Assuming your air conditioning doesn't work, how can you get the interior of your car to cool down?
Especially in traffic jams, where the car isn't moving very quickly.
I tried the the usual stuff:
The opening and closing of the doors makes sure the air gets pushed and pulled out of the car. On a hot day, most of the heat forms by getting trapped inside your car. So when the cars inside air gets to be the same temperature as the outside air, the temperature has dropped a few degrees.
As to cooling it down even more, dangle icecubes in small bags in front of your blower exhausts.
If the AC is gone and your stuck in traffic there is really no good way to keep the car cooler outside of keeping the windows open.
However the way to have a car as cool as possible is to keep the car cooler when you are parked. Park in the shade if possible. Leave windows cracked, or open if your car is in a safe place and use a solar shield in the windshield.
Window tinting also helps to keep the car cooler, however window tinting often has local regulations about how dark it can be.
A couple of options to just cool yourself, and not the whole vehicle:
If you have a converter, there's really no need to work around not having an air conditioner in your car, as long as you can run a fan you can make your own air conditioner.
Basically what you want to do is take two different-sized containers (one has to fit inside the other). In the larger container you want to cut out a hole in the top so that you can set the fan on it and have air blowing into the container., and a few small holes in the side so that air can escape.
Then, you take the smaller container, and fill it with ice. Simply place the container with ice into the larger container, then set the fan on top and turn it on. The fan will blow air over the ice which cools it, and the air will escape out the sides of the container.
Carry a spray bottle of water. When you first get in, spray it on dash, seats, steering wheel, & other too-hot-to-touch parts. Then when you get hot while driving, spray it on yourself.
I've been combining these two techniques for years. The car shade stops your car from turning into a greenhouse and it keeps UV light from damaging your dashboard. I use it even in winter.
The rain guards mean you can habitually crack the windows without worrying about the forecast. They let any heat that does build up vent naturally and it makes the fact that your windows are cracked less visible. Makes me feel a little more secure.
Even on the hottest days I've never been uncomfortable getting in the car so long as I remembered to use these. They certainly beat my old hack of rolling down the windows and driving like a maniac until the AC kicked in.
Best way is to get the powerful 12V electronic Car use Cooling fan. I have the Abovetek two heads car air fan from https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010CESJTC, it works so well to quickly blow away the hot air from summer parking car. Two heads are 360 degree rotatable so it helps to cool you down and at the same time cool your pet down, isn't cool. The cord is long enough so you can put the fan at the arm rest area to cover both front seat and back seat, FYI.
Try hacking your car with some white paint! White objects reflect light, while black and other colors tend to absorb most of the light. During the summer, when the sun is out, your car can heat up a lot. The more light it absorbs, the more energy (and consequently heat) is contained in the car. This can make it rather unpleasant to be in dark car. White cars will generally stay cooler than other kinds.
If you're just now buying a car, consider buying one pre-hacked. Most car companies will sell you a white or light-colored car. If you can't do this, most automotive maintenance shops will repaint your car. You can do it yourself if you know what you're doing, but keep in mind that water based or latex paints aren't recommended on metal surfaces; the easiest way to paint your own car is with specialized auto paint or spray paint.
Dark colored car fans might despair, since this can't be used in conjunction with the "Dirt and other marks are basically invisible on a black car" hack. But there is an option which preserves the best of both worlds. If you really can't part with your dark-colored car, consider investing in a light-colored tarp and sticking it in your trunk during summer months. The tarp should be large enough to cover the car completely. When you need to park in a spot that isn't completely covered, put the tarp over your car. You may see even better results with this "white tarp" method than with the "white paint" hack, but the tarp will take some effort to find and may cost on the order of 10-20 USD. Also note that there are some specially made "car covers" which are just tarps designed specifically for this purpose, so you might want to look into that, though they might cost a bit more than the equivalent-sized tarp would.
