The horrors of parking your car in the baking sun all day.
You didn't intentionally park it in the sun of course, but then the sun is prone to doing that, moving.
Chasing round the sky all day blighting your initial (if ill thought-out) plans to shade your car - it's not even worth thinking about the state of the emergency Mars bar you have in the glove box.
Fear not, there are solutions - follow our no-sweat guide to cooling down your hot car's interior.
How to cool down a hot car
1. Fan the interior
Open both the windows on one side of the car, then ‘fan’ the interior by swinging a door on the opposite side back and forth.
Providing you're not worried about potentially looking a bit weird, repeat this open-close motion at least three times to help expel the hot air.
Leave the sunroof shut if the car is parked outside in sunlight, though.
2. Switch on the air conditioning, correctly
Captain state-the-obvious has arrived, but just in case you didn't already know...
Start the engine and switch the air conditioning to its coldest setting.
If your car offers the option, select the ‘external’ air setting (the symbol on the switch usually shows an arrow entering the car), rather than air recirculation (a circular arrow).
The air outside the car will be cooler at this point. Open all remaining windows, as the air-con system will take a few minutes to become effective.
READ MORE: Parking guide: can you ever park on double yellows?
3. Use the lower air vents
Heat rises, so it makes sense to blast the cooler, air-conditioned air into the footwells, forcing the hot air already inside the car upwards and out of the open windows.
Shut off the upper vents on the dashboard and at the base of the windscreen so that the full flow of air into the car is directed upwards.
4. Keep the windows open
Start driving, but keep the car windows open for a minute or two to let all the hot air escape, do this until the air from the vents feels cooler than the outside temperature.
Unfortunately most people's commutes involve sitting in traffic, which won’t help air circulation. If traffic is a persistent issue, we strongly recommend investing in a flying car...
5. Close the windows and switch to recirculated air
Once the air conditioning is blowing cold, close all the windows and switch to (pre-cooled) recirculated air.
You can now open the upper air vents and adjust the flow as required.
More advanced ‘climate control’ air-conditioning systems allow you to set and maintain a constant temperature within the car.
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How to prevent your car getting hot in the first place
1. Park away from direct sunlight
Parking in the shade – perhaps under a tree or canopy – is one easy way to prevent your car heating up. If you have a garage, then use it. It will keep your car cool, clean and secure.
2. Use a windscreen sunshade
A windscreen sunshade keeps the sun’s rays away from your car interior – especially the touch-points, such as the steering wheel and gear lever. They are available from most car accessory shops; simply tuck the shade behind the sun visors when you park the car.
3. Leave windows (slightly) open
Leaving your windows slightly open allows air to circulate through the car – particularly as the hot air inside rises. However, if your car is parked outdoors, we don’t advise leaving more than a couple of centimetres gap between the top of the window and the door frame. You don’t want a potential thief to be able to reach inside. Likewise, activate your alarm while the car is parked.
MORE ADVICE: Is it illegal for someone else to park on your driveway?
4. Cover your seats
Most modern car cabins are blacker than a coal mine, and that’s bad news for keeping cool. Leather seats, in particular, can get uncomfortably hot and sticky – and may degrade and crack if regularly exposed to heat. Fitting light-coloured seat covers is one solution, or you could opt for lighter upholstery in the first place. As a temporary measure, a towel spread over the seat will help keep you cool.
5. Wipe down hot surfaces
On very hot days, the interior door handles, steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake may become painfully hot to touch. Wiping them over with a damp cloth will remedy this.
6. Keep the air-con maintained
Keeping the air conditioning system maintained is vital for cooling your car quickly and effectively. The refrigerant gas will usually become depleted over time, and belts may need tightening or replacing. Consult your car handbook and stick to the service schedule.
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