Summer heat? Here’s how to keep your car and occupants cool during a long vacation drive
Air conditioning on during long vacation drive?
Air conditioning is your best friend during a long vacation drive on hot days. Yet many people misuse it. Start your car, open the windows briefly and let the hot air escape before turning on the air conditioning. Only after a few minutes turn on the recirculation mode. This circulates the cooled air instead of constantly drawing warm outside air in.
And don’t put that air conditioner on “polar bear” mode. The temperature difference between inside and outside should not be too great – five to seven degrees difference is ideal. Is it 33 degrees outside? Then 26 degrees in the car is fine.
Keep the heat out
Sun shades are not just something for old cars without air conditioning. Modern awnings, window stickers or custom-made screens for side windows and the rear window block a surprising amount of heat. In addition, if possible, park your car in the shade. If necessary, under an overpass or along the edge of a forest.
Parked? Here’s how to avoid an oven
A stationary car turns into a sauna in no time. A sunshade on the dashboard already helps somewhat, but a silver one on the outside works better than one on the inside. Even more effective are special covers for your entire windshield or even your entire car. That may look strange, but your interior stays a lot cooler. Tip: Leave the windows open at a mini-split when parked (if safe). This allows warm air to escape and keeps the temperature inside more bearable.
Clothing and drink
Sounds like an open door, but light, breathable clothing works wonders. And: make sure you have plenty of water on board. Don’t put bottles in the sun, but keep them in a cooler bag or under the seat. Avoid energy drinks or coffee: caffeine actually dehydrates you. For children (and pets!), never leave them in a parked car. Not even for five minutes. The temperature rises at lightning speed and can become life-threatening.
Gadgets that really help
There are a surprising number of accessories that make life more pleasant during summer car trips:
- Fan at 12V – Blows fresh air in your face if the air conditioner doesn’t get everywhere equally well.
- Seat ventilation pad – A kind of sweat wicking mat with ventilation for your seat.
- USB fridge – Small, but just enough to keep bottles of water or a pack of juice cool.
Also handy: a spray with atomized water vapor. Just a puff in your face and you feel human again.
Driving tips
During extreme heat, you can adjust your driving style. Avoid traffic jams in the middle of the day and try to seek out the coolest times of the day: early in the morning or later in the evening. Plan your breaks in places with shade and take time to really cool off – literally and figuratively.
Need to sit in a traffic jam anyway? Put the air conditioner on “auto” and stay calm. Avoid starting and stopping the engine every meter of progress. The engine and A/C will have to restart each time, generating extra heat under the hood.
Vacation trip maintenance tip
Before your summer vacation, have your coolant level checked to make sure it is still at the proper level. Too little coolant can cause the engine to overheat on long trips and high temperatures. Also pay attention to the operation of the air conditioner itself. Does it no longer get really cold in the car? Then refilling refrigerant is often the solution.