Struggling with the heatwave and keeping your Mercedes cool? Check out our top 10 tips for staying cool on the road.

We’ve got a lot of tips on keeping your car cool while it’s parked, when you’re on the move and keeping yourself cool in the car but have rounded up our top ten for you below.

Best Ways to Keep Cool on the Road This Summer

1. Park Somewhere Shady

Firstly, if you know a hot day is expected tomorrow or you are parking your vehicle for a few hours on a hot day then you should look for a shady spot to keep your car.

If you have a garage, then we recommend using that while at home as this not only has the advantage of overhead shade no matter where the sun is in the sky but also a door than can close to keep the warm air out.

2. Use a Windscreen Cover

If you’re not able to park in the shade or are parked outside and expect the shade to move with the sun then a windscreen cover is a great investment. You can pick one up relatively cheaply and simply cover the windscreen to keep the front interior of the vehicle sun free, stopping the car from filling with hot air and the seats, dash and other touchpoints cool to touch.

You can get screen covers that go outside or inside of the vehicle so you can choose the best option for you.

3. Get Tinted Windows

A more permanent solution is to have the vehicle windows tinted. You are not allowed to have the windscreen tinted at all and only a very slight tint on the front side windows. However, you can have a stronger tint on your rear windows which can keep your passengers cool when on the road as well as reducing the chance of it heating up while parked.

4. Cover Up Your Leather

A lot of Mercedes have a leather or partial leather interior and this can get very hot when sat in direct sunlight. If you are unable to park in the shade or are concerned about the sun moving around the vehicle then we recommend covering the leather of your seat to prevent it from becoming too hot and potentially burning you. This can be as simple as leaving a jumper or throwing a blanket over the seat.

5. Wipe Down Hot Points

It’s not just the leather that can heat up but your interior door handles, steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake may also get hot to the touch. We advise checking the temperature of these before setting off to make sure you don’t get a sudden temperature shock whilst on the move. You can use a cleaning wipe or damp cloth to wipe over these touch points a few times to lower their temperature.

6. Fan the Interior

If your car is full of hot stuffy air then the best way to clear this out of the car and bring the temperature closer to the outside temperature is to open the windows, or doors if possible on both sides of the car and then fan the air through by fanning the door fully open and almost closed.

This can be a quick way to reduce the vehicle temperature so that it’s cool enough for you to get into the car and then use the air conditioning or breeze from the open windows.

7. Air Conditioning

If your car has air conditioning then use this. There may be an additional button you need to press in order to activate the air conditioning system and not just the general temperature control.

You’ll want to start by letting it draw air from the outside into the vehicle and then once the temperature is at a cool level you can push the button which allows you to retain the air and simply recycle it through the car to keep the lower temperature.

A trick to getting the car to cool quickly is to switch the air conditioning over to the lower vents, so the ones directed to the foot wells. Hot air rises and so by using the lower vents you’ll be able to more quickly bring the overall temperature down in the vehicle.

8. Use Sunscreen

You might not think you can get sunburnt while in a car, but the truth is you can! Car windows will not protect you from the sun’s UV rays so even if you keep the windows up and your arm inside the vehicle you will

want to protect your skin from sunburn if you are going on a long journey.

9. Keep Water to Hand

We recommend keeping at least one bottle of water in the car for emergencies anyway but when travelling on a hot day we think it’s important to take a chilled bottle with you in the car to help keep you cool and prevent you from getting dehydrated. If you’re travelling with passengers and are going to be in the car for a while then we recommend carrying a bottle for each of you.

10. Take Regular Breaks

When you are on a long trip in hot weather it’s important that you take regular breaks. You will usually be drinking more fluids in hot weather which means you’re more likely to need a bathroom break. Additionally, the heat can make you feel more lethargic and sleepy which is dangerous when driving so you will want to get out of the vehicle and stretch your legs and wake yourself up a little.

For more helpful tips head back to our articles or check out our Mercedes lease deals for your next lease car.