Can anyone help me sort out the windscreen on our 98 Corsa?
Theres some kind of contamination on the inside and it just will not clean off. Its fine when dry but if it has condensation on it it is impossible to see out until the condensation dries out. You wipe it off with paper towel, a chamois or the back of your hand but the mist and smearing is still there - wiping it makes no difference. Its getting to the stage where its dangerous to drive it at night for the first few miles till the heater dries it completely.
I have used screenies, holts glass cleaner, washing up liquid, widowlene vinegar based glass cleaner, and finally nail varnish remover but none seem to make any difference.
A previous owner smoked but we dont- and so the car has been smoke free for 2.5 years, and I never use those horrible silicone based cockpit shiners.
Any ideas please- I think a brick may be heading its way pretty soon!
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It may be a small hole in your heater matrix. That will coat your screen with condensation containing antifreeze.
Have you tried using a rubber squeegee on the inside of the screen, with a cloth to catch the run-off?
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Make sure your POLLEN FILTER is changed regularly. If it is blocked, you will find the screen VERy slow to demist.
Many dealers beleive this to be an 'optional' service item ie only change it if the customer requests it to be changed. However, if it is never looked at, it will cause difficulty in demisting, and could end up burning the heater motor out as it struggles to draw the air through.
Many pollen filters also become water logged, causing constant condensation in the car.
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My first thought while reading was those horrible silicone based cockpit shiners. until I got to that bit.... Are you complaining that it mists up too easily/won\'t demist, or that when it does, it is exasperated by some sort of coating of the glass?
You could try buying some Caustic soda granules (Wilkos, B&Q, Homebase etc...) Disolve a teaspoonfull in 1/4 of a jam jar of warm water, and wearing new rubber gloves (no pin holes) , rub it over the screen, don\'t get the caustic soda anywhere it could cause corrosion, or burning of your skin. Hopefully this will break down the coating, and the residue can be washed off with warm water and cloth until the glass is clean. Have a bucket of water ready to wash up any accidents off yourself.....I have got it on my skin and if washed off immediately, there was no problem for me, but I did see someone who had a completely raw arm because of it\'s misuse in a drain once (my teacher at school! years ago)
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Thanks for the replies- three helpful lines of attack to try. The initial misting up is no worse than any other older type car without air con- the problem is that when you try to wipe away the misting in those first couple of miles you cant. Wiping it has no effect whatsoever- its still misty,fogged and smeared, even using dry kitchen paper roll- the screen is dryer but vision still fogged the instant you have wiped it. Yes it is as though there is a film on the glass.
But on a positive note I will check for matrix leaks- incidentally I do have to put a cupful of water in every couple of months, and I know for a fact the pollen filter has not been changed for three years. And Caustic has got to be worth a try.
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if you persist with the kitchen-roll approach, you may find it works if you prepare one or two squares with a good rub with a bar of soap. Condensation on cold glass won't wet paper-towel very easily, but a trace of soap or detergent should help.
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Apart from what has been said.The other poss is it has been coated with a film of anti mist.Commonly bought to prevent misting.It sometimes causes more problems than it cures ie smearing (I have tried it)Did not work.I had to use white spirit to remove.Nothing else would move it.Just a possibility
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Use Methalated Spirits on a soft cloth, then soap and water. Poish then use a an auto glass cleaner and try that. Why Does your car mist up so much, have you got a water leak somewhere and the carpets are wet or what. Come back to us. Regards Peter
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Computer screen cleaning wipes are good for cleaning the inside of your windscreen....no smears!
--
groups.msn.com/honestjohn/problems.msnw?Page=1 - Pictures say a thousand words.....
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Try Silvo or some other silver polish. Do NOT use brasso or other brass polish.
Soft cloth and use tiny circular motion.
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Hi Peter
No I dont think there is a water leak- I have had cars with leaks before and I know what a problem it is. The problem is not that it mists up excessively- but when it does mist up its a real pain. My wife has to park up about half a mile from work so often gets into the car with wet feet and wet coat, thats when the condensation builds up and then we get the problem.
Have replaced the pollen filter today- boy was it ready!! put in some radiator sealant in case its the matrix and finally washed the screen down with caustic soda. If this doesn\'t work its meths next followed by silver polish followed by white spirit and if that fails I will follow a few stone lorries from the quarries a little too closely!!!
Thanks to all for your help.
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Kurnal, I know exactly what you mean. Having wiped the obvious condensation off the screen it is immediately replaced with another coating of finer condensation that cannot be removed. Don`t bank on a new screen being any better either. I replaced one on the Omega and still got the phantom mist with the bonus of a ghostly square where the sticker had been. It still does this after trying all the remedies mentioned in this thread exept the caustic soda.The only way to clear it is to run the heater on screen with the aircon on. This always works, just takes a minute or two. A thing I found that wasn`t helping was the pollen filter plenum chamber drainpipe blocked and a couple of inches of water sloshing around. This pipe exits into the wheelarch (on the omega) and gets blocked with road debris.
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Todays downpour has proved that the advice you all gave me worked a treat, thanks very much.
The blocked pollen filter was I guess just causing the humid air in the car to be re-circulated, and the caustic certainly made a difference on the screen. So thanks to all and happy new year!
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