During the summer, the heat can be so intense that the temperature inside a vehicle can skyrocket. Since we usually turn on the air conditioner when we get in the car, it’s easy to become less aware of the extreme temperatures outside. However, because the weather is so hot, paying extra attention to maintaining your vehicle’s interior during the summer is essential.
The inside temperature can rise to anywhere between 158°F and 176°F
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At the peak of summer, a car parked under the scorching sun can see its interior temperature rise to a staggering 158-176°F ( 70-80°C). This intense heat can be surprisingly dangerous, so it’s essential to be cautious about what you leave inside the car. Items left carelessly inside can turn into ticking time bombs, ready to explode at any moment.
Portable power banks
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If a battery is exposed to temperatures above its heat tolerance for an extended period, it can explode. This is particularly true for lithium-ion batteries, which begin to overheat at around 158-194°F (70-90°C ). If not cooled down during this overheating phase, the battery can explode, potentially leading to a fire. Therefore, it is best not to leave devices with batteries inside your car, such as laptops, smartphones, or portable fans.
Hand sanitizer
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Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have habitually kept hand sanitizer in their cars. While hand sanitizers made with ethanol aren’t as flammable as batteries, they can still pose a risk. When the car’s interior temperature rises, the sanitizer’s ethanol can vaporize, causing the container to swell and potentially burst. Given that ethanol is a flammable substance, if the car is filled with ethanol vapor and someone lights a cigarette inside, there’s a real danger of the car exploding.
Plastic bottles
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It’s common to leave a partially consumed water bottle in the car. However, when sunlight passes through the curved surface of the bottle, it can act as a magnifying glass, focusing the light on a single point and potentially starting a fire. Even if a fire doesn’t occur, the heat can cause microplastics or harmful chemicals, like endocrine disruptors, to leach into the water. Therefore, avoiding plastic bottles with water or other beverages in the car is best.
Sunglasses
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During the summer, many people wear sunglasses while driving to shield their eyes from the bright sunlight. However, it’s common to leave sunglasses in the car after frequent use without placing them in a case or storage compartment. When the lenses are exposed to high temperatures, the coating can crack, causing the sunglasses to lose their UV protection. This happens because most lenses are made of materials like plastic or glass, which are heat-sensitive. At around 158°F (70°C), cracks can begin to form in the coating within 5 to 10 minutes, and after about 20 minutes, these cracks become more pronounced.
Lighters
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As mentioned earlier, a car’s interior temperature can reach up to 212°F (100°C) during the summer, making it unsafe to leave flammable items inside. Lighters and spray cans can become sources of explosions or fires in such conditions. If these items explode, nearby combustible materials like paper or tissues can easily catch fire. Therefore, keeping your car clean and free of flammable materials is important to minimize the fire risk.
Medicines and cosmetics
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Medications and cosmetics can alter their ingredients when exposed to intense direct sunlight. For medications, this is particularly dangerous because any change in the composition could produce toxic substances, making them potentially harmful if consumed. Therefore, it’s crucial to store medications away from direct sunlight. Similarly, cosmetics can melt, degrade, or discolor under high temperatures. If used in this altered state, they could cause severe skin reactions. Keeping medications and cosmetics in a cool, shaded place is important to avoid such risks.
Various credit cards
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You might occasionally leave your credit card or other payment cards in your car, but exposure to direct sunlight can damage the IC chip and magnetic strip, leading to malfunctions. To avoid this issue, make sure to adjust the card’s position or avoid leaving it in direct sunlight for extended periods. Keeping your cards in a shaded or covered area helps protect them from potential damage.
Car maintenance products
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Many people store waxes and coatings used to maintain the interior and exterior of their vehicles inside the car. However, these products can undergo chemical reactions at high temperatures, leading to the risk of explosion. Prolonged exposure to heat can also cause these substances to degrade, making them unusable. If these products are kept in plastic containers, the containers can warp or melt in extreme heat, creating further hazards. To ensure safety and preserve the effectiveness of these products, it is crucial to store them in a cool, temperature-controlled environment, away from the inside of a hot car.
How to lower the internal temperature of your vehicle?
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To lower the temperature inside your vehicle, you can try several effective methods. First, covering the dashboard is a good option. The dashboard receives a significant amount of sunlight, making it one of the hottest spots inside the car. By covering it with a towel or a dedicated cover, you can reduce direct exposure to sunlight, lowering the temperature. If the rear of the car is particularly hot, you can open one car door and then repeatedly open and close the opposite door. This helps circulate the vehicle’s air, gradually lowering the internal temperature.
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