SLK 200 condensation problem

[freemypet]

I have a SLK 200 hardtop.  When I get in in the morning there is heavy condensation inside.  Now that it's winter this now includes ice.  I have taken it to the dealership, where they have tried to fob me off.  I managed to get them to change the seals and ventilation but with no improvement.  They said this problem has not been reported by other clients.  So I would like to know if anyone out there is/has suffer/ed/ing from this prob.  I would expect this from a fiat but not from a 30K car.
thanx
Dan

 

[Neil Eglintine]

No comment on the dealers attitude, don't use them!

The problem suggests that water is getting in, or has got in in the past. Two observations:
1) If water has got in and the car has not thoroughly dried out, the condensation will remain even if the problem has been fixed. You will need to dry it out somehow - dehumidifier in your garage, perhaps.
2) If it's still leaking, here's a tip. Tape up all the air outlets from the cabin that are meant to be there. Put the ventilation fan on max and close the doors and windows. Pour a watering can filled with a water/detergent mixture over the car. Where there is a water leak, will now be an air leak and will blow bubbles!

 

[dave elcome]

Dan

Sounds like good advice from Neil, but after sh*ll
ing out 30k,  i think i would be spreading all  my toys over the reception floor of the local dealer, and get them to do all the "Donkey" work!!

Still,  if you win the lottery this weekend,  you could move to a more temperate climate, that might be easier than getting the car fixed!!

(Edited by dave elcome at 8:35 pm on Dec. 19, 2001)


(Edited by dave elcome at 8:36 pm on Dec. 19, 2001)

 

[freemypet]

Cheers Neils,
   i will try your handy tip.  I hope the MB god shines on you and you do not suffer from an mechanical problems in your lifetile

Dan

To you Elcome,
     due to your pearly wisdom I'm off to the south of france

 

[fuzzer]

My C240 does this too , but i just put it down to the car having leather seats and not getting a proper " run " as i spend my whole life in the city centre.

Its not quite so bad that ice forms , but the car does steam up more when left that my fathers C class with cloth seats.

The car is certantly not leaking as somone suggested in here , the inside smells leathery and not damp.

I would like to know what you did to cure this .

Jason

 

[Andy]

Hi Jason,

Just inqusitive really. Have tried using the dehumidifier on the AC?

Regards

Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com

 

[fuzzer]

I would imagine this is not a common thing with leather seats in mercedes?

The AC is always on , i never switch it off ..

On My A160 there was a seperate dehumidifier switch for the A/C which i left on but on my w202 C240 i only have the EC , recirulation/rest button . I assumed that the dehumidifyier was built into the air conditioning. The Ac works fine , the can can be like the artic and then like the sahara a few moments later , so there are no problems there.  I have the mercedes original rubber mats in for the winter as the mushroom carpet ones were getting stained with all the crap on the roads just now . I have not noticed any diference with the rubber mats.

I would be interested to know if there is an extra switch i have not noticed for the dehumidifier.

Jason

 

[steveperry]

Jason,

I'm intrigued, did you ever get your misting problem fixed?

I also drive a C240 with leather interior and I suffer from exactly the same as you have described above. I've checked the rubber seals around the doors and they all look solid. I used to drive an '86 model 190E with cloth interior and that never used to mist up the way that my current car does.

S.

 

[freemypet]

I have not had any luck with a solution (other than the weather is improving so it will be less of a problem up until october once again).  The dealer is ignoring me . I will probably purchase a dehumidifier (one they us for boats etc) for next winter.  It is a problem because i have had to replace much of the interior metallic paneling due to damp damage.

 

[fuzzer]

Its not much of  a problem for me anymore too . Although I still get the dense bit above the instrument cluster just where the hot vent is . This happens on dad's cloth car too so , that?s not a fault. Its not a problem for me really , just means sitting for a while longer on cold mornings clearing the windows with the a/c . The best thing i could recommend anyone to do if they are having this problem is to take you car on a  long drive with the sir conditioning on and the dials in the middle of the white section and give the car a good heating up, I recon that a long run helped me . I think its just another feature of the leather seats in a car and also down to the way that the cars are sealed and not letting much escape through the seals like lesser cars might do. ( BMW's , Audi?s etc , just joking!!! ) The other feature i have noticed with leather seats is they are ABSOULTELY FREEZING first thing in the morning, I?m glad I got heated seats.... but I do feel for the back seat passengers .. Leather is nice and I?m willing to put up with all of these added features.

 

[Andy]

Wait till the summer and you jump in the car with shorts on, after the cars been in the sun all day. Then we'll see whether the  leather seats are a good buy or not!!!!!!!!!

Regards
Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com

 

[fuzzer]

now, thats what the a/c is for ....

 

[Anonymous]

Has anybody checked the pollen filter.  It should be changed every service but....
If the filter becomes damp it will also cause the car to be damp inside.

 

[fuzzer]

Good point , will have a look to see whats what .. Although , i think my car has an activated charcoal filter , does this make any diference?

 

[Anonymous]

Not really.  It is still a small pore filter that can block.  Also if you always use the air-con it will evaporate the water off the condensor when the car is standing.  Try not using the air for a while.
In addition make sure the car is not recirculating the air when in fresh air mode.

 

[fuzzer]

Diesel man , you could not be more right ...

Today , after washing my car and after all that freak weather we were having the car had been taking a bettering ..

On moving the car after washing , I saw some water in the nearside foot well , that?s odd , on closer inspection I noticed a constant drip coming from the holes in the panel in the foot well where the pollen filter is , I removed the cover of the there , removed the fan cover and a flood of water entered the car. I removed the pollen filter , which was damp and another flood of water... I mopped up all up and got things nice and dry again .  Checked under the bonnet to find the drain of the air intake blocked with leaves and some sort of paper . Unblocked that to another whoosh . After doing this and running without the pollen filter temporally to clear the car of moisture , it cleared sooo quickly its almost unreal , this must have been what was causing my problem for while , the pollen filter was a little on the dead ( clogged )  side , although I just had the car serviced . Will get a new one tomorrow..

Ventilation system is a lot better now , it seamed to be clogged by tiny leaves .. will keep you updated on how things go .

Here?s hoping that?s me done !!

 

[dave elcome]

Fuzzer.

Leaves are a problem, a guy i work with had a Galaxy. Some of the drain tubes at the front end screen area got bloked with leaves, he didn't realise until they overflowed rain water into his car, unfortunately where the water came in was right into the ECU, needless to say this didn't improve it's performance one little bit!!

 

[Matt Crooke]

had a similar problem with my 190 when i first got it. Whenever i parked anywhere there would always be a puddle of water under the front of the passenger door...i thought i must have had some sort of hose there, however just to the back of the front wheel is a plastic valance type thing with what i thought were 2 screwholes in it. I undid the first screw, and couldnt quite see the second hole, so i put my head underneath and prodded the screwdriver at it.....low and behold i get a face and mouthfull of black filthy water / leaves / mud. It wasnt a screw hole but a drain hole blocked with leaves etc.

once cleared, the little puddle of water never reappeared.