Beat the heat wave: How to keep your car cool at 50 degrees

The country is currently in the middle of a heat wave. In fact, North, Central and parts of West India bore the brunt, with temperatures soaring to 50 degrees Celsius in the national capital, among other places – videos of water being poured on steel wheels and instantly evaporating went viral, showcasing just how hot it was.

Without further ado, here’s what you need to know to beat the heat, and it starts with keeping your car, and you, as cool as possible.

Keeping the car cool

1. Keep your car hydrated: Along with making sure your radiator is topped up with coolant, having your engine, brake and transmission oils at optimum levels will ensure your car keeps cool.

2. Top-up the gas: Naturally, the air-conditioning needs to be in ship-shape, so servicing should be done periodically. Cleaning out the vents and pipes, making sure the fan is in good nick, and topping up the AC gas will help ensure a cool cabin.

2. Pay attention to pressure: Make sure that your tyre pressures are correct for your car, and ensure they are checked in the shade before driving. When it’s hot or after having been driven, the air in your tyre will expand, and it may seem like your pressures are too high. However, do not let the air out of the tyre as underinflation causes the sidewall to flex more, generating heat that could leading to a blowout, espcially on an old tyre where the rubber is weak or brittle.

4. Seek out shade: As much as possible, find a covered parking spot or a one that offers some sort of shade for your car as the cabin can get quite hot under direct sunlight, especially if you’ve opted for leatherette upholstery. A car cover should also help with this. Do remember to close any and all window and sunroof shades, but leave the windows open just an inch for cross ventilation.

5. Pre-cool your cabin: If you’ve parked in a less than ideal spot, be careful stepping in as the seat, steering, gear knob and other bits may be quite hot. If your car has a remote AC (like some Hyundais, Kias, Marutis and more) or a rapid cooling system (seen on Tatas), remember to use them.

6. Letting it air out: Once the car has started up, have the windows down while the AC system is running to start with, to allow the hot air to escape. Don't have the fan speed set to max as that will burden the system. Have the air vents pointed directly at you, use the cooled seats (if available), and only switch the AC back into recirculation mode after a while.

Keeping yourself cool

1. Keep hydrated: Even if you’re out for a short journey, make sure there is water or some other hydrating liquid on you; this does not include fizzy drinks or energy drinks.

2. Shelter from the sun: Bright sunlight can cause visibility issues, especially when it glints off other metallic surfaces. Every car today comes with movable sunshades and sunroof blinds, which can help block direct sunlight to you. Using sunglasses, especially those with polarised lenses that cut down on glare, will also help with this.

3. Stay calm: Getting hot and bothered by traffic or any other situation while on the road will increase your body temperature. Always remember to try and keep calm, and carry on. 

Also see:

Monsoon tyre care and driving tips

Top tips for riding a bike in the summer

8 tips for charging your EV on a long road trip in India