Sometimes the hottest part of an RV trip isn’t the RV at all. RVers looking for ways to cool a tow vehicle faster during summer travel know how quickly a truck cab can turn into an oven. The same can be said for that toad car.
A recent article from Southern Living looked at ways drivers can cool down a scorching-hot vehicle faster in summer. While the piece focused mostly on everyday cars, RVers may understand the problem better than just about anybody.
Fuel stop. Grocery run. Campground office. Scenic overlook. Every stop during summer travel can mean climbing back into a vehicle that’s been sitting in the sun slowly turning into an oven.
And in places like Arizona, Nevada, west Texas and parts of inland California, it doesn’t take long.
Anyone who’s grabbed a super-heated steering wheel or accidentally brushed a bare leg against a sunbaked seat already knows how miserable that can get. Large windshields on heavy-duty pickups and motorhomes only add to the greenhouse effect.
A lot of us jump in, slam the doors, crank the A/C to Max and hope for the best. Problem is, all that trapped oven-hot air is still sitting inside the cab.
The Southern Living article points to something many longtime desert travelers already practice: Get the hottest air out first.
That can mean opening doors for a few seconds before getting in, rolling the windows down briefly once you start moving, or running outside-air mode at first before eventually switching over to recirculate.
The idea is simple. If the inside air already feels like a blast furnace, the A/C system has to fight all that trapped heat before things start getting comfortable again.
Why RVers notice this more
RVers may deal with this problem more often than most travelers simply because they stop more often.
Tow vehicles sit in direct sunlight during campground check-ins, fuel stops, restaurant breaks and sightseeing detours. Then everybody piles back in and expects instant relief.
For folks towing travel trailers or fifth wheels, the truck cab may stay occupied for hours at a stretch during summer travel days. If the cooling system takes forever to catch up after every stop, driver fatigue can creep in pretty quickly.
Motorhome owners get their own version of the problem. Big Class A windshields can turn the cockpit into a solar collector while parked. And older dash air systems sometimes struggle to cool all that glass and interior space after sitting in full sun.
That’s one reason experienced RVers often become almost religious about windshield shades.
Little things that can help
Nobody’s claiming a few tricks will magically turn a truck cab into a meat locker during a 108-degree afternoon in Quartzsite or Needles. But small habits really can make a difference over a long summer travel day.
Among the ideas RVers commonly swear by:
- Put up reflective windshield shades whenever possible.
- Crack windows slightly where safe and practical.
- Vent the hottest air out before switching to recirculate mode.
- Toss a towel over the steering wheel when parked.
- Cover leather or vinyl seats sitting in direct sun.
- Drive briefly with windows partly down before sealing the cab up tight.
- Keep electronics, medications and heat-sensitive gear out of the vehicle whenever possible.
And, of course, never leave pets inside a parked vehicle during hot weather, even for a short stop.
The funny part is that many RVers spend a lot of time worrying about keeping the RV cool, while the real blast furnace is often parked right outside the door.
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RVT1263b
Thank you for sharing these tips, Russ and Tina. DW grew up with family vehicles parked outside, often in full sun, when not in use. Alternately, we had a garage in which our car was parked when not in use. So, she religiously implements many of your suggestions. Have a great day and safe travels!
On my particularGM product(2015) and probably many other makes too, there is a feature that will open all the power operated windows from the remote key fob. You hold down the unlock button and all the windows lower.
I use this while walking toward the truck.
Maybe be careful with the Reflectix in the front window. Used that on my Silverado and after a couple years, the build-up of heat at the top of the windshield contributed to the headliner cloth beginning to break loose from the foam backer.
It probably should have stated don’t leave children and pets in the car…
Really, don’t leave anyone in a hot car, including physically challenged adults.