condensation inside our toyota..what am i doing wrong

[Giraffe76]

Hi,

We have a toyota yaris hybrid and each morning i go to use it i find condensation on the inside of the windows.

Ive never had this problem with previous vehicles so im wondering what im doing wrong and what if anything i can do to stop or reduce the issue? I realise that this time of year these sort of issues happen but as i say ive never had this with previous vehicles to this exent

Any help would be most appreciated

Kind regards Mark

[Proof]

One thing you might want to consider is giving the car a bit more ventilation, either by cracking a window or using the fresh air setting on your vents. I've found that sometimes moisture builds up if the air inside gets too humid. Also, it could be worth checking the cabin air filter – a dirty or clogged filter might be contributing to the issue. Another trick is to use moisture-absorbing products like silica gel; just leave them in the car overnight, and they can help reduce the overall moisture.

[Max_Headroom]

I have a 2019 and have no condensation issues other than what you would expect in this awful weather (damp clothes etc) have you tried feeling the carpets to see if they are wet and also you check the spare wheel well for standing water as some owners have reported water ingress through the rear light cluster seals, apparently an easy fix.

[FROSTYBALLS]

See the following:

 

[TonyHSD]

+1 for water leaks in boot area and rear footwell checks plus all mentioned above. Cabin filter replacement, and use of AC in auto mode on the hvac settings if you only drive short trips. On longer journeys without ac it’s ok as the car will have plenty of time to warm the air and dry any moisture. But if there are water leaks nothing actually will help. You can also use a dehumidifier box placed somewhere in door cards or footwells. 
Regards 

[Cyker]

This is an issue I get in winter when my mouth-breathing friends trapise their wet shoes and coats in my car. The best way to deal with it is to use the heater and AC all the time - This sucks moisture out of the car while you're driving - and because I can't do things by halves I also have loads of silica gel packs scattered throughout the car, which also help draw water out of the car. (I usually nick them from electronics packaging (Can't beat free!  ), but you can buy less ad-hoc ones from e.g. Halfords, Robert Dyas etc.)

 

[Max_Headroom]

Using  air-con will quickly demist the inside of the car but if you have a problem with water leaking its going to be a struggle every day that's why i said after reading  "We have a Toyota Yaris hybrid and each morning i go to use it i find condensation on the inside of the windows" check for leaks.  😉

[TonyHSD]

Roof leaks too. All around windscreen, a, b and c pillars. 

[Max_Headroom]

1 minute ago, TonyHSD said:

Roof leaks too. All around windscreen, a, b and c pillars. 

OMG have i bought a sieve?  

Is this the MK3?

[Cyker]

It's not necessarily leaks; I find it doesn't take much to put enough moisture inside the car to get condensation (Or even ice!  ) on the inside of the windows - Just leaving all my doors open on a cold grey day while I was giving the inside a good clean was enough for that to happen the next day!

But you're right it's always worth checking for leaks just in case - It's never fun looking under the boot floor and finding you've got a surprise swimming pool!   

 

[ToyotaFanDriver]

+1 on running the AC

My wife has a Yaris and she forever complained about windows fogging up but ever since I have told her to have the AC on (make sure the AC light is on) she no longer has the issue.

I would also say give the glass a good clean with a clean microfibre cloth and something like Autoglyms Fast glass cleaner (do this when there isnt any steam). Experience from other cars tells me any dirty/grease on inside of glass loves to attract fogging

 

[Cyker]

Oh yes! That was the thing I forgot!!

When I first got my Mk4, it was fogging up something chronic - It was so bad at times it was borderline dangerous, and I realized after a while the windscreen was coated in a layer of something - We suspect it was off-gassing from the plastics (That new car smell!).

After wiping it down many times, because it kept re-forming, it eventually stopped coming back (No more new car smell...) and the windscreen got less and less prone to fogging up after that.

 

[bathtub tom]

First, make sure your HVAC (heating, ventilation air conditioning) is on fresh air and not re-circulation. Then check under your carpets, mats and boot cover for water.

[scannerman]

I started to have this problem, I bought one of these. works a treat, when it gets damp, 6Mins in the microwave. its called a Pingi Dehumidifier, you can get it on Amazon.

 

[Stevie J]

Mine is the same, every time in colder weather I come to get in at the end of the day, the windscreen is wet on the inside and back window totally fogged up. Need to use the rear demister and it clears in about 5 - 10 minutes. WIndscreen can take a while to dry out, but a/c will clear it faster - the only issue is when I turn the a/c off again the windows rapidly fog up again, due to the moisture build up on the evaporator coil, so once the a/c goes on, I have to leave it on which I dont really want to do once the screen and windows have demisted.

I have looked in boot and checked carpets and cant find any major water ingress. But I think it may be due to me getting wet in the rain and getting in the car with wet clothes and shoes, thus making seat and carpet in drivers side wet. 

To some extent, most cars mist up inside on cold damp days, and if there is no apparent leaks from the boot seals, windows wetting the carpets and spare wheel well, then I wouldnt worry too much and just demist the car as normal - thats why they do fit them with rear window demisters.

