How to Cool a Scorching Car Safely

Overview

• Coverage on Saturday, June 27, 2026 stressed that parked cars in direct sun can reach extreme interior temperatures and that heat inside a vehicle reduces driver performance and is linked to more accidents.
• Safety guidance converges on a simple sequence: open doors or windows briefly to expel trapped hot air, start the engine and the AC on recirculation with high fan speed, then switch to fresh air after initial cooling.
• Experts advise limiting how much cooler the cabin is than outside to roughly 5–6°C to avoid circulatory strain and cold-like symptoms, and they warn never to leave children or animals unattended in hot cars.
• A physics-based 'door trick' popularized by Prof. Hannah Fry can speed air exchange by creating a transient pressure flow, but it works best when outside air is cooler than the cabin and can be awkward or hard on door hardware in practice.
• Drivers should weigh energy and maintenance trade-offs: AC use raises fuel or battery consumption, short trips (about 5 km or less) may be more efficient with windows open, and AC systems need periodic service and refrigerant top-ups costing roughly €100.