O/T Rover 25

[Liam]

Problem with the wifes Rover 25 1.4.

It lives outside and as soon as the ambient temperature starts to drop eg about now, in the morning the windows are running with condensation (nudge, nudge, know what I mean squire).

The car is just over 4 years old, has air con (not climate control) and does very little mileage (8500 on the clock).

It's daily journey is about a mile to work and the same back with occasional runs of a staggering ten miles or so. Hence the low mileage.  (Yes I know she is knackering the engine, you tell her)

It doesn't leak so it's not a case of soggy carpets losing moisture.

Is it something to do with the air con and short journeys? It didn't start to do it until it was a couple of years old as far as I can recall.

Any clues

Use both sides of the paper and show your workings

L

[Captain Colonial]

Possible causes:

1) Is the air conditioner set to recirculate interior air instead of take in outside air flow?  If so, it'll never dry out inside.  Check it.

2) If no coolant leak, have you ever changed the windscreen?  There may be a leak between windscreen and sealant, usually at the base of the windscreen, that lets enough water run down the windscreen and into the top of the dash to cause it.  It doesn't take a lot.

3) Does it have a sunroof? If the seal is perishing or the drain is clogged, the same thing can happen.

4) Ditto the rear hatch.

5) Finally, as the air conditioner works by removing moisture from the interior air and draining it away, is there a puddle on the ground under the car after the air conditioner has been run for a while and then shut off?  There should be - if not, then possibly either the dryer unit is knackered or the drain is clogged.

Those are the main suspects, but I'm sure others will chime in.

Hope that helps.

PS: The fact that it's not a climate control version is of no relevance, so no worries there.

[CedricTheBrave]

are you sure it don't leek?

I had one a few years ago and it filled the boot up all the time and caused the same problem

check the spare wheel well, mine had 4 inches in it one morning

[Perywinkle]

both my gf's 200 and one I sold on did this, both cases it was water getting into the boot,

Rubbers on the rear screen.

[JeffC]

sounds like it has to be taking water in somewhere if its wet on the inside of the windows    swmbos p****d in the boot think was the rear lights  

me dads old rover 400 used to be prone to misting , think the heater matrix had  a tiny leak as the car alaways had a sweet smell and I think he got round it by rubbing the screen with vinegar on a cloth to stop it  

[thebutler]

I agree with the water getting in hypothesis. My wife’s also does this and has a kind of musty smell to go with it (cue innuendo   ) I think it’s down to a leaky sunroof, but must admit I've not checked the boot rubbers...

We just try to cover the smell up with magic trees, as the car's not long for this world anyway  

Steve

[Martin Keene]

Is it local to certain windows? i.e. windscreen only, rear screen only, etc...

Autowindscreens replaced  a windscreen in a blokes car at work, and he mentioned at the time he was getting really bad condensation on the inside of the rear screen and the windscreen fitter told him the rear screen seal had almost certainly gone.

[Liam]

I think he got round it by rubbing the screen with vinegar on a cloth to stop it  

Thanks all.

It's never had any replacement glass and there is no water lying about so I think the aircon is suspect .

I am puzzled by that one though Jeff. Rubbing the windsceen with vinegar to stop a leaking matrix.

Can't do the water into wine trick can he    

[JeffC]

I think he got round it by rubbing the screen with vinegar on a cloth to stop it  

Thanks all.

It's never had any replacement glass and there is no water lying about so I think the aircon is suspect .

I am puzzled by that one though Jeff. Rubbing the windsceen with vinegar to stop a leaking matrix.

Can't do the water into wine trick can he    

 someone told him vinegar stops windows steaming, not sure if it does though, can imagine it stunk though    

[samcooke]

If it's literally 'running with condensation' that sounds a bit much for just a/c.

Have you had a good feel around the carpets for sogginess?

[Pilot Pete]

1st CRX did this, was the rear washer jet (Or the seal around it) leaking water into the boot.

[JeffC]

1st CRX did this, was the rear washer jet (Or the seal around it) leaking water into the boot.

passat estate are comon for that