How Hot Can Your Car Get in the Sun? (And How to Keep It Cool)

Sunny days may be ideal for beach outings and picnics, but they can turn your parked car into a dangerous oven. Understanding how hot your vehicle can get in direct sunlight—and how quickly—is crucial for safety and comfort.

Whether you’re commuting, running errands, or heading out for a road trip, knowing the risks of overheated cars and how to protect your interior can save you from discomfort—or worse.

How Hot Does a Car Get in the Sun?

Even on a seemingly mild day, your car’s cabin can heat up rapidly. On an 80°F (27°C) day, the interior temperature of a parked car can climb to 109°F (43°C) in just 20 minutes—and up to 118°F (48°C) in 40 minutes. On hotter days, interior temperatures can easily exceed 130°F (54°C) or more.

Even with outside temperatures as low as 70°F (21°C), your car’s interior can become dangerously hot in under an hour. These extreme conditions pose serious risks to pets, children, and even healthy adults.

Why Is It So Dangerous?

A car parked in the sun acts like a greenhouse. Sunlight enters through the windows as visible light and is absorbed by the seats, dashboard, and floor. This light is converted into infrared radiation (heat), which gets trapped inside because it can’t escape as easily.

Dark-colored interiors absorb more heat, causing the temperature to rise faster. The result? A scorching, potentially life-threatening environment inside your vehicle.

The Dangers of Leaving Pets and People in a Hot Car

Never leave pets, children, or elderly passengers in a parked car—even for a few minutes. Inside car temperatures can become fatal in under 10 minutes.

Why it’s so dangerous:

• For pets: Dogs and cats can’t sweat like humans. They overheat quickly and are at high risk of heatstroke.
• For humans: High temperatures can lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and impaired judgment—dangerous while driving.

Tips to Keep Your Car Cool in the Sun

While avoiding the sun completely isn’t always possible, here are smart tips to help reduce heat buildup inside your car:

• Park in the shade: Choose shaded areas or park under trees whenever possible.
• Use reflective sunshades: Sunshades on your windshield reflect sunlight and lower interior temperatures.
• Crack the windows slightly: Allow airflow, but not enough to invite theft.
• Tint your windows: Tinted windows can block UV and infrared rays. Always check your local window tinting laws.
• Use light-colored seat covers: These reflect more sunlight than dark fabrics, keeping seats cooler.
• Protect your steering wheel: Turn the wheel 180 degrees before exiting to keep the top from heating up.
• Cover seats and dashboards: Place a light blanket or towel on hot surfaces to reduce heat absorption.

Schedule an AC Tune-Up with Cheema Auto

Even with all these precautions, your air conditioning system plays a key role in keeping your vehicle cool and comfortable. If your AC isn’t working efficiently, it could leave you and your passengers sweating.

At Cheema Auto, our expert AC repair and tune-up services ensure your car stays cool even on the hottest summer days. Don’t wait until you’re stuck in traffic with a broken AC. Visit your nearest Cheema Auto center and schedule your AC tune-up today.

Stay Cool. Drive Safe. Never Leave Anyone Behind.

Extreme heat can turn your car into a health hazard within minutes. With proper maintenance and a few protective habits, you can beat the heat and drive in comfort all summer long.