Defrost.

[Racheal]

I wasn't for sure what section to post this under but...

Is anyone having a crappy time with their defroster in the mornings? Here in Arkansas, the weather has been kind of chilly in the mornings and my car has frost all over it. It takes about 20 minutes, LITERALLY, to defrost the whole windshield (which isn't big at all!). It takes even longer to do my windows and my poor little side mirrors... they stayed frosted the whole drive to work because i can't get them unfrosted.

Am I doing something wrong or what??

I basically have to drive around with my defrost on all the time because if i take it off of defrost, my car fogs up SO bad.

thanks.
<3 Racheal

[ChinoCharles]

It might be that you don't have your air recirculating. You know that switch between air coming from outside and air recirculating through the car? If it is cold outside your air will never warm up if you have it bringing fresh air from outside. Try that, but leave it on the fresh air one when parked so your air filter doesn't start to stink.

[daq421]

Originally Posted by ChinoCharles

It might be that you don't have your air recirculating. You know that switch between air coming from outside and air recirculating through the car? If it is cold outside your air will never warm up if you have it bringing fresh air from outside. Try that, but leave it on the fresh air one when parked so your air filter doesn't start to stink.

I second this, Make sure you're set to recirculate.. and try again. What do you mean your mirrors stay frosted? Is there supposed to be a mirror defrost on the car?..
-Peter

[vodkalush]

I've been noticing that my rear window has been taking longer to defrost... but that could because I didnt start my car till right when I left (norm let it warm up for a couple of mins before i hit the road: the joys of remote starters )...

but ditto to above comments about recirculating the air: also helps in the summer to keep it colder with a/c

[Racheal]

nope, sorry guys. I never use the outside air. EVER.

I only notice a difference because my old car (99 chrysler cirrus) warmed up extremely fast. When I would get into my car in the mornings, everything would be ready to go! When I get into my yaris, I have to sit and wait....

As for my side mirrors - i don't know how to explain it. Like, is there something in the car that should heat your mirrors up so they don't stay frosted? In my old car I never once had a problem with this but in my yaris, I'll be driving to work and my windows are still foggy and my side mirror is still so frosted I can't use it to switch lanes in the morning. I usually have to roll down my window and finally use my hand to get the ice to melt.

i don't think this is normal...?

[boris13]

I think it's normal if there's moisture, if it stays below freezing outside, and if you don't have heated side mirrors (not an option on the Yaris).

I've always had to scrape frost/ice from my side mirrors, no matter what car model it was, if the mirrors were unheated.

[ChinoCharles]

Do you have a rear window defroster?

[Racheal]

boris - it's not exactly below freezing outside.. lol.. i mean, i AM in arkansas, but still it gets old REALLY fast when i have to roll down the window and scrape the ice off. i guess maybe my old car had heated side mirrors and i just didnt know it??

chino - yes?

[Violin]

We got the cold weather package here and the defroster works well.

I wonder what folks in your region get?

[Racheal]

Originally Posted by Violin

We got the cold weather package here and the defroster works well.

I wonder what folks in your region get?

apparently crap, lol.

[07WYarisRS]

Try using the outside air
if I switch it to inside air my windows fog up FAST, and I have to keep it on defrost all the time.

[spkrman]

just scrape it off/wipe it... much faster :)

quit bein lazy! lol :D

[gonzo452001]

yaris don't warm up very fast if you let them sit scrape it off some and drive it or you could get some of that spray stuff

[Racer X-8]

Yes for the last three posts!

Let's start with one matter of fact: Defrosting is different than defogging.

The quickest way to defrost your windows is to get out there and scrape the stuff off. Once you did that, then all you need to do is keep the glass above freezing. Too bad that modern-day cars automatically turn on the air conditioning compressor when you put them in one of the defrost selector positions, the Yaris is no different. But, a warmed-up engine gives you warm enough air to defrost, even with the AC on. To repeat, scrape the stuff off, once you try it, you'll see why so many other people do it this way. The best way to get hot air is to get your engine hot. The best way to get your engine hot is to put a load on it. The best way to put a load on it is to drive it, and since you're wanting to get somewhere, you might as well drive in that general direction while you're warming-up the engine. It won't take very long to see that warm air hitting the frosty residue that's still on the glass. Hopefully, you get that before it gets so frosty again, you gotta stop and scrape again. That happens sometimes, you know. Just try not to breath too heavily in the direction of the windshield.

Once you got the glass above freezing temperature, it will never frost-up - it can't. But it will most definitely fog-up. To defog on the outside, use your windshield wipers. To defog on the inside, you gotta get rid of the moisture in the interior cabin, which condenses on the colder glass, which is what fogs them up. To get rid of the moisture, you can do two things, and the most effective thing is to do them both at the same time. Turn on your defrost mode, which also turns on the AC. The AC removes moisture real well, and since you have it on defrost, that dried air gets blown right onto the fogged-up glass and clears it up. The other thing is to turn to fresh air, not recirculated. The air on the outside is a lot drier than the inside air, laden with moisture, which comes from the inside occupant(s), their breath that they exhale and just generally from their bodies, thier heads. Lots of moisture comes from people. Turn to fresh air to get it outta there. Try just that as an experiment when you start seeing fogginess on your windshield, turn to fresh air and watch it clear-up pretty quickly.

Your side mirrors - there's no heat to defrost them. Scrape them too.

[Blenjar]

Get urself a remote start and let our heat/defog on 5...5-10 mins b4 u go in ur car...
Wouldn't that work?

-- Blen

[BMGYaris]

well, no offense to some of you guys, though racer is right on, it actually talks about some of this in the manual :P

it says in there that if you are having a problem with it fogging set your air to outside air, and then turn it so it is blowing on the front windshield. Believe me, i have done this over and over, and it will take a couple seconds.

Remember, outside air on the front windshield is magic, do both for fastest results, and i usually set my temp right in the middle...but i dont know if that matters

Also, as to defrosting, i dont know what to say, but if i use my spray it works incredibly fast as well. Not too much freezing down here though, so i havent had to deal with that alot. But i say use the spray alot, front and back ifyou have it, works great.

[Racheal]

Originally Posted by BMGYaris

well, no offense to some of you guys, though racer is right on, it actually talks about some of this in the manual :P

it says in there that if you are having a problem with it fogging set your air to outside air, and then turn it so it is blowing on the front windshield. Believe me, i have done this over and over, and it will take a couple seconds.

Remember, outside air on the front windshield is magic, do both for fastest results, and i usually set my temp right in the middle...but i dont know if that matters

Also, as to defrosting, i dont know what to say, but if i use my spray it works incredibly fast as well. Not too much freezing down here though, so i havent had to deal with that alot. But i say use the spray alot, front and back ifyou have it, works great.

what spray??? sorry for being such a noob, yall. I don't really have to deal with this too often -- i do live in arkansas where it mostly is humid and hardly cold. but thanks for yalls help.

and with the scraping thing - im not being lazy, i just dont have anything to scrape it with. once again, i live in arkansas and every few days or so it will be a little chilly. nothing serious like up north where you buy scrapes and sprays as an investment, lol...

[yariman]

You should find that trying to defog on recirculate is almost impossible. Unless you have A.C., then you can't even select recirculate if you are in defrost mode. Yes newer cars are set up to have the A.C. kick in when set to defrost. The A.C. evaporator removes humidity from the cabin which helps defog quickly. If you don't have A.C. and you are set to recirculate, the same moist air keeps churning around. It will get warmer quicker, but the air is still moist.