Tips for preventing window fog up!

[JL_SS]

If you do not set it to auto to allow the a/c to dehumidify as necessary, then you need to manually excersize the A/C system at least once per month. Otherwise damage to the a/c system can occur due to non-use. Just set it to auto and let the system do it's thing. A/C will run in the fall/winter as needed to dehumidify. I doubt it is incurring a lot of excessive fuel use. I also doubt it is just the Hondas in your area, thermodynamic rules apply to all vehicles.

[mealto]

@nsxtasy, I always have the fan on so there is air flow. Guess without the A/C on, the system builds up too much moisture. Either that or I am respiring too much. But like I said, this does not happen in my other car but it happens in a TL, MDX and CRV, even in an older integra. That leads me to believe it's a Honda related problem / issue.

@JL_SS, I am trying to disable the A/C not just to better fuel consumption but when the A/C is on, there is more rumbling with the power steering during parking / slow turns. Trying to avoid this as well. I already have a new power steering pump. Acura tech says this rumbling is within spec and other MDX's on the lot do the same thing.

Thanks for all the replies. I may just have to try the shaving cream option once again.

[nsxtasy]

Originally Posted by mealto

this does not happen in my other car but it happens in a TL, MDX and CRV, even in an older integra. That leads me to believe it's a Honda related problem / issue.

It does (and never did) NOT happen in our MDX, older Integras, NSX, older Civics, or CRX. That leads me to believe it's a mealto related problem/issue, not a Honda related problem/issue.

Again, though, it appears the solution is easy:

Originally Posted by nsxtasy

Try setting it to full auto, and see if your fogging problems go away.

Try it!

[JL_SS]

Originally Posted by mealto

@nsxtasy, I always have the fan on so there is air flow. Guess without the A/C on, the system builds up too much moisture. Either that or I am respiring too much. But like I said, this does not happen in my other car but it happens in a TL, MDX and CRV, even in an older integra. That leads me to believe it's a Honda related problem / issue.

@JL_SS, I am trying to disable the A/C not just to better fuel consumption but when the A/C is on, there is more rumbling with the power steering during parking / slow turns. Trying to avoid this as well. I already have a new power steering pump. Acura tech says this rumbling is within spec and other MDX's on the lot do the same thing.

Thanks for all the replies. I may just have to try the shaving cream option once again.

Again it is simple thermo. Cold air cannot contain as much moisture as warm air, thus window fogging. The A/C dehumidifies, eliminating this fogging. Hondas do tend to have a larger window area but not so much as to create a problem particular to Honda/Acuras. My Chevy truck is much worse than our Honda/Acuras in this aspect. Most vehicles at the MDX level have an humidity sensor to control the A/C operation. Most vehicles in the past automatically turned on the A/C when the defroster was selected. Sounds like you are creating one problem trying to avoid another one.

Ask them to demonstrate the rumbling on other vehicles that they have used to determine the rumbling is normal. If they can't, get the local Acura DPSM involved.

The only Honda we have had a window fogging issue is an 86 CRX which had no A/C.

[mealto]

So tried AUTO today, fogging was gone. Now my question is, if you press any buttons when in AUTO, the AUTO sign turns off.

1. When in AUTO and you decrease the fan speed, the AUTO sign goes away. Is it still on Auto? Not the fan speed obviously but is the A/X still on Auto?

2. when in AUTO, you press the re-circulate button, Auto also disappears but you don't get the A/X On / Off reading. Is Auto still engaged?

[JL_SS]

Originally Posted by mealto

So tried AUTO today, fogging was gone. Now my question is, if you press any buttons when in AUTO, the AUTO sign turns off.

1. When in AUTO and you decrease the fan speed, the AUTO sign goes away. Is it still on Auto? Not the fan speed obviously but is the A/X still on Auto?

2. when in AUTO, you press the re-circulate button, Auto also disappears but you don't get the A/X On / Off reading. Is Auto still engaged?

Auto is Auto, selecting other settings outside of auto disengages auto. Just leave it on auto and trade it if the results are not acceptable.

[G. COLTON]

Originally Posted by mealto

So tried AUTO today, fogging was gone. Now my question is, if you press any buttons when in AUTO, the AUTO sign turns off.

1. When in AUTO and you decrease the fan speed, the AUTO sign goes away. Is it still on Auto? Not the fan speed obviously but is the A/X still on Auto?

2. when in AUTO, you press the re-circulate button, Auto also disappears but you don't get the A/X On / Off reading. Is Auto still engaged?

I do not know about any vehicles except for my 2004, but on that one you can change the fan speeds any way you want and the a/c is still in auto.

George

[Bill_de]

Using Automatic Climate Control
The automatic climate control system
in your vehicle picks the proper
combination of air conditioning,
heating, and ventilation to maintain
the interior temperature you select,
and to remove moisture from the air
and make the interior dry. The
system also adjusts the fan speed and airflow levels.

