How to cool your car's interior quickly

There are several ways to prevent your car's interior from turning into an oven during the summer heatwave.

Some examples? Parking out of the sun, using a windshield visor, closing the sunroof visor, leaving windows slightly ajar and covering dark leather seats with light-coloured sheets are just a few. And don't forget to have your air conditioner checked and serviced immediately if you notice that it's running less efficiently.

Now, what do you do if you've forgotten these various tips and find your car with a scorching hot interior? Don't panic, here's a series of steps you can take to cool it down quickly...

First, roll down the windows on one side, then shake a door on the other side a few times to create ventilation that will help expel some of the hot air.

Then activate the air conditioner, setting it to the lowest temperature. If it has a "Max A/C" function, use it. Since the air outside the car is probably cooler than the air inside, press the button that lets outside air into the cabin.

Keep all windows down, as the air conditioner will take a few moments to become effective. Direct the air-conditioning downwards so that the warm air rises and exits through the windows.

You can start driving, still with the windows open, to maximize ventilation. When the air leaving the air conditioner is cooler, close the windows and, very importantly, press the air recirculation button. This will prevent the warmer outside air from spoiling your efforts.

Adjust the air vents and fan speed as required, then select the cabin temperature that suits you (in the case of an automatic air conditioner).

Another advantage of the air recirculation button is that, in periods of smog, such as the forest fires raging in Quebec, it can limit certain harmful effects when air quality is poor. Even fuel consumption can be improved!