Defrost will clear foggy windows
Dear Motormouth: I drive a 2018 Honda Fit and I have a hard time fighting my windows and windshield fogging up. I’ve tried gradually bringing up the heat, blasting the heat, even using no heat, but no luck! Today, when it’s below zero, condensation is frozen to the inside of the windows. Is there anything you suggest I can do to help with this?
— A.G., Northlake,
Illinois
Dear A.G.: Moisture in the air condenses on the car’s cold glass. Consider that cold glass of iced tea on a hot, humid summer day. It sweats. When you select the car’s defrost setting, the air conditioner turns on along with the heat.
The air conditioner draws moisture from the air and then the heater warms it. Drier air targets and clears the windshield. What can you do? Select the defrost mode. Don’t use the recirculated air setting. Try to keep the cabin dry. Cracking a rear window a smidgen may help exchange the interior air.
Dear Motormouth: I understand the recent zero temps caused problems with Tesla and the fastcharging stations. A very cold battery has a higher internal resistance. Is this enough to throw off the “brains” of a fast charger and cause it to refuse to charge? Please inform us on the impact of living 20 to 40 degrees below zero with an electric vehicle.
— D.H., Chaska, Minnesota
Dear D.H.: Cold batteries are slower to take a charge. In the case of Teslas, the batteries needed to be preconditioned (warmed up) to accept a charge.
Power is needed to warm the batteries and that power must come from the batteries. Can you say “Catch-22”? We are still riding the learning curve on plug-in electric vehicles.
Dear Motormouth: One of your readers questioned the value of installing mudguards on a new car. My take is that they can prevent rocks and other road debris from flying into the air and damaging a following vehicle. This came to my attention while riding with a close friend who had recently moved to New Mexico from Minnesota. He said the absence of mudguards on many cars in the Southwest results in chipped or broken windshields in particular. So, be a good Samaritan. Install mudguards for everyone’s benefit and safety.
— J.G., Prior Lake, Minnesota
Dear J.G.: That is one take on mudguards but read on.
Dear Motormouth: In my experience in Maryland winter driving, the safety risk from mudguards far outweighs the benefits. They collect snow that loads up in rear wheel wells, making the car much more difficult to handle. By removing the mudguards, car handling measurably improved during winter driving. Thank you for all you do.
— K.M., Williamsburg,
Virginia
Dear K.M.: Although there may be other pros and cons, there will be no mudslinging from me.
Dear Motormouth: My partner and I disagree about the age of our 2000 car. We hope you can clear it up because we’re looking to get antique plates. Is it eligible now in 2024? Or next year in 2025? My partner is insisting that you count the year it was built, so it’s now 25 years. The DMV says it’ll be 25 years in 2025.
— M.C., Hampton, Virginia
Dear M.C.: Some states base the vehicle’s age on the date it was placed into service, but I would argue that the date of manufacture should determine the age of the vehicle. A 1957 Chevy Bel Air that has never been driven is certainly an antique despite never having been issued tags. Nowhere on the Virginia application does it ask for the age.
Bob Weber is a writer and mechanic who became an Ase-certified Master Automobile Technician in 1976. He maintains this status by seeking certification every five years. Weber’s work appears in professional trade magazines and other consumer publications. Send questions along with name and town to motormouth. tribune@gmail.com.