A method of forming a superhydrophobic layer on a motor vehicle heat exchanger housing includes the steps of flowing a precursor gas of a mixture of heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl, trimethoxysilane (HTMS) and a carrier gas into a reaction chamber and depositing the superhydrophobic layer on the motor vehicle heat exchanger housing by chemical vapor deposition. A heat exchanger having a heat exchanger housing with a superhydrophobic layer made by the chemical vapor deposition method is also disclosed.