, etc. if you don't turn the recirc air off. Like others have mentioned it's best to use fresh air when using the defrost. If you use the defrost and have the temp control set over to hot the A/C compressor shouldn't come on, so I don't think it's a a/c compressor issue at all. Also, check to make sure the cabin filter isn't plugged. If your cabin filter is plugged and needs to be changed you're probably not getting enough fresh air in the car.
The compressor definitely comes on for defog. Colder air can't hold as much water, so the water is forced to condense out of the air and onto the fins of the evaporator. However, once the outside temperature is below freezing, the compressor may shut off so that liquid freon can't get into it and ruin it. I can't test this, because it doesn't really get that cold down here in TX til later in the year.vibe-a-licious wrote:as most here have mentioned it sounds like your problem is using the recirc air and not fresh.
also mentioned is the AC coming on when using defrost. But IIRC the AC only kicks in when the temp selection is on the cool side. When set to warm, the AC does not come into play.
I would have to believe the compressor quits running closer to the 50 degree range, and the reason I say this is because even though I'm in the heating and cooling business I don't know a whole lot about automotive a/c, but every refrigeration and a/c system have 5 things in common, compressor, condenser coil, evaporator coil, metering device, and the refrigerant oil inside the system, and the colder it gets outside the thicker that oil gets, and it gets to the point where you can damage the compressor if you start the system and the oil is too thick. It's been in the 20s out up here in Michigan, and I actually had a buddy call me and wanted me to come over and work on his central air because he said near the end of the summer it didn't seem like it was getting cold enough. I told him I couldn't because I couldn't start his central air because the oil in the compressor, which is outside in the condensing unit, would be way too thick, and I could hurt his compressor if I tried. He was skeptic of what I was telling, but I assured him I'd be over in April when the weather started to warm up.ColonelPanic wrote:The compressor stops running when outside temps fall into the 30-something degree range.
Mine sticks in recirc sometimes in my '06. Maybe I should take some electronics cleaner to it.vibe-a-licious wrote:apparently recirc should automatically turn off when selecting defog or defrost.