Tom

Tom,

Q My car is very hot during the summer months. When I get in it I burn my

legs. What can I do to cool it off?

Sandra—Biloxi,  Mississippi

Sandra,

A It just so happens I have written about this very subject for AOL Autos,

so here’s the rundown on keeping your car cool this summer from the Sultan
of Cool:

• The most obvious thing we can do to keep the car cool is park in the shade.
  If there is no shade, try to park so that the sun comes in the back window.
  At least that way the front dash, steering wheel, and seats don’t get as hot.
  A friend of mine keeps a white towel in her car and throws it over the dash
  and steering wheel. The white reflects the light and helps reduce the heat
  somewhat. Another technique I’ve used is to crack the windows about a
  half-inch to allow some airflow. And finally, use side vent shades on the
  backseat windows; they keep the sun off the backseat, keeping occupants
  cool.


• Turn on the air conditioner and open your windows a couple of inches as
  soon as you get into the car. Some people think they have to run the car for
  a while to warm up the engine before turning on the air conditioning. No
  truth to this. Start the car, open the windows, and turn the air conditioning
  on high. This will efficiently lower the interior temperatures because the
  cool air produced will displace the hot air, pushing it out the windows. As
  soon as it’s cooled off, close the windows.


• Shield the windshield: A car sitting in a parking lot all day can reach
  temperatures well over 100° F. There are several companies that make
  windshield covers that block out the sun’s rays. Not only do they lower
  interior temperatures, but they also stop the UV rays from damaging
  dashboards and fading fabrics.
  If you want to spend the bucks and really lower interior temperatures,