Tips to Keep Your Parked Car Cool During Summer
Most of us relish the long hot days of summer and all of the outdoor activities we can enjoy. If it gets too hot, you can always go for a drive with the air conditioning or climate control turned down low to keep you cool. But one of the downsides of scorching weather is getting into your car after it’s been parked in the sun for a few hours.
Your car’s interior can feel like an oven, and you’ll be met with several potential hazards. Scalding leather seats, a steering wheel and gear shift that are too hot to handle, and blistering hot seatbelt buckles are just a few of the discomforts. But why does the interior get so hot, and what can you do to keep your parked car cooler in the summer? Try following these simple tips for a more comfortable ride. View our new inventory today, or If you have any questions give us a call at (817) 663-7404.
The Greenhouse Effect Heats Your Car’s Cabin
The interior of your car gets so much hotter than the outside temperature because of the greenhouse effect. The sun’s thermal rays enter through the windows and the heat gets trapped inside, causing the temperature to increase rapidly.
According to a study, during a hot, sunny day, a car’s interior will be 40 degrees Fahrenheit higher on average than the outside temperature. That’s why it’s extremely dangerous to leave children or pets in a car on a hot day.
Park in a Garage
It might sound obvious, but when you’re at home, parking your car in your garage is the best way to keep your car cool. Even if you’ll be going out again in a while, your car will stay cooler in the garage than under the hot sun. It will also be protected from theft and harsh weather that can damage your paintwork.
When you park in the city, try to find a public garage rather than leaving your car on the street or in an open parking lot. Even if it costs a little more, you’ll be grateful when you return to a cool car.
Find a Shady Parking Spot
If you can’t use a garage, try to find a parking spot in the shade of a building or under some trees. Even it means walking a little farther, it’ll be worth the extra effort. However, bear in mind that if you’re leaving the car for a few hours, it might not still be in the shade when you get back.
Use Sunshades
While sunshades don’t do much for your car’s appearance, they certainly help to keep the interior temperature down. A windshield visor’s reflective coating stops the sun’s rays from coming through and also helps protect plastic surfaces from sun damage. For even more shade, you can put a similar visor in the rear window.
Sunshades can also be used for side windows. Visors and shades come in many different designs to match your car, and you can get custom models that offer a precise fit. Car manufacturers such as Mazda offer high-quality interior accessories, such as windshield sunscreens.
Tint the Windows
Window tints are an effective way of keeping your car cooler. High-quality tints allow plenty of light in, but they block the sun’s thermal rays and damaging UV rays. The laws on tinted windows vary widely across the U.S. so even if the tint is legal in your state, they might get you a ticket if you travel out of state. In Texas, for example, side window tints must have a light transmission of more than 35% and a luminous reflectance of less than 35%.
Cover Up Interior Surfaces
If you don’t like the idea of window shades or tints, try covering the interior surfaces that get the hottest. A good quality dashboard cover should provide a good fit and prevent the vinyl from cracking. Use towels or blankets to cover the steering wheel, gear shift, and other parts you need to touch. If you have leather or vinyl seats cover them with a blanket to avoid burned legs. Alternatively, consider using fabric seat covers throughout the summer months.
Keep Your Windows Open a Crack
Keeping your windows and sunroof open a crack is a good way to enable some airflow and prevent so much heat from building up. However, only leave your windows open in a safe area with plenty of people or in view of security cameras. Thieves are always on the prowl, so make sure that even a small arm won’t fit through the crack. You might also want to check that no sudden rainstorms are in the forecast.
Invest in a Solar-Powered Fan
Solar-powered fans can be attached to your front or rear side windows. They help to draw in cooler air from the outside and push the hot air out from the inside. Using two fans on opposite sides of the car increases the airflow to bring the temperature down even more. It’s worth investing in decent quality fans as cheaper ones can be ineffective. You can buy higher-powered and more reliable models with a large dash-mounted solar panel.
Cool Your Car Before Getting In
If you haven’t used the above methods and your car is stifling hot, an easy method of cooling the interior is to use the driver’s door as a fan to push the heat out. Simply open the passenger side window and move the driver’s door forward and backward 10 times or so. It might sound crazy, but it works.
Mazda Connected Services
With select Mazda models, Mazda Connected Services and the available MyMazda app enable you to use your smartphone to unlock your vehicle’s doors and start the engine remotely. The interior temperature will come down to the previously set level before you even get in the vehicle, ensuring a cool and comfortable start to each journey.
Follow these tips from Hiley Mazda of Fort Worth and you can get into your car without burning any body parts. Do you have any suggestions that we’ve missed for cooling your car down in the hottest months? We’d love to hear from you, so share your ideas with us.
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