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Cold Air from Window Defroster with AC set to Face only

FastBlackRam

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Everyone may already know this, but here's the science: "Exterior window condensation is simply dew and occurs when the window is colder than the dew point." So in the summer with high humidity and high dew points in the morning, you are going to get condensation (dew) on the windshield if the glass temp is lower than the dew point. So the cold air conditioned air escaping from the defroster vent will almost always cool the glass lower than the dew point and voila, condensation. In the winter, when you are heating the glass, no condensation on the outside. This will never be the case. The side windows in the summer fogging up on the outside? This happens if you have the side vent pointed too much, or sometimes even at all depending on the vent spread, at the window. This happens in every late model vehicle on the planet. Even a $250,000 supercar.

I feel like contrary to popular belief, the engineers may have designed it so a very small amount of air is routed to the defroster all the time to combat INSIDE condensation situations. If most of your windshield is fogging on the outside on a regular basis, your truck is the exception, not the rule, and you have a legit complaint if that much air is coming out of the defroster to cool the entire windshield below the dew point.

I am not saying this isnt a problem, just that not all of them are fogging to the point of blinding the driver. Mine is very minor, not across the whole vent and less than 2 inches max height and only in the early morning. I live in central florida so I see humidity and dew points that cause this condition from May thru October.

Some of you may say I am full of it, that's OK, I can take it. I can say if my windshield was fogging like some of your pics, I would be screaming safety issue also.

I also have to say my AC is ice freakin cold, seems like some are experiencing bad AC performance.
 

Albert193500

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Everyone may already know this, but here's the science: "Exterior window condensation is simply dew and occurs when the window is colder than the dew point." So in the summer with high humidity and high dew points in the morning, you are going to get condensation (dew) on the windshield if the glass temp is lower than the dew point. So the cold air conditioned air escaping from the defroster vent will almost always cool the glass lower than the dew point and voila, condensation. In the winter, when you are heating the glass, no condensation on the outside. This will never be the case. The side windows in the summer fogging up on the outside? This happens if you have the side vent pointed too much, or sometimes even at all depending on the vent spread, at the window. This happens in every late model vehicle on the planet. Even a $250,000 supercar.

I feel like contrary to popular belief, the engineers may have designed it so a very small amount of air is routed to the defroster all the time to combat INSIDE condensation situations. If most of your windshield is fogging on the outside on a regular basis, your truck is the exception, not the rule, and you have a legit complaint if that much air is coming out of the defroster to cool the entire windshield below the dew point.

I am not saying this isnt a problem, just that not all of them are fogging to the point of blinding the driver. Mine is very minor, not across the whole vent and less than 2 inches max height and only in the early morning. I live in central florida so I see humidity and dew points that cause this condition from May thru October.

Some of you may say I am full of it, that's OK, I can take it. I can say if my windshield was fogging like some of your pics, I would be screaming safety issue also.

I also have to say my AC is ice freakin cold, seems like some are experiencing bad AC performance.
You are correct, I too am in central Florida. The issue for me is night driving, mine fogged up while on the highway. With the slightest bit of condensation on the windshield the oncoming vehicles headlights and street lights cause a "whiteout" condition, briefly blinding, and can be dangerous. When your eyes are adjusted to the night driving the repeated "flash" from traffic and street lights through the condensation can get very bad in a hurry. I dont want to bring up worst case scenario but in the early am there are school buses and kids lining the streets to be picked up and this is when the condensation is at its worst.
I too hope it does not take an accident or worse a fatality to have @RamCares help to get this problem resolved.
 

poma31

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For anyone that cares, today I received another call from dealer service department telling me the ram 1500 is ready for pick up. They claim they checked everything and even brought an “engineer” from FCA to look it over and they label the truck “running as designed”. He rattled off some bs about checking condensing lines and drain lines etc which any moron knows has nothing to do with cold air blowing from a vent that it shouldn’t be....They all clearly know they have an issue but no way currently to revolve it (it’d be a lot more palatable if they just admitted to the defect as opposed to try and deceive each of us). FCA closed my case and I’ve just about hit a road block with the sales team. I’ll make one last ditch effort to see if they will take the truck in on trade for full value or buyback, whatever the heck anyone wants to call it, and I’ll find a vehicle on their lot not exhibiting the same defect and keep our business with the ram/dodge family so to speak. They know they won’t get hurt if they take the truck back at full value considering they’ll make it up with the sale to me on the new vehicle, and then they get to keep our companies business for the foreseeable future. 14 vehicles in the last 7 years at an average purchase price of 40k (560k gross). It’s a no brainer to any businessman that would be the sensible and honorable approach, but I have a a hunch they won’t bat an eye at my offer. In that case they are just a bunch of fools and we’ll take our business to ford.


