Tips for cooling down a hot car

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What are some ways you guys quickly cool down a car that's been sitting out in a hot parking lot? I have a black leather interior and it absorbs heat like nobody's business. What I do:

- Find a shaded spot
- Use a windshield sun visor
- Leave the windows cracked
- Drive with the windows down for a few blocks to let the hot air escape
- Wait a few moments before blasting the A/C to avoid getting hot air in my face
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: mclasser
What are some ways you guys quickly cool down a car that's been sitting out in a hot parking lot? I have a black leather interior and it absorbs heat like nobody's business. What I do:

- Find a shaded spot
- Use a windshield sun visor
- Leave the windows cracked
- Drive with the windows down for a few blocks to let the hot air escape
- Wait a few moments before blasting the A/C to avoid getting hot air in my face
I do exactly this, and it gets 115+ here!

I turn on my A/C on outside air (not recirculate) and roll the right rear window down about an inch for a few miles, it pushes the hot air out. Then I roll it up and put it on recirculate.

Or when I go start my car and let it run for a bit with the A/C on I crack the rear window and put the A/C on outside air. If you go walk to that window and out your hand over it its blasting hot air out of it.

I also let it idle in parking lots with the A/C on, I just lock the doors with my 2nd key I carry with me.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I also let it idle in parking lots with the A/C on

But...but...what about the environment and the birds and snails!?
 
I try to find a shaded spot if possible, use a sun visor in the front windshield, leave the rear and side window shades up, and I set the timer so my car vents itself before I plan to come back out to the car.
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I have vent visors (side window deflectors) from Weathertech. I like this brand because, at least on my car, they fit into the window channel providing a cleaner look. They are one of the better investments I've made for the car. I usually leave all the side windows cracked about an inch spring through fall. The visors help hide that the windows are cracked open (when parking in an unsecure area, I will roll the windows full up). I never worry about rain entering the car. Those late afternoon summer showers, where everybody runs to their cars to close their windows don't bother me. The main thing is that the car doesn't heat up so darn hot. It still gets hot, but not like-an-oven hot. And come to think of it my interior has held up nicely over the 16 years I've had the car.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: mclasser
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I also let it idle in parking lots with the A/C on

But...but...what about the environment and the birds and snails!?
The snails are already cooked out in our heat, and the birds have a full belly.

4lh79v.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: mclasser
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I also let it idle in parking lots with the A/C on

But...but...what about the environment and the birds and snails!?
The snails are already cooked out in our heat, and the birds have a full belly.

4lh79v.jpg



LOL You're actually helping the environment, and eliminate the potential risk of extinction to that species of bird.
 
Nick is that a Phoenix street scene ? Oiseaux argentine tag. Anyway what kind of bird is that? As for snails, with enough garlic butter and wine, you can make anything taste great. Buying a white car with a white interior. Shade, lotsa shade
grin2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: mclasser
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I also let it idle in parking lots with the A/C on

But...but...what about the environment and the birds and snails!?

Snails are an invasive species and don't belong here in America.

One thing you can do to keep it cooler is make sure the recirc button is set to fresh (NOT recirc) before turing off the ignition. This also keeps it smelling fresher by letting the condensation on the evaporator dry off easier.

And use sun shades also in the back window.
 
Is it your Honda? They have some secret feature on the key fob that will put all the windows down. Google it.
 
Sounds like you got it made Mclasser. I will just elaborate on your last idea in the OP.

Drive around the block with just the vent on. Then, put the compressor on. That way it will probably work better.
 
Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
Drive around the block with just the vent on. Then, put the compressor on. That way it will probably work better.


Can you explain how that would be better than having the compressor running and cooling the air?
 
The factory program on the Chrysler is perfect. Start the car on a stunningly hot day like yesterday (97 degrees with HIGH humidity) and it pauses for like 3 seconds then shoots cooled outside air into the cabin. After a minute or two it switches to recirculate and really goes crazy.

Same idea works great in our other cars and trucks. Start off on outside air (cooled, of course!) and then switch to recirculate for maximum chill...
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
Drive around the block with just the vent on. Then, put the compressor on. That way it will probably work better.


Can you explain how that would be better than having the compressor running and cooling the air?



No.



But I would guess it would be like why an economy car gets hot inside while idling in summer at redlights.
 
Originally Posted By: mclasser
What are some ways you guys quickly cool down a car that's been sitting out in a hot parking lot? I have a black leather interior and it absorbs heat like nobody's business. What I do:

- Find a shaded spot
- Use a windshield sun visor
- Leave the windows cracked
- Drive with the windows down for a few blocks to let the hot air escape
- Wait a few moments before blasting the A/C to avoid getting hot air in my face

You've pretty much got it, though you can get a good tint all around, and put up a sunshade in the rear window too.

People ask why I park half a block away to get some shade. "Keeps the car cooler," I say. "But you gotta walk all the way across the hot parking lot!" "Yeah -- but I cool off a lot quicker than the interior of my car does."
 
Most days I'll put up a sun shade and crack the windows. Then I roll them all the way down and drive home. I just prefer outdoors. If it's in the upper 90s I might turn the AC on and go, generally alternating between fresh and recirc. (if midday between meetings, run the air...)

I used to never use the A/C, as a matter of preference. As I'm getting older, it's getting a little harder to handle the higher temps.

I don't run the A/C with the car/truck unattended. It pollutes enough just driving the thing. No sense in adding more.

That said, I drink a lot of water, and when it's really hot take off the nice shirt for the drive home.
 
Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
But I would guess it would be like why an economy car gets hot inside while idling in summer at redlights.


Please explain.
 
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