Should You Leave the Windows Slightly Open When Parking Outdoors in Summer?
3 Answers
In summer, you can leave a small gap in the car window when parking, mainly to reduce the temperature inside the car. The specific reasons are as follows: High outdoor temperatures: During summer, outdoor temperatures are relatively high. If the car's air conditioning is not turned on, the temperature inside the car can rise rapidly. Keeping the car windows tightly closed will cause the interior temperature to increase quickly. Therefore, leaving a small gap in the windows when parking can effectively lower the temperature inside the car. Opening windows for ventilation: Leaving a gap in the windows during summer is primarily for ventilation. A closed car cabin can become much hotter than the outdoor temperature. Given the already high summer temperatures, after parking for a while during the day, the car can become unbearably hot. However, if the windows are not completely closed when parking, air can circulate inside the car. This ensures that when you return to the car, the interior temperature is closer to the outdoor temperature, making it less uncomfortably hot. Additionally, turning on the air conditioning to cool down the car will be more efficient.
Every summer when I park my car, I’m used to leaving a small gap in the window for ventilation, which effectively helps lower the temperature inside. A car parked outdoors under the sun can easily exceed 60°C, and leaving a 2-3 cm gap allows some heat to escape. This is especially important for cars with leather seats, as high temperatures can cause the leather to crack and age—venting helps slow this down. However, be mindful of theft; it’s best to park in a monitored area. I usually only crack the rear windows slightly. If it suddenly rains, there’s no need to worry too much—the small gap lets in only a limited amount of water, which the floor mats can absorb. For parking over four hours, leaving the windows cracked is definitely more comfortable than keeping them fully closed.
As someone who has lived in the south for a long time, I deeply understand the importance of parking with windows slightly open in summer. High temperatures not only make getting into the car uncomfortable but also accelerate the aging of plastic components inside the vehicle, potentially causing the dashboard to warp or crack. It's recommended to leave a small gap in the rear windows in safe areas to create an air convection channel. Using a front windshield sunshade in combination can be even more effective, directly reducing the temperature by about 10 degrees. However, always keep an eye on the weather—never leave windows open during typhoon conditions. Nowadays, many cars come with remote ventilation features, which are actually safer and smarter than opening windows. If security is a concern, setting the sunroof to ventilation mode before parking is also a good alternative.
