Condensation on inside of windshield after having been parked all night

Take a sheet of paper and place it over the door seal. Close door and try to remove paper. Do this in various places around door. I bet it’s tight most places except bottom. Now go to dealer and explain problem. If they tell you it’s normal, break out your sheet of paper and show them how much gap there is. Then ask to see another car like yours on lot. Repeat paper test. Bet it’s not loose…

You could look for obvious issues with rubber seal. If all looks good my fear is this one got tweaked at some point before you bought it and body frame is not straight anymore.

Do the doors close easily if a window is open a little? If so, it’s not because the door seal is terrible, but because it’s too good, and that could also explain your condensation problems.
If it was a leaking heater core, you’d smell antifreeze while driving. It has a distinctive odor.
Just having a living breathing human inside the car can raise the humidity level of a closed cabin and when the windshield’s temperature drops below the dew point, that excessive humidity condenses there.
The humidity inside the car means the inside dew point may be higher than the outside air’s dew point, so you get dew on the inside of the car and not outside.

Ok I think you right… ok … so now what… I don’t breathe like a gorilla … and only in car for 30 min. Or less. . That’s alot of condensation, rite ? The other night the condensation Was all over the windshield. BUT NOT by the defroster vents ?? All so does closed… thank you

First thing is to make sure the AC is on and set for fresh air, not recirculated. If the same damp air stays in the car, when it cools its moisture will condense on cooler surfaces like glass.

If moisture has built up in the interior, do what you can to dry things out. Bring the floor mats into the house for a day or so. Whenever you can, park in the sun with windows slightly open.

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Thanks… but nothing was wet and I never recirculate the air… this is weird the entire windshield was wet EXCEPT by the defroster vents … this is not the first time … wats do u think ? Thank you

If the door seal is so bad that drafts and snow come in, that’s what needs to get fixed first. If it was my car I’d take it back to the dealer and insist they fix whatever is causing the poor seal.

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TwinTurbo https://community.cartalk.com/u/twinturbo
March 3

If the door seal is so bad that drafts and snow come in, that’s what needs
to get fixed first. If it was my car I’d take it back to the dealer and
insist they fix whatever is causing the poor seal.


In Reply To
Andrea_Capuano_Walters
https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrea_capuano_walters
March 2
Ok I think you right… ok … so now what… I don’t breathe like a gorilla …
and only in car for 30 min. Or less. . That’s alot of condensation, rite ?
The other night the condensation Was all over the windshield. BUT NOT by
the defroster vents ?? All so does closed… thank

  You know they are just gonna say  , they can't find anything wrong

lol
It is leased , maybe I should just to have it on record !

If anything, a poor door seal would prevent, not exacerbate the window condensation problem.
I actually had a leaking heater core in a '64 Chevy Nova I used to own and the windows fogged up so bad while driving that I needed windshield wipers inside the car. The only way I could keep the windows clear while driving was to drive with all the windows open. I remember dressing in a snowmobile suit in order to stay warm while driving that car with the windows down when it was freezing cold outside. Must have gotten a few strange looks from other drivers.
If your car does not reek of antifreeze, it’s likely not a heater core problem.

Make sure the air conditioner is functioning and the condensation drain is open. The air conditioner removes moisture from the air, that’s why it automatically turns on while using the defogger in most cars. Using the AC and the heater at the same time sounds absurd at first until you understand that the AC removes water from the air. In fact, using the AC alone will defog the windows better than using the heater will a lot of times.

If anything, a poor door seal would prevent, not exacerbate the window condensation problem.

Normally I’d agree except if this is happening:

.I also get snow and rain under the doors, when I go out to use the car there is actual snow in cat when I open the door , along with a wind draft as I’m driving it .

There’s too much moisture in the car. It’s in the seats, the carpets, the floor mats, on windows, etc. and when you heat up the interior more of it gets in the air. Then it condenses when the car cools down. You need to get the excess moisture out and keep more from getting in.