steamed up gauges!

[grahams3]

i have recently bought an early s3 and im finding the gauges (all apart from the battery gauge) steam up inside and dont clear untill the car cools down again.
does anyone know why this is and how to rectify.

Graham

[GreenV8S]

The gauges aren't perfectly sealed and a small amount of air will be pumped in and out each time the car heats up and cools down. If damp air is drawn in then the moisture will stay in the gauge until enough dry air has been pumped in and out to remove it all. The moisure seems to collect on the inside of the glass, I guess this is the coldest part of the gauge when the car is hot. In summer it might only take half a dozen warm trips to dry the gauges out, in the winter they might stay damp for months.

[Johan G]

grahams3 said:

i have recently bought an early s3 and im finding the gauges (all apart from the battery gauge) steam up inside and dont clear untill the car cools down again. does anyone know why this is and how to rectify. Graham

They all do that sir.

My gauges always steam up when there is a big enough temperature difference between the interior of the gauge and the air outside.

Welcome to S ownership!

\ Johan

[Hoover33]

yep I'll confirm they all do that

[ceejay73]

What they said.......

[Heathyboy]

I wouldn't have it any other way

[bugsy]

Yes, they all do that sir

[dlspoo]

Welcome to our world! Isn't it GREAT

[Podie]

They did on my old S3c too... until I strategically placed pockets of silica gel around the dash...

Consider it an "undocumented feature"

[z_chromozone]

Yep mine too, summer and winter, rain or shine. Just wait for the car to warm up and the mist rolls in.



Z

[doddze]

but isn't it strange ...... my battery gauge never steams up either..... all the others do of course

[grahams3]

thanks everyone!

[NicBowman]

I havn't done this yet. But, I suggest that the way to fix this is to make a hole in each instrument case. The fact that they are 'sealed' is the problem - let the air inside equilibrate with ambient moisture levels. Anyone tried this?

Nic

[tvrgit]

I found the easiest solution.

Stop caring about it.

[clive f]

I don`t care, and I don`t even know who or where I am!!

[steve j]

I dont know who you are either