[Moleman]

8 hours ago, Stevie J said:

 the only issue is when I turn the a/c off again the windows rapidly fog up again, due to the moisture build up on the evaporator coil, so once the a/c goes on, I have to leave it on which I dont really want to do once the screen and windows have demisted.

Leave the A/C on all the time.

It is designed to work this way.

You are causing your own problem.

[Stopeter44]

8 hours ago, Stevie J said:

I have to leave it on which I dont really want to do once the screen and windows have demisted.

Why don't you want to leave it on ?

[anchorman]

8 hours ago, Stevie J said:

Mine is the same, every time in colder weather I come to get in at the end of the day, the windscreen is wet on the inside and back window totally fogged up. Need to use the rear demister and it clears in about 5 - 10 minutes. WIndscreen can take a while to dry out, but a/c will clear it faster - the only issue is when I turn the a/c off again the windows rapidly fog up again, due to the moisture build up on the evaporator coil, so once the a/c goes on, I have to leave it on which I dont really want to do once the screen and windows have demisted.

I have looked in boot and checked carpets and cant find any major water ingress. But I think it may be due to me getting wet in the rain and getting in the car with wet clothes and shoes, thus making seat and carpet in drivers side wet. 

To some extent, most cars mist up inside on cold damp days, and if there is no apparent leaks from the boot seals, windows wetting the carpets and spare wheel well, then I wouldnt worry too much and just demist the car as normal - thats why they do fit them with rear window demisters.

Is your cabin filter clean?   A blocked filter is like asking you to run with a towel stuffed in your mouth.  Change it every two years max and one year better.  Leave the climate control on auto all the time.   

[Barkley]

12 minutes ago, Stopeter44 said:

Why don't you want to leave it on ?

Less ‘Green’. My MPG drops by 10% with in on!

[TonyHSD]

AC on does affect the efficiency but also the performance of the hybrid Toyota cars.. With the age and mileage these will be even more pronounced as the Battery ages and loses some of its power. When AC is ON the hybrid system uses the petrol engine more often no matter of temperature settings in the cabin or outside temperature. If you do mostly a roads and motorways you won’t really notice but in town drives and country lanes where the car can roll in ev mode for longer with ac on this will be reduced. The car acceleration is also sluggish. All that applies to  all Toyota hybrids gen 3 , 2010-2018 very likely to be the same or similar with newer generations. 

[Stopeter44]

On 11/17/2023 at 10:11 AM, Barkley said:

Less ‘Green’. My MPG drops by 10% with in on!

I'm not convinced 100%, it depends on many factors IMO. For instance, if you are only doing short trips, then I'll agree with that, and it's definitely true if only going a couple of miles to the shops. OTOH, I believe that at cruising speeds on freely moving trunk roads/motorways the aerodynamics of open windows, if needed to stay cool, are not as good as with the windows closed.

Edited November 18, 2023 by Stopeter44
miss-typing fixed

[TonyHSD]

4 minutes ago, Stopeter44 said:

I'm not convinced 100%, it depends on many factors IMO. For instance, if you are only doing short trips, then I'll agree with that, and it's definitely true if only going a couple of miles to the shops. OTOH, I believe that at causing speeds freely moving trunk roads/motorways the aerodynamics of open windows, if needed to stay cool, are not as good as with the windows closed.

The efficiency gets affected by the car management system as the AC draws high voltage from the Battery. Since the Battery is small size and it is needed also to drive the car even if the propulsion happens only by the petrol engine the hybrid system needs Battery power to maintain vehicle speed via MG1 and so the car ecu limits to use of mg2 and instead uses only the petrol engine with mg2 comes on and off shortly after. While if you drive with AC off the car will accelerate with more help of the mg2 and all will be more effortless and quicker plus more efficient. Been driving with hvac settings in auto mode with ac on for last two months and honestly it is a huge difference in driving behaviour. I don’t like it at all.
Now since it’s cold and ac is not necessary plus I drive long and the car gets dry air from the heating only I drive with hvac in manual mode with ac off and I have 3-5 mpg better efficiency plus way nicer feel of acceleration and ev drive. With AC on the car feels like has under inflated tyres. 👍

[Moleman]

1 hour ago, Barkley said:

Less ‘Green’. My MPG drops by 10% with in on!

Okay, what is that? 5 miles per gallon?

So to save 5 mpg, you suffer a wet car, not heated or cooled correctly as the designers of the car intended.

You also risk failure of the A/C as the system needs to be used to lubricate the seals, if they dry out the system will leak.

Is this a saving?

[Yugguy1970]

I haven't found any noticeable power difference in the Yaris with aircon on or off.

TBH, the disadvantages of switching it off far outweigh any minor mpg gain.  The system is very efficient especially when set to Eco.

[Barkley]

50 minutes ago, Moleman said:

You also risk failure of the A/C as the system needs to be used to lubricate the seals,

Not the point being made - why run A/c for a short journey, it barely has time to do its stuff before it shuts down. Many have the A/c button pressed without thinking as it’s only another light on the dash.  Naturally, I’ll use it for longer journeys where I can appreciate its effects more, so don’t fret about the seals drying out.  For those who use a/c and have a misty car - all without noticing it’s been switched to recirculate is just a quick fix away.