Defroster not working well

[Explorer0204]

Hey guys it has been real cold here lately (less than zero) and I have been driving around a lot. With my defroster on 4 and the dial set to full defrost or defrost and foot heat it will not defrost the side Windows except for about 1 inch. They literally frost over to a point that I have to chip it off. The front window defrost fine, but seems to take a tad longer than it should though this isn't much of an issue. It feels like I have good flow out of the front windshield defroster but the side window defroster barely blow. How much air pressure should I feel out of the side ones? The blend doors don't individually control the side and front vents so I imagine I don't have an us sue there. The heater works right and air comes out of all the right places when I put it on all of the different settings. My coolant is maybe a tad low so I will get some tomorrow but realistically that is only the overflow anyway the radiator is of course full.. I'm just stumped my old 02 never had great side window defogger but they eventually did the job. These are just sacking, and I know they weren't this bad last year, though we didn't have the extreme cold either.

I wish I had more info to give I will do some experimenting tomorrow I just want to fix this ASAP because my winter break is over after tomorrow and I don't want to commute to college with this problem or any longer than I have to.

Thanks guys and sorry for the rambling.

 

[Exproblems]

With my defroster on 4 and the dial set to full defrost or defrost and foot heat it will not defrost the side Windows except for about 1 inch. They literally frost over to a point that I have to chip it off. g.

Do you mean to say "blower fan speed set to 4/highest speed"? Anyway, lower air flow to the side window vents is "probably common or normal" given they are the smallest and farthest vents on the dash from temp blend box where the heat branches out from. Don't think you have a problem here. It's cold where I live as well, Buffalo, NY area and my side windows don't clear as well or fast as the front either. I'll make a note how well my window vents work over the next 2 days, lake effect snow storm coming, with 16-31 inches of snow (on top of the 14 inches on the ground right now) expected between Monday-Wed and -30 degrees below zero wind chill temps. Time to break out the "long John's"! Outside temp at the moment, a balmy 42 degrees.

 

[D Hook]

You might try cracking open the two front windows while driving with the defrost on. This will pull air out of the vehicle through the front windows and defrost them for you.

 

[Explorer0204]

You might try cracking open the two front windows while driving with the defrost on. This will pull air out of the vehicle through the front windows and defrost them for you.

I will definitely try this. How does that help though?? I'm just curious. Today it was 15 and my front window cleared no problem and the sides started to clear up as well and we're very driveable. I think the extreme cold is what was doing me in.

Thing is, my dad's truck, friends jeep, and mom's navigator all defrosted fine at those same temps and did it without being on full blast all the time. This is what is making me think my something could be wrong with my heater core or defroster as well. I am going to do some experimenting and make sure that the vents are all working 100% right and that no air is being blown out vents when it shouldn't be. I wrote that original post late last night after getting home frustrated so I will go from here.

 

[Exproblems]

I will definitely try this. How does that help though?? I'm just curious. Today it was 15 and my front window cleared no problem and the sides started to clear up as well and we're very driveable. I think the extreme cold is what was doing me in.

Thing is, my dad's truck, friends jeep, and mom's navigator all defrosted fine at those same temps and did it without being on full blast all the time. This is what is making me think my something could be wrong with my heater core or defroster as well. I am going to do some experimenting and make sure that the vents are all working 100% right and that no air is being blown out vents when it shouldn't be. I wrote that original post late last night after getting home frustrated so I will go from here.

At those temps 15 degrees, it won't help you to defrost, frosted up side windows by opening the windows. Just as cold inside the vehicle as it is outside the vehicle right after startup if you park your vehicle outdoors. It will make you colder driving with the window open though. Only time will thaw out your windows.
If you are getting good heat inside the vehicle as you previously said you were, your heater core is fine and you can't compare how well other makes and models of cars heat up versus your Explorer. They aren't going to all work the same.
BTW, if you have anything that is wet inside the car overnight such as wet carpets, towels etc,, this will cause your inner windows to frost up during the night in cold temps.

