Slideshow: Keeping You and Your Car Cool This Summer

If you're parked

When you get into the car after having been parked in the hot sun you're naturally going to drop the windows and crank the A/C. Okay, I have a question for you, how many of you have also opened the door and fanned it repeatedly as well? The trick to this one is that first you should turn on the air conditioning and direct the vents to blow downwards. Heat rises to the top and this will get the process going so that you can get rid of it faster.  

While on the road

So you're already driving and it's getting a little toasty in the cabin you say. Well, the thing with air conditioning is that if it isn't used in the most effective manner then it will take longer than you'd like for your interior to reach a comfortable temperature. To maximize the car's cooling turn the air conditioning on full blast and drop your back windows for 10 to 20 seconds. This will push the hot air out as the cool air rushes out of the vents. Once you are satisfied with the temperature then you should switch the cooling system to recirculating air to maintain the setting.

>>Join the conversation about staying cool in the summer right here in the AudiWorld Forum.

Being proactive

There are a few things that you can do to ensure that you are proactive about keeping things cool for your vehicular buddy. The first is parking in the shade to not only keep the interior cool but to also prolong the life of the exterior paint. Can't find a shady spot in the lot? Then throw a sunshade in the windows. These UV heat shields will protect the interior from the damaging effects of the sun and will keep the cabin from becoming the third circle of hell. For best results, we recommend getting a custom-made sunscreen that is designed just for your make and model of vehicle. These custom shades are more effective at keeping harmful rays out due to their fitment. 

>>Join the conversation about staying cool in the summer right here in the AudiWorld Forum.

It burns!!!

Have you ever gotten into your car while wearing something that showed off your lovely legs only to feel the sting of searing hot leather against your skin? For this reason, you might consider covering the seats with towels or purchasing cloth seat covers to help keep cool during the warmer months. For those of us with cars that have ventilated seats which circulate air around your backside then you are in good shape. For the rest of us, we're gonna have to get a little creative with literally saving our skin. 

>>Join the conversation about staying cool in the summer right here in the AudiWorld Forum.

The phone... is dead

And what happens now that you are good to go but your phone, being safely dash mounted, gets a little too much heat and goes into limp mode as to save itself from damage? Well, we've got you covered on this one also because you can head over to Phoozy to get a sleeve or "capsule" for smartphones. This astronaut looking sleeve is the creation of Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Champion Kevin Conway who, like all of us, got sick of having his phone die on him from overheating in extreme temperatures. The sleeve has a Chromium thermal barrier shell that reflects 90% of the sun's energy. The Phoozy is heated protected up to 200F and coldproof down to -20F. You'll be especially glad you have this if you're using your phone to give you directions to somewhere you've never been to before and it suddenly shuts down. 

>>Join the conversation about staying cool in the summer right here in the AudiWorld Forum.

Running hot is so not hot

If you're out on a long trip or stuck in traffic then you would be wise to glance over at the temperature gauge every so often. Keeping an eye on where the needle is and making sure it is always pointed in the middle is a good way to make sure things continue on smoothly. If it starts to go hot then turn on the heat and look to pull over as soon as possible. I know that it sounds crazy but turning on the heat will pull hot air from the engine compartment and will gain you some precious time. Once safely on the side of the road turn off the engine and allow the car to cool down. 

If you need to add engine coolant then make sure it is a 50/50 mix of coolant and water. If not then you will need to mix it yourself before adding it to your vehicle. NEVER add engine coolant to a hot engine. Let things cool down before removing the cap and adding coolant. 

Even if your engine coolant is at the right level, it will eventually get dirty and need to be flushed. Most mechanics recommend this ever 40,000 miles to make sure that the fluid and clean. Here is our how-to guide on getting that one done in case you are due.

For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.