Condensation on the rear window.

[Dan_Veluwe]

I had this before, in november. I looked through the whole car but could not find a place really wet.

It was after I went through the carwash. I though the high pressure blasted some water in somewhere.

I also got a 20kg bag of carrots for the horses, and I thought the carpet could have picked up some water then.

After drying the rear window a few times, it stayed dry.


I did not drive through the wet since. Car stands under a carport, linked to a trickle charger.

No condensation since. Although the rear of the car gets soaked by the wind blowing rain under the carport.


Yesterday there was a drizzle only. Brought one of my daughters to a friends place, about 45min drive.

In the evening (2 C) I noticed the condensation on the inside of the rear hatch. The night before,

there was none. I can look back on my CCTV to check on that.

I looked around the seals of the rear hatch, they look fine.

Anybody has a clue ?

 

[RPSN]

As you've looked through the whole car and haven't found anywhere really wet, it's nothing to worry about and is quite normal in cold weather like we're having now.

Mine was the same this morning but now the sun is shining on it the condensation has disappeared.

We've recently had a tremendous amount of rain here in the UK so I've also quickly lifted up the boot floor panels to check that no water is visible anywhere, which it isn't. Therefore the boot seals and fasteners etc are all ok.

 

[Dan_Veluwe]

As you've looked through the whole car and haven't
found anywhere really wet, it's nothing to worry about and is quite normal in cold weather like we're having now.

Thanks for you response, but something must be wrong. I had about 80 cars throughout my life and always when
windows fogged up there has been a leak.

The biggest one with the Discovery 3 I had up to the end of 2019, where the dealer ruptured the drain tubes in the A-pillars
by blasting it with compressed air, looking for a leak hat eventually originated in the use of (then dried out) kit instead of
the rubber seal that comes with the new splasplate fitted to cover the wipers, when they replaced the front windshield two years before.
The water runs then into the airfilter for the cabin air, in the D3..

I thought it had to to with the AC. So in november I drove around with the AC off for an hour, heating full blast,
and it was like 40C inside the car.. And even then the next day the condensation appeared in the cold.

My idea is underneath the car, water is sucked into the rear compartment somehow. Maybe through the location
where air is supposed to exit the cabin.

 

[RPSN]

Thanks for you response, but something must be wrong. I had about 80 cars throughout my life and always when
windows fogged up there has been a leak.

Not necessarily.

I can tell you that my F-Type Coupe which is parked on my driveway (and exposed to the elements) has no water leaks whatsoever and in cold/damp weather like now it’s quite normal to see condensation on the inside of the rear window. As I mentioned earlier, mine was like it this morning but now the sun is shining on it the condensation has disappeared.

Just to be sure, have you lifted the interior boot floor panels to check that water is not visible anywhere?.....only takes a few mins.

 

[cj10jeeper]

Dan,

Tend to agree with you that when it start fogging up suddenly and a lot then, you have a leak, or a lot of residual water from something. Last couple of weeks have been really wet in the UK and surprising how just getting in and out the car with wet shoes and in an out with wet coats fogged up my Evoque for a few days. Had to leave doors open for a few hours to dry the carpet surface and no doubt residual moisture through out. Nothing since thankfully

The location is not necessarily anywhere near where the condensation is, that's just the coldest place and somewhere you can see it. I'd check for footwells as much as for the boot

 

[RPSN]

I had this before, in november. I looked through the whole car but could not find a place really wet.

As you’ve said, it has also occurred before in November but no damp was to be found in the car.

Nothing to worry about in my opinion but a quick check of the boot floor is always worthwhile when the weather has been extremely wet, especially after seeing the amount of water that some other F-Type owners have found there.

 

[Fez]

If you are not using your car at least every couple of days. Place a portable dehumidifier in it. That will stop any condensation! I use a chemical dehumidifier in mine and it pulls out the best part of half a pint over 8 to 10 weeks at this time of year.

 

[Dan_Veluwe]

The location is not necessarily anywhere near where the
condensation is, that's just the coldest place and somewhere you can see it. I'd check for footwells as much as for the boot

I agree about that : condensation happens on the coldest spot. Not necessarily near the source, but if it appears strongly in one
spot its mostly just beneath. the inclined rear window being a dillusion in that way, since its a seperate 'cold spot'.

One of my first thoughts was the AC : in our BMW it starts fogging up the windows when you start off,
unless you switch the AC off 5 mins before stopping the car and let it heat with the AC off.

So I went for a spin with the F-Type, no ac just the heating. Drove around 45mins eventually 40C inside : still condensation
the next morning, in november.

And the shoes : the rubber soles only take a few grams and the condensation is 30x that amount at least.

It soaks two paper towels !

 

[Dan_Veluwe]

Nothing to worry about in my opinion but a quick check of the boot floor is always worthwhile when the weather has been extremely wet, especially after seeing the amount of water that some other F-Type owners have found there.

I checked underneath the covers in the back, around the battery, with a flashlight too. I put a dry paper towel in overnight, it stayed dry..

 

[Dan_Veluwe]

If you are not using your car at least every couple of days.
Place a portable dehumidifier in it. That will stop any condensation! I use a chemical dehumidifier in mine and it pulls
out the best part of half a pint over 8 to 10 weeks at this time of year.

Thanks Fez. I am not worried about the windows being humid. I want to cure the source, not fight the symptoms.
I have a portable dehumidifier I bought to dry the drenched D3 after the dealer blasted the drainpipes in the
A-Pillars with compressed air. I only stopped water influx with gaffertape to seal the opening around the glas
on top of the car, until it got fixed.

I am convinced there is somewhere water gets in. The car has been stripped almost completely several times when
we had a terrible resonance. They even replaced the front window then !

They eventually found two fuel lines touching the frame where they are bend. The curve was too narrow..

