Windows fogging up in cold weather

[FourPointEight-is]

Another 4 hour drive today in low temperatures and I had to deal with unpleasant fumes the whole way to keep the interior unfogged.

With the compressor running, and then the cold air being passed over the heater core should remove the humidity from the air, which as condensation is then evacuated through the drain. But in my case it seems like the humidity isn’t being removed which is why I must open the vent to accept fresh air from outside.

I just did another trip (ambient air about 8 deg C which is about 45 deg F) and I tried setting recirc on “A” and also setting reirc to fully open (I.e. no LEDs lit on the recirc button). Both keep the car warm AND don’t fog up the interior but both let unpleasant odours into the cabin.

Every other car I’ve owned (including my E82), I never had to do this. I keep the vent closed and climate control on auto, compressor on and don’t have any problems with fogging.

It’s almost like the compressor/ evap won’t engage, and the air isn’t being “conditioned” - just cabin air being heated via the heater core then being blown through the cabin with humans breathing - which increases humidity and leads to fogging.

Ive also noticed this to be a problem on longer trips as well. Shorter trips like 45 to an hour this is not a problem, it’s only when I’ve been driving for more than an hour.

So the only thing I can possibly do is to invest in a quality activated carbon filter? Even then I’m very sensitive to smells and I highly doubt that the filter can fully remove all unpleasant smells from the environment.

Honestly, it seems like something is broken. However if I press the defrost button, it opens the vent, puts the fan speed to max. But then we’re back at square 1 with unpleasant smells invading the cabin.