A foggy windshield has a knack for appearing at precisely the wrong moment, usually when you’re already late, and the car behind you seems unusually impatient. Before wiping the glass with your sleeve or cranking the fan to maximum, check which climate-control button you’re pressing. Your car’s front defroster, rear defroster, and air-conditioning system do different jobs, and choosing the wrong setting can leave you staring through a cloudy windshield longer than necessary.
The confusion makes sense. Modern dashboards offer a small collection of symbols that look like someone designed a puzzle for people who just want to get to work. Fortunately, clearing fog doesn’t require memorizing the entire owner’s manual. A few simple adjustments can help restore visibility without turning your commute into a battle with the dashboard.
