Steamy Windows

[lochan2]

Hi all, just got back from a long run of about 2000miles in the Bongo and have started to get what I think is a cooling/heating problem emerging, any ideas.......whilst driving around at a 'normal' operating temp via 'watchdog' all is ok but if stopped at junction/lights/M6 etc there is a 'warm fishy smell' not strong but noticeable and then even with the blower on the windscreen and to a lesser extent the side windows steam up badly. would this be the heater hoses or the matrix or something else. Only time I've come across similar was when a pollen filter was overdue for replacement and I dont think bongo has one of those.
regards Lochan2
ps total fuel cost of above 2 week/2000 mile run = £479.03

[lizard]

I had this on a Vauxhall Cavalier, the heater rad hose had perished and was leaking. may be a different problem, but you never know.

[mister munkey]

Heater misting windscreen has only happened to me on a Saab when the heater matrix gave up. The pool of water in the passenger footwell was the first clue . . .

[trevd01]

Did the aircon clear it OK?

Or did the aircon make the smell worse?

Have you checked the drain under the bonnet, in the middle of the scuttle area nearest the windscreen?

[Rhod]

Hi Lochan
Symptoms sound very similar to what I've been experiencing for the last few weeks - the misting only occurs in cold or damp conditions & is mainly on the drivers side.

I drove over to Perth on Friday night & left the Bongo parked up at my other-halfs over the weekend. Came to start it on Sunday night & the Coolant Loss Alarm gave a much longer than usual beeeeeeep. The coolant level was down a bit in the tank, so I topped it up & drove half an hour to my mothers house. Leaving the engine running I popped up the drivers seat & had a look with the torch. The hose leading out of the engine was leaking from the joint & was blown up like a balloon Not much I could do about it, so I drove the 100 miles back to Lochgilphead with an eagle eye on the temp guage & coolant alarm while praying that the hose wouldn't decide to bust in too inconvienent a place I made it back ok & new pipes + radiator are now ordered (should get them to the back-of-beyond by Christmas...). The radiator's not connected to the leak, but was on the agenda to do anyway. Hopefully this should sort the problem out....

[Rhod]

Lochan
Just to rteport that sorting out my coolant leak has cured my steamy window problem & got rid of the smell. Hope you've got yours sorted as well.
Rhod

[mikeonb4c]

Interesting thread this. Ever since I've had my Bongo I've found it is prone to misting windscreen in cold rainy weather. Others seem to have found likewise I think. But I do wonder why it is so (big windscreen area maybe?). I now have what I think may be a very slight coolant leak. I can't see any immediate sign of coolant leaking in the fron heater pipe area but that was only after a perfunctory check with the bonnet up so I've not really investigated.

I've often had a slight 'old rubber' smell when first using the heater after a break from using the heater, but it goes quickly. Aircon is of course brilliant at demisting things quickly in any case.

So what does all this say? I don't really know but it will be interesting to see who else chips in with thoughts on this thread. Rhods experience is very encouraging, and interesting as it doesn't seem like his leak was connected to heater radiator pipes.

Mysterious beasts, these ageing Bongos

[missfixit70]

Had the same symptom the other day, then realized I had left it on recirc , switched off recirc & it cleared within a few seconds worth checking

[mister munkey]

The obvious one is leaving the recirculating switch on on cold damp mornings though.

Any car will mist up that way. A quick burst of aircon usually clears it quickly enough.

[mikeonb4c]

Yup - I'm clued up (unusual for me ) on the recirc possibility but its not that in my case. Wot you doing on here MM? Its dark outside. You should be driving round and round country lanes enjoying those new Wipacs

[bigdaddycain]

Don't ask me how, but the dashboard cover on mine has all but stopped the screen from misting up in the first place... I reckon it's absorbing the moisture before it can settle on the screen i guess Either way...mustn't grumble

[ianc]

i dont have this problem with my Bongo, but ages ago i had an old mk2 golf, windows would steam up very easily. Got a portable dehumidifier (sp??), left it in over night for a week, think it pulled somthing like 40 litres of water out of the cars interior
after that the misting problems went away its just the build up of moisture over the years, which soaks into everything, never felt damp inside but the carpets hold the water underneath them.

might be totally different to your problem, but maybe worth a go??