Advice on some window condensation.

[Walts]

I’ve had my Golf a few months now and recently started to notice moisture towards the wing mirror corners of each front window.

This is noticeable on really wet days or after cleaning the car.

I’ve checked the obvious, carpets are all dry, boot floor is dry, it’s a non sunroof car, the air con run correctly and the drains in the doors seem ok.

Has anyone else had this??

I’ll try and add a picture but any advice is appreciated.

Cheers

Walts

[Adam T7]

I get that, very small patches of condensation when I wash the car. Like you, I do all the usual checks, all bone dry and the air con works fine and drains correctly. I just reckon it’s ambient moist air in the car that condenses when cold water from washing cools the windows? Doesn’t bother me, previous car (Discovery) did something similar, it always disappears quickly when you open windows or use the air con.

[Mike J]

FIRST check the carpets in the front and rear foot wells and the lining under the spare wheel. Mk7s are notorious for leaking water via air vents under the rear wheel arches which ends up in the boot.

If you find no dampness and it continues buy a couple of these and put one in each corner of the front screen when not in use. They absorb all moisture and you recharge on top of a household radiator. Highly recommended.



PS I think they also make something similar for misting headlights

[JackB96]

Something that’s commonly overlooked, is chemicals used when cleaning your car.

As stated, you also notice this after you’ve cleaned it. There’s a video on YouTube from a well respected detailer in the UK, and he goes through how certain chemicals can react and cause condensation.

Long story short, try using and APC on your panels that meet window edges (door cards, edge of the dash to the windscreen etc) to strip back any troublesome chemical residue, and then clean the windows with a good dedicated auto window cleaner. See if that works, you’d be surprised how much some interior cleaners can disrupt, or trap moisture causing buildup on the windows.

Bilt hamber surfex HD, is amongst one of the best and versatile APC’s, which dilutes down accordingly. I’d recommend giving that a whirl, on your interior panels to strip anything off. It’s quite cheap as well. Let us know how you get on!

[jh_97]

Cat litter in something like an old sock also works well as a dehumidifier as a cheaper alternative (if you already have a cat  ). Has to be non-clumping litter though

[jh_97]

Can anyone post a link to a guide on how to check the car for water leaks, and every place that needs to be checked? No issues yet myself, but would like to check every so often to potentially nip a problem in the bud

[SRGTD]

Can anyone post a link to a guide on how to check the car for water leaks, and every place that needs to be checked? No issues yet myself, but would like to check every so often to potentially nip a problem in the bud

Don’t know of a guide, but my post (reply #16) in the discussion topic at the link below lists the common potential water ingress points on the mk7 / mk7.5 Golf that have been discussed on various forums over the years.

https://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=286818.16

If water is getting in, depending on the location of the source, tell tale signs might be condensation in the inside surface of the windows, damp / wet carpets, water in the spare wheel well and the small storage cubbies either side of the boot, water staining on the roof lining at the rear of the car, formation of mould on the rear seat.