1360 Business Highway 96 South Silsbee, TX 77656 409-385-0409
Big Tex

7 Ways to Keep Your Parked Car Cool

Hot Parked Car - Silsbee Motor Co


Did you know interior vehicle temperatures can reach upwards of 134°F on an 86°F day? When it’s already hot outside, the last thing you want to do is get into a scorching car and wait for it to cool down. Follow these seven tips to keep your car cooler while parked!

Park in the Shade

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it is one of the easiest ways to keep your car cooler while parked. When out running errands, look for parking spots shaded by trees or a covered parking structure. If these aren’t available, park facing away from the sun so that the driver’s side isn’t in direct sunlight.

At home, park in the garage or under a carport, if possible. Not only will this keep your car cooler, but it will also keep it looking newer – the less sun exposure to your car interior, the better.

Use a Windshield Visor

This is the most effective method of keeping your car cool. Put up a windshield visor every time you’re leaving your car for more than a few minutes. For optimal coolness, fit a visor to your rear window as well. You can also invest in window vent visors – tinted plastic visors that keep individual passenger windows shaded.

Ventilate Your Car

Don’t let the hot air settle in your car. While we don’t suggest rolling the windows all the way down, cracking the windows will go a long way toward keeping air moving while parked. Just make sure the opening is smaller than the width of a hand and arm!

Let Your Car Cool Before Getting In

Leave the doors open for a minute to let most of the hot air out before getting in. You can also turn on the air conditioning to full blast, shut all the doors and give your car a few minutes to cool down before driving. This is ideal for cars with a remote starter.

Cover the Steering Wheel With a Towel

It’s hard to maintain optimal control of your vehicle when your steering wheel is burning your hands. Oven mitts don’t make good driving gloves, so put a light-colored towel over your steering wheel before leaving the car instead. This will protect it from excess heat and save your hands when you’re ready to drive again. If you’re looking for a more permanent solution, try a fabric steering wheel cover.

Cover the Seats and Dashboard

Nothing is worse than getting into a car with a leather or vinyl interior during the summer. Cover seats with towels when not in use so they can soak up the extra heat. Remove the towels when you are ready to drive for cooler seats.

Though you’re less likely to scald yourself on the dashboard, it’s a good idea to cover it with a towel or windshield visor to protect it from additional sun exposure. This will also keep your car cooler and prevent drying and cracking.

Invest in Tech

Combined with cracked windows, a solar-powered fan will keep air circulating or expel hot air from the car. Constant circulation will lower the overall temperature of the car interior.

Broken A/C? Leave It to Silsbee Motor Company

We all know Texas summers are unbearably hot – don’t let your broken A/C leave you sweating! Whether you’re facing an easy fix or larger mechanical problems, Silsbee Motor Company’s service department offers the best automotive services to our customers. If your current car isn’t up to the task of a Texas summer, check out our inventory of new and certified pre-owned vehicles!

Give us a call at 409-385-0409 or contact us online today!

7 Ways to Keep Your Parked Car Cool

Hot Parked Car - Silsbee Motor Co


Did you know interior vehicle temperatures can reach upwards of 134°F on an 86°F day? When it’s already hot outside, the last thing you want to do is get into a scorching car and wait for it to cool down. Follow these seven tips to keep your car cooler while parked!

Park in the Shade

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it is one of the easiest ways to keep your car cooler while parked. When out running errands, look for parking spots shaded by trees or a covered parking structure. If these aren’t available, park facing away from the sun so that the driver’s side isn’t in direct sunlight.

At home, park in the garage or under a carport, if possible. Not only will this keep your car cooler, but it will also keep it looking newer – the less sun exposure to your car interior, the better.

Use a Windshield Visor

This is the most effective method of keeping your car cool. Put up a windshield visor every time you’re leaving your car for more than a few minutes. For optimal coolness, fit a visor to your rear window as well. You can also invest in window vent visors – tinted plastic visors that keep individual passenger windows shaded.

Ventilate Your Car

Don’t let the hot air settle in your car. While we don’t suggest rolling the windows all the way down, cracking the windows will go a long way toward keeping air moving while parked. Just make sure the opening is smaller than the width of a hand and arm!

Let Your Car Cool Before Getting In

Leave the doors open for a minute to let most of the hot air out before getting in. You can also turn on the air conditioning to full blast, shut all the doors and give your car a few minutes to cool down before driving. This is ideal for cars with a remote starter.

Cover the Steering Wheel With a Towel

It’s hard to maintain optimal control of your vehicle when your steering wheel is burning your hands. Oven mitts don’t make good driving gloves, so put a light-colored towel over your steering wheel before leaving the car instead. This will protect it from excess heat and save your hands when you’re ready to drive again. If you’re looking for a more permanent solution, try a fabric steering wheel cover.

Cover the Seats and Dashboard

Nothing is worse than getting into a car with a leather or vinyl interior during the summer. Cover seats with towels when not in use so they can soak up the extra heat. Remove the towels when you are ready to drive for cooler seats.

Though you’re less likely to scald yourself on the dashboard, it’s a good idea to cover it with a towel or windshield visor to protect it from additional sun exposure. This will also keep your car cooler and prevent drying and cracking.

Invest in Tech

Combined with cracked windows, a solar-powered fan will keep air circulating or expel hot air from the car. Constant circulation will lower the overall temperature of the car interior.

Broken A/C? Leave It to Silsbee Motor Company

We all know Texas summers are unbearably hot – don’t let your broken A/C leave you sweating! Whether you’re facing an easy fix or larger mechanical problems, Silsbee Motor Company’s service department offers the best automotive services to our customers. If your current car isn’t up to the task of a Texas summer, check out our inventory of new and certified pre-owned vehicles!

Give us a call at 409-385-0409 or contact us online today!

Text Us