So if any seal or such has not been put back correctly, it could be the source.

We took the car through the Alps in 2019, 9000 km. Parked outside overnight in the cold : no condensation.

 

[Dan_Veluwe]

If its still dry tonight, there has been no more ingress.

I will push the car away from the carport into the rain. If the condensation comes back : there is a leak on top.

If not : I'll wait for wet roads and no active rain, go for a spin to see if it sucks water in from underneath..

Eventually it goes to the dealer to let them solve it.

 

[Fez]

Condensation occurs when warm air collides with cold surfaces, or when there's too much humidity in the warmer air mass colliding with the cold surface. Hence condensation in headlights or rear window in your case. I wish you luck in your search but if wash the car and there is no sign of a leak then it likely to be a act of nature.

 

[TopCat]

I regularly have condensation on the inside of the back window and do not have the same problem with another vehicle parked next to it. Checked the boot and no signs of moisture anywhere.

I now put a few Pingi dehumidifier bags in the boot and they appear to have resolved the problem.

 

[Dan_Veluwe]

I regularly have condensation on the inside of
the back window and do not have the same problem with another vehicle parked next to it. Checked the boot
and no signs of moisture anywhere. I now put a few Pingi dehumidifier bags in the boot and they appear to have
resolved the problem.

I am amazed how you seem to accept something like this. There are many other cars (hatchbacks) with this kind
of 'cold spots' . So if only (some ?) F-Type's has this condensation, its not normal.

For me the thing is : suppose water ends up (eg) between two vertical metal panels and it evaporates through a
seam on top they forgot to seal with sealant. It makes the interior moldy when the window is NOT the coldest spot,
but you don't see it.

I do not like to be in a moldy car. :?

 

[Fez]

Condensation inside a headlight. It is not leaking it is sealed! Happens in cold weather, and Jaguar even tell you in the owners manual. Good luck finding the non sealed seal in your car that is apparently causing your problem on your rear window, it's due to the weather. Maybe leave all your windows open that will stop you getting condensation.

 

[Dan_Veluwe]

Condensation inside a headlight. It is not leaking it is sealed!

I have the same problem. I was one of the first with LED-headlights like this in NL. I have been told they are NOT sealed, but its
"no problem" . Maybe they are sealed and my dealer was off, I dunno.

The windows open : I tried that some time ago with my Discovery 5. I bought it used and someone smoked in it when he used
it as a loaner. I did not smell it when I went for the test drive : the 'loaner' closed all the vents to hide the smell from the AC..

It was a sunny day when we did the test drive and we had the sunroof open, so no smell. When I collected the car I adjusted the
vents as it was cold and rainy. After the engine heated up the smoke became apparent. The dealer ( I bought there 5 cars) offered
to take the car back. But its 95% of what I wanted and the deal was financially very good. So they had it on an ozon machine overnight,
and the cleaned the AC 2x. After that there was an agressive stench from the AC, but no smoke smell. So I drove with the sunroof open,
and overnight I left the windows open.

When it became colder (car sleeps under a carport), the condensation saturated the carpets since the car was used maybe once a week.

Only after a 4 hour drive with the heater on the footwells it dried out again. Since then I close the windows and put the sunroof on a slit.

And the smoke is almost gone now, as well as the stench from the chemicals used to clean the AC..

The sign now needs updating.. .. friends told me I could have a problem when a tree does fall on the Disco.. :shock:

 

[Jaguandy]

Have you looked inside the door panels? Window rubbers might let water past. On many cars, presumably ours too, let this out through holes in the bottom of the doors. Im guessing, but maybe.....

 

[Dan_Veluwe]

Have you looked inside the door panels? Window rubbers might let water past. On many cars, presumably ours too, let this out through holes in the bottom of the doors. Im guessing, but maybe.....

Excellent idea ! We have pine trees that shed needles. Car used to be covered with these. Maybe they assembled to clogg the drains.
I'll check forthwith !


Can strike that off-the-list. Both doors fron/rear drains open & clean. No needles coming out, not a drop when poked with a 30 cm wire..

Did see openings underneath the lock leading to the OUSIDE of the car, and I see on the LHS a huge "grille" leading to the outside world..

Hypothesis : warm car cools down.. .. sucks humid air in. Water from humid air condensates on rear window ?

Anyway : I put a hygrometer in the F-Type and the D5. If they read the same and the F-Type has condensation, I stop looking... :mrgreen:

 

[TopCat]

I regularly have condensation on the inside of
the back window and do not have the same problem with another vehicle parked next to it. Checked the boot
and no signs of moisture anywhere. I now put a few Pingi dehumidifier bags in the boot and they appear to have
resolved the problem.

I am amazed how you seem to accept something like this. There are many other cars (hatchbacks) with this kind
of 'cold spots' . So if only (some ?) F-Type's has this condensation, its not normal.

For me the thing is : suppose water ends up (eg) between two vertical metal panels and it evaporates through a
seam on top they forgot to seal with sealant. It makes the interior moldy when the window is NOT the coldest spot,
but you don't see it.

I do not like to be in a moldy car. :?

There is no smell of mould in the car, nor is there any sign of dampness.

I have checked areas that I thought may be the cause, and the only possibility was the seal around the boot opening needed re-sticking, which I did.

In reality the amount of moisture that the pingis take out is very small but it stops the condensation forming on the rear window, due to the small amout of moisture I have accepted it is condensation.

 

[Dan_Veluwe]

There is no smell of mould in the car, nor is there any sign of dampness.

That is a relief then.

I just wait what my hygrometers show the next days. Maybe its just like I wrote earlier : after driving the air in the car cools,
and it draws air in which is more humid. At night this humidity condensates on the window, the coldest spot.

If my hygrometers in both cars show the same value, I am appeased...