Condensation on outside of CX-5 windshield

I've had my CX-5 for about two weeks now and the only problem I've encountered is that the outside of the windshield fogs up at the slightest hint of humidity. The only way I've found to deal with it is to keep the wipers running. It's very annoying when you're the only one on the road with your wipers on. I've tried every combination of A/C on/off, vents recirculated/fresh air, vents off/on. Nothing seems to work. I read something on a Dodge Charger forum about a design flaw in that car's dash that causes an air duct baffle to stick. Has anyone encountered this problem? And has anyone got any suggestions?

Try turning your defogger on with warm air. Once the temp of the windshield gets acclimated, it should be clear.

I have not had this problem unless I am in the defog position on a high humidity day. Could it be that something is not closing all the way thereby letting some air out of the defog vents regardless of what position the controls are in?

There is no real way to prevent this without a thermal break or pre heating your car. If you look at most windows in a house, they will have a gas between the 2 layers of glass that acts as a thermal break. This way the hot or cold from inside the house does not reach the outside layer of glass and vise verse for the outside cold or hot. What is happening when you get moisture on the outside is that the temperature of the windshield is colder then the outside temperature and so the moisture in the air will condense on the glass surface because its cold and draws out the moisture... think of a cold drink in the summer how the glass gets moisture on the outside of it just because it's cold inside but the air around it is warm. The only way to prevent this is to make the temperature the same so you will have to turn heat on and use the defrost setting so that it is blowing at the windows and it might take 5 minutes to get that glass heated up. The same can happen the other way around when inside your car is warm and the glass is too cold and the inside of the glass collects the moisture, that's where Air conditioning comes in to remove the moisture from the air and dry off the inside of the windshield or you have to heat the windshield so warm that the air inside the car is the same temperature.

I have the same problem, if it is warm outside I do not want to put my heat on, I have had numerous cars with AC never had a problem, there must be a problem with this particular suv! I don't get it

gamemisconduck said:

there must be a problem with this particular suv! I don't get it

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I honestly don't think the laws of thermodynamics apply differently to the CX-5 as compared to other vehicles.

This is pretty much an every day occurrence in Houston. You just learn to live with it.

Agree that the answer is to have the A/C on, temp to hot, vents to defrost. I also agree that my CX-5 has this issue more than my other cars here in Houston. I can clear the windshield in just a couple of minutes so it's no big deal, but it's definitely different than our other cars. I was thinking that the CX-5 lets in more outside humid air when just sitting in the driveway for some reason.

I don't really have this problem in TX. My suggestion is to clean the window very well, maybe with a clay bar even. Same with the inside. Moisture condenses better when there is a particle to attach too. (Rain droplets are attached to condensation nuclei -- dirt and such)

Have you tried Rain-X?

Mine does this but only if the AC is on. I suggest you make sure your AC is completely off or turn the heat on. Do you have the automatic climate system?