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Albert193500

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For anyone that cares, today I received another call from dealer service department telling me the ram 1500 is ready for pick up. They claim they checked everything and even brought an “engineer” from FCA to look it over and they label the truck “running as designed”. He rattled off some bs about checking condensing lines and drain lines etc which any moron knows has nothing to do with cold air blowing from a vent that it shouldn’t be....They all clearly know they have an issue but no way currently to revolve it (it’d be a lot more palatable if they just admitted to the defect as opposed to try and deceive each of us). FCA closed my case and I’ve just about hit a road block with the sales team. I’ll make one last ditch effort to see if they will take the truck in on trade for full value or buyback, whatever the heck anyone wants to call it, and I’ll find a vehicle on their lot not exhibiting the same defect and keep our business with the ram/dodge family so to speak. They know they won’t get hurt if they take the truck back at full value considering they’ll make it up with the sale to me on the new vehicle, and then they get to keep our companies business for the foreseeable future. 14 vehicles in the last 7 years at an average purchase price of 40k (560k gross). It’s a no brainer to any businessman that would be the sensible and honorable approach, but I have a a hunch they won’t bat an eye at my offer. In that case they are just a bunch of fools and we’ll take our business to ford.


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When are you picking up the truck?
I have an appointment on Monday at Arrigo and I will be advising them on a couple of things to try. I would advise that if your truck is there we can try it on your and mine. I am not getting into details but I have been speaking with someone and trust them to what they say. Do you have a good mechanic there that's willing to think outside the box?
 

poma31

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When are you picking up the truck?
I have an appointment on Monday at Arrigo and I will be advising them on a couple of things to try. I would advise that if your truck is there we can try it on your and mine. I am not getting into details but I have been speaking with someone and trust them to what they say. Do you have a good mechanic there that's willing to think outside the box?

Probably picking up Monday morning. Evidently the Jeep loaner they gave me has a recall so I have to bring it back. I don’t know any of the mechanics there, or for that matter, any mechanics at all.

I do have a call into lemon law attorney to see if that can also ruffle some feathers. Trying every angle I have.


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Albert193500

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Probably picking up Monday morning. Evidently the Jeep loaner they gave me has a recall so I have to bring it back. I don’t know any of the mechanics there, or for that matter, any mechanics at all.

I do have a call into lemon law attorney to see if that can also ruffle some feathers. Trying every angle I have.


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I have an appointment with Sarah monday afternoon. Try to delay it till Tuesday, I will try to talk directly with the tech and service manager. Who is your service advisor?
 

poma31

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I have an appointment with Sarah monday afternoon. Try to delay it till Tuesday, I will try to talk directly with the tech and service manager. Who is your service advisor?

You get any progress today?


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Albert193500

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You get any progress today?


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I did, I think we are getting somewhere. They just called and said it is drastically better but it is almost gone in vent mode. Also the air seemed to be colder. I am on the way to pick it up now and will update when I am in it to confirm temps and air flow.
 

cpiazza3

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Any updates on this? Interested to see what the issue is or is attributed to officially as I am having same issues after picking up my vehicle on November 9th. Thanks.
 

RamCares

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Any updates on this? Interested to see what the issue is or is attributed to officially as I am having same issues after picking up my vehicle on November 9th. Thanks.

Hi cpiazza3,

I'm sorry to hear this, I just followed up with your most recent private message.

Mark
RamCares
 

Albert193500

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Hi Joe,
Have you gotten anywhere? I have been going through a nightmare.
 

yellowboy

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The problem is there we have to wait till summer to prove to our dealers we still have this issue again
 

Robman

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I just bought one used so I hope I don't have this issue this summer.
 

Dookie

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This discussion to reduce the defrost leak is ongoing. Engineering is aware of this issue.
This is the first step of a solution, thanks for the report. I haven't yet experienced my vehicle in the hot and humid environment in which south Louisiana offers 8 months a year, but it's just around the corner for me.
 

Markank

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I’m having the same problem just had my truck into the dealership and then they gave me two different stories.

The first service advisor told me that they keep the air on all the time for circulation obviously that’s not true because when the fan is not blowing there is no air circulating.

The second service advisor told me it was to keep the condensation down on the wiring behind the dash.

.Why would that have anything to do with keeping condensation down behind the Dash on wiring when the air is coming through the defroster duct and onto the windshield

In my honest opinion I just believe they’re trying to Btheir way out of this one because I have a couple friends who also have 2019’s that are doing the same thing.
Mine only fogs up through the driver side nothing on the side window or nothing on the passenger side but about 3 to 4 inches up on the driver side and conditions as stated with humid air outside air coming through face duct.

I too will be filing a complaint We definitely need to do a class action to get this resolved if they won’t listen
 

RamCares

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I’m having the same problem just had my truck into the dealership and then they gave me two different stories.

The first service advisor told me that they keep the air on all the time for circulation obviously that’s not true because when the fan is not blowing there is no air circulating.

The second service advisor told me it was to keep the condensation down on the wiring behind the dash.

.Why would that have anything to do with keeping condensation down behind the Dash on wiring when the air is coming through the defroster duct and onto the windshield

In my honest opinion I just believe they’re trying to Btheir way out of this one because I have a couple friends who also have 2019’s that are doing the same thing.
Mine only fogs up through the driver side nothing on the side window or nothing on the passenger side but about 3 to 4 inches up on the driver side and conditions as stated with humid air outside air coming through face duct.

I too will be filing a complaint We definitely need to do a class action to get this resolved if they won’t listen

Hi Markank,

I regret to hear of the trouble you are experiencing with your truck. Please do not hesitate to follow up with me via private message to discuss your situation further. I would be more than happy to learn more to determine how to best assist you at this point.

Mark
RamCares
 

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