 

[D Hook]

It's true that cracking the windows BEFORE the vehicle has warmed up will do nothing for your frosty side windows and will only make it more uncomfortable. I guess it was understood that you would crack the windows AFTER the vehicle has reached operating temperature and you could feel heat from the defrost vents.

Doing it after you have good heat flowing inside the truck will help. Exproblems is also correct that if you have something damp in the truck, as it thaws out, you will have condensation form on the interior. Also, if you've worked up a sweat, the perspiration will make the side windows fog up quickly. Had this happen just a few day ago. Cracked the driver's side window and it cleared itself. Had the heater set on Floor/Defrost and on high fan speed. I've also used the Dash Vent setting to clear the side window by directing them toward the window and again, cracking open the window 1/2" or so. Don't know all the exact info on how it works but by cracking the window open, it pulls the air out of the truck through the window. When that air passes the window, it is enough to act like a defroster and clears them. This is why people who smoke in their vehicles almost always have a window near them cracked to draw out the smoke.

Also, if you don't need heat to the back, you might try closing the rear vents on the back side of the console to try to keep all the air coming out of the front vents.

Good luck!

 

[Explorer0204]

It's true that cracking the windows BEFORE the vehicle has warmed up will do nothing for your frosty side windows and will only make it more uncomfortable. I guess it was understood that you would crack the windows AFTER the vehicle has reached operating temperature and you could feel heat from the defrost vents.

Doing it after you have good heat flowing inside the truck will help. Exproblems is also correct that if you have something damp in the truck, as it thaws out, you will have condensation form on the interior. Also, if you've worked up a sweat, the perspiration will make the side windows fog up quickly. Had this happen just a few day ago. Cracked the driver's side window and it cleared itself. Had the heater set on Floor/Defrost and on high fan speed. I've also used the Dash Vent setting to clear the side window by directing them toward the window and again, cracking open the window 1/2" or so. Don't know all the exact info on how it works but by cracking the window open, it pulls the air out of the truck through the window. When that air passes the window, it is enough to act like a defroster and clears them. This is why people who smoke in their vehicles almost always have a window near them cracked to draw out the smoke.

Also, if you don't need heat to the back, you might try closing the rear vents on the back side of the console to try to keep all the air coming out of the front vents.

Good luck!

Makes sense. I have good heat and in the past I have directed the heater vents on the dash toward the windows. That works well, but then on the wicked cold days it would allow the front to start frosting over again...

I think what was happening was a combination of three things.

First off I do a lot of shoveling and snowblowing for people so I do build up a sweat even in the cold weather. In the 0 degree weather I was shoveling in a sweatshirt at one point. I am really particular about my interior so I have thick rubber mats but the problem is that all of the water from the shoveling and just walking around in the snow gets past my nice rubber mats and soaks the crap out of the carpet underneath. I try to take the mat out and let the water evaporate as much as possible but well,,,we all know how those things go. That being said it was 1 degree today and the defrosters worked on my commute fine. I think the engine getting up to temp and staying there more as well as a dryer carpet, me not sweating, and not having a wet shovel in the back evaporating all helped. What I think also hurts me is that when parked in the garage I work in there too so I heat the garage when I am out there. Then, when I am done the heater goes off and condensation forms from the temp change furthering the whole moisture problem.

Regardless, seems like my problem is more or less because of the perfect storm of occurrences, not necessarily with my veeeeehicle.

Thanks for all the help and if this becomes an issue again I will be sure to try the techniques here as well as posting again if it came to that.

 

[D Hook]

Great! Thanks for the follow up!

 

[Explorer0204]

Great! Thanks for the follow up!

Thanks for the help!

In retrospect I probably should have drawn all of these connections on my own but after the third day straight of driving around scraping your windows on the inside while driving you get tired of it REALLL quick and logic goes away