Does exposing a car to high temperatures have any impact?

[DanielLee]

Exposing a car to high temperatures has significant negative effects. Effects of prolonged exposure to sunlight: It damages the car paint, accelerating the aging of the paint surface. Additionally, the window seals will also age faster, leading to poor sealing and potential water leakage. Prolonged exposure can cause the interior to emit toxic gases. Materials such as leather, fabric, composite materials, and rubber in the interior can release harmful gases like formaldehyde, benzene, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons after being exposed to sunlight. Parking precautions: When safety is confirmed, leave a 2-3 cm gap in each of the four windows to allow air circulation inside the car, effectively dispersing harmful gases. This can also reduce the heat inside the car. Using sunshades can effectively protect the vehicle's interior from sunlight and UV damage.

[OReese]

Last time my black car was parked at the airport for a whole week under the sun, and I almost burned my hands on the steering wheel when retrieving it. Dark-colored paint heats up exceptionally fast under intense sunlight—dashboard temperatures can soar to 70°C, causing plastic components to age rapidly. The air vent knobs in my car have cracked twice from sun exposure. Tires suffer badly too: heat-expanded tire pressure softens sidewalls, especially in older tires prone to bulging. My neighbor’s windshield tint helps somewhat, but I’ve heard prolonged exposure can harden the sealing strips around the glass edges, leading to leaks. Now in summer, I always cover at least the windshield with a car shade when parked.

[JulietteLynn]

Once when I took my child out, I noticed an unusually strong leather smell in the car. The auto repair technician mentioned that high temperatures accelerate the release of formaldehyde and TVOCs from interior materials. Now I leave a window slightly open for ventilation after parking, but I'm still concerned about the plastic parts of the infant car seat. The surface temperature of leather seats after sun exposure can reach 55°C, which not only risks skin burns but also causes the leather to crack over time. A colleague's car air freshener exploded due to the heat, leaving the dashboard in a sticky mess. The most troublesome issue is the car's infotainment system crashing significantly more often—the chips really can't handle prolonged high-temperature environments.

[Anderson]

My old car once failed to start after being exposed to intense sunlight, and the inspection revealed that the battery plates were deformed. The mechanic said that lead-acid batteries have their lifespan directly halved in 45°C environments, with electrolyte evaporating particularly quickly. Now in summer, I have to check the battery fluid level every month. The air conditioning compressor also bears a heavy load, and I spent 2000 yuan replacing it last year. Rubber parts age faster, with wiper blades needing replacement every three months, and door seals already cracked. Tire pressure can increase by 0.3bar after each exposure to sunlight, so I now deflate them to the standard value.

[OArabella]

With gas prices so high, I've realized that parking in the sun is quite costly—gasoline evaporates more rapidly from the fuel tank in high temperatures. Last week when I opened the fuel cap, I clearly felt air pressure, and the mechanic said the charcoal canister was saturated. A can of hairspray I left in the car exploded from the heat, leaving white spots all over the ceiling. Even my phone on the wireless charging pad overheated and shut down. Now I always park in the shade and use a sunshade on the windshield. The most surprising thing was the battery in my car key—it died after just six months of exposure to the sun. If I turn on the AC immediately after the car has been baking in the sun, fuel consumption is about 15% higher than usual.

[Adelyn]

EV owners fear extreme heat the most, as the battery system starts limiting power once temperatures exceed 40°C. Last fast-charging session triggered an overheat protection warning, extending charging time by half an hour beyond estimate. The central touchscreen has overheated and crashed twice - now I always remotely activate AC via smartphone before driving. Tire wear has accelerated noticeably, with OEM tires developing cracks at just 40,000 km. Interior rattles have increased too, especially thermal expansion noises from the B-pillar. Interestingly, I once discovered the panoramic sunroof's UV blocking rate drops by 10% after prolonged sun exposure - a detail most owners overlook.