Some previous owner of my car managed, somehow, to yank out the plastic grille that is supposed to cover the windshield defroster vent. As a result, the dashboard material along the center area of my windshield is not being “held open” and is pressed up against the glass. This means that the hot air from the defroster is not blowing on most of the windshield, and the inside of my windshield remains fogged. Naturally, this is both infuriating and terrifying when driving in the dark. Every streetlight and oncoming headlight lights up this fog, rendering my windshield virtually opaque. Wiping it with the towel I keep handy isn’t much help, as it just smears the moisture around and makes everything blurry as hell.
Is there some product I can use on the inside of my windshield to prevent this fogging? I seem to recall seeing something like that many, many years ago, but damned if I can remember what it was called.
You can also get one of these little heater fans that plug into the cigarette lighter socket and place it on your dash or secure it with a piece of Velcro.
I used one many years ago in a VW bug, which were notorious for poor front window defogging. There are several different styles. Might be better to just fix your stock vent problem though.
Actually, dishwashing liquid mixed with water does a pretty good job of reducing or eliminating fog, too. With the added benefits of lower cost and cleaner glass.
If it’s just the inside that’s fogging up, your best bet might be a ski goggle defogger like Cat Crap or similar. You should be able to get it at your local ski shop or outdoor store. Just clean the inside of the windshield really well (maybe with alcohol wipes) before you apply it.
I’m sort of having trouble visualizing what’s wrong with the defroster vents, though. The dashboard cover itself is loose and blocking them or making them blow in the wrong direction? Could you just tape the dash in place? Or is it that the missing vent parts are causing the problem? The vents are what actually directs the air onto the windshield so could it be the dashboard thing is a red herring? Either way it seems like a quick trip to the junkyard or eBay to get some replacement vents wouldn’t be too difficult.
The vent is one long slot that runs almost the full width of the windshield, and it appears to me that the grille was simply held in place by “tension”, i.e., when inserted, the flexible dashboard material squeezed and secured it. And, at the same time, the grille held the slot open. Without the grille in place, the slot has sort of closed up, and the “top” edge of the opening is pressed directly against the glass. So, in that area, the only place the air is hitting is the very bottom edge of the windshield, instead of flowing up and over the entire surface of the glass.
As far as finding a replacement part, my car, a 1999 Ford Contour, seems to be a very rare model. I have seen exactly one other Contour in my town. Given that this car was last produced in, I think, 2001, I don’t imagine too many of them still sitting around in junkyards. In any case, it would appear that replacing the grille would involve removing the windshield. The vent slot can’t just be pried back from inside as far as I can see.
