Hello Paul, my steering wheel sometimes gets extremely hot after parking in the sun, making it almost too hot to touch. Could this extreme heat damage the steering wheel material or affect the airbag inside? What is the most effective way to protect the interior from heat without incurring excessive costs on tinting? Stella
Hello Stella, the challenges of parking your car in our tropical sunshine are shared by many motorists who do not park under sheltered car parking lots. When your car is parked in the open under direct sunshine, the steering usually becomes extremely hot and is likely to be damaged. Here are a couple of reasons why: The dark polyurethane or plastic materials that are used to compose the steering wheel usually absorb and retain a lot of heat.
This is worsened by the heat buildup in the cabin, which can be as high as 70 degrees centigrade. When you leave your car steering exposed to this sort of heat for a long time, the materials used to make the steering begin to degrade or get damaged. If your steering is made of plastic or urethane synthetic materials, they will become sticky, warped, and lose their colour.
A steering wheel made of rubber materials will change texture or appearance and lose grip. The airbag, on the other hand, is not likely to get damaged unless the steering cover develops cracks.
The airbag is designed to withstand far more severe temperature conditions than the steering wheel itself can.
There are cost-effective ways you can protect the interior of your cabin from heat, which tends to damage the steering and dashboard. Park your car carefully and thoughtfully.
Avoid parking while facing the sun; rather, park facing away from its glare. This simple step will protect both the dashboard and steering wheel from the most intense heat.
You can also find a shade from nearby buildings, trees, or structures, or keep moving the car to positions where the sun is less intense throughout the day. Additionally, you can fit a light fabric, a lint-free steering wheel cover, or just cover the steering wheel and dashboard with a light towel or cloth.
By doing this, you can avoid expensive window or windscreen tinting solutions while still keeping your steering wheel, dashboard, and interior safe from heat damage.
Park smart
Find shade: Always park in a garage or shaded area whenever possible.
Use sunshades: A reflective sunshade on the windshield dramatically reduces interior heat.
Cover up: Use a car cover or place seat covers to protect your interior from UV rays and sun damage.
Crack windows: If it is safe to do so, leaving windows slightly open can help hot air escape.