When you press a fan control button,

the fan is taken out of AUTO mode.



The owner's manual ... a terrible thing to waste.

[nsxtasy]

Originally Posted by G. COLTON

I do not know about any vehicles except for my 2004, but on that one you can change the fan speeds any way you want and the a/c is still in auto.

On the 2004 MDX, there is a distinction between "AUTO" and "FULL AUTO", as indicated on the LCD window display. When it's in FULL AUTO, it's designed to maintain the indicated temperature by setting all functions automatically - fan speed, fresh/recirculate, vent selection, A/C on/off. If you override any of those functions but leave the system on, it shows as AUTO rather than FULL AUTO; it still does what it needs to to maintain the indicated temperature, but using the overriding settings instead of doing everything automatically.

This is stated quite clearly in the owner's manual:

Originally Posted by 2004 MDX Owner's Manual

Manual Operation

You can manually select various
functions of the Climate Control
system when it is in FULL AUTO.
All other features remain
automatically controlled.
Manually selecting a function causes
the word FULL in the display to go
out.

Incidentally, here's what the owner's manual says about turning the system off and fogging:

Originally Posted by 2004 MDX Owner's Manual

To Turn Everything Off

Press the OFF button. However, a
lack of air flow can cause the
windows to fog up. It is
recommended that you keep the fan
on at all times so stale air and
moisture do not build up in the
interior and cause fogging.

[mealto]

So looks like Gen 2 MDX's no longer have the FULL AUTO, just AUTO.

I have been testing it the last week or so and noticed that after choosing AUTO, I can still change Fan Speed and even hit the Re-Circulate button, the system seems to be in AUTO mode minus choosing fan speed and circulate / re-circulate. I guess that just leaves A/C on off. NO MORE fogging up!

When in this mode (not sure what to call it since AUTO is NOT displayed) but neither is A/C On/Off, I cannot get the engine to ram pup as when you turn on the A/C. Similarly, when in this mode, I can press the A/C Off function and I do not hear the engine ramp down. So I am not sure IF the A/C is still being controlled by the phantom AUTO mode.

The manual also says, there is a humidity reader just under and to the right of the steering wheel (on the lower dash portion). The manual shows a grill-like area. I don't see that on my 07. Anyone else see it?

[jim.mdx]

Originally Posted by kgb

But seriously, never had a problem with fogging windows on my Hondas.

Wow, I am in the same region as kgb and have the opposite experience.

As soon as the weather drops below freezing, I change the airflow to "floor and defrost". Note that defrost isn't active at this point, just the vents through which warm air gets delivered. This works until the weather gets really cold (< -20C or 0 F).

At that point, it's actual defrost mode--full auto doesn't work well enough. Maybe kyb does not have the number of people as I (minimum 3, up to 6). I also clean the inside of my windows with 'stoner' glass cleaner.

The only other trick to help reduce fogging is to ensure that all the snow is removed from your boots before climbing in. Once the interior warms up, the snow will melt, boosting the humidity something fierce. Come back to the MDX after being in a cold parking lot for a couple of hours and all the windows have a nice frost coating. Yeah, the kids haven't figured this out yet.

jim

[Jeff Spahn]

I have never had a fogging issue in any of my cars. I just make sure the recirc button is off unless absolutely needed. Leave your Acura climate control on Auto and you'll have no issues. Cleaning with Invisible Glass will help also.

[r-americagroup]

The solution is simple....select Auto and let the machine do it's work:

http://r-america.tumblr.com/post/312...he-mdx-climate

[moil4gold49]

Originally Posted by mealto

Problem is, there are so many large trucks here, I just dislike the smell of truck exhaust. Hence the circulation button is always on. I try to open windows when I can but that is not always possible. Again, the TL was like that, the MDX is now like this. My friends CRV, same thing. The old integra, same bloody thing! When I take the BMW out, NO foggy windows! So frustrating.

OMG, well, then, there's the whole problem. You just can't recirculate for extended periods of time, outside of summer. If there is a difference between your BMW and your Acura, it is probably that the BMW doesn't truly recirculate as much as the Acura.

Your respiration dumps moist air into the car. More passengers, more vapor. More wet clothes and boot snow (winter and rain) also means more vapor. If you fail to circulate new air into the car, that vapor will build up, and condense on your relatively cold windows.

Other answers here give some bad information. Anything regarding the A/C is bad info. There is NO NEED whatsoever to fire up the AC compressor to get dehumidified air in the winter. Your heater dehumidifies the air because it heats it up, which decreases the *relative* humidity of the air. That's why it feels so dry in heated homes in the winter, even when it's raining outside.

But, bottom line, if you're not clearing out the stale in-car air, you are effectively just breathing straight onto the cold window.

[tolson37]

If you don't use auto try the front defroster button. Also the AC takes care of fog quickly on any car- it's really the most effective and fastest way.


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