Can a new car be exposed to sunlight?

[AmeliaAnn]

New cars can be exposed to sunlight, but it's best to avoid prolonged exposure. Excessive sunlight increases harmful gases inside the car: While sunlight exposure can eliminate odors like formaldehyde and other harmful gases in the car, it can also produce a large amount of gases in a short period, which are difficult to dissipate. Therefore, remember to ventilate the car while it's exposed to sunlight. Excessive sunlight increases safety hazards: Items such as compressed gas containers, lithium batteries, lighters commonly used by men, moisturizing sprays frequently used by women, cooling sprays often used in summer, and power banks are prone to explosion or combustion under high temperatures. These items are best stored in the glove compartment or other areas of the car that avoid direct sunlight, and ideally, they should not be left in the car at all. Excessive sunlight can cause spontaneous combustion: Prolonged exposure to sunlight can raise the temperature of the entire car, potentially leading to spontaneous combustion.

[VonKinsley]

I'm in the car modification business, and the boss specifically mentioned this when I picked up the car. Prolonged exposure to sunlight can really damage the car's paint. UV rays cause the clear coat on the surface of the paint to oxidize and turn yellow, especially noticeable on white cars, which can develop a yellowish tint. The interior is even more vulnerable; for example, plastic parts on the dashboard may crack within half a year, and leather seats can become stiff and fade after sun exposure. Once at a repair shop, I saw a car that had been exposed to the sun for three years—all the sealing strips had hardened and cracked, making a creaking sound when the door was opened. It's advisable to park in the shade whenever possible. If that's not an option, applying sun-protective car wax twice a week can help. The fluorine-containing sun-protective wax available on Taobao works quite well; it costs around a hundred yuan per can and lasts about six months. Oh, and don't forget the dashboard sunshade—it's just a few bucks and can protect the central control screen from aging.

[DelCassidy]

Last week during my service at the 4S shop, the technician talked to me about summer car care. If a new car is parked under the sun every day, the plastic dashboard under the windshield is particularly prone to warping and edge lifting—my neighbor’s car cost over 800 yuan to fix this. Rubber components like wiper blades and door seals are most vulnerable to sun exposure; once hardened, they won’t wipe clean in the rain and may even leak. Nowadays, I’ve made it a habit to lift the wipers at noon to reduce the blades’ contact with the hot glass. Spending over 200 yuan on a panoramic sunroof sunshade was totally worth it—it lowers the cabin temperature by at least 10 degrees, otherwise, the leather seats would be too hot to sit on. When there’s no space in the underground garage, I use an aluminum foil windshield cover, which reflects sunlight exceptionally well.

[DeCharlie]

Our auto repair class teacher explained the chain reaction of prolonged sun exposure. The ultraviolet rays in sunlight break down the plasticizers in interior plastics, causing the dashboard to become brittle and crack—which is minor—but the released benzene compounds are the real danger. Last year, a certain brand issued a recall because formaldehyde levels tripled after sun exposure. Infotainment systems require extra attention, as high temperatures can halve the lifespan of LCD screens. My dashcam manual states an operating temperature limit of 60°C, yet the dashboard easily hits 70°C in summer. The solution is simple: applying high-quality thermal insulation film to all four windows reduces cabin temperature by 6-8°C compared to bare windows, with side windows benefiting from dark-tinted UV-blocking variants. Also, avoid blasting the AC immediately—ventilate by opening windows for two minutes before cooling for optimal efficiency.