10 Creative Ways to Stay Warm in a Car That has No Heat
Updated: Feb. 27, 2023
If you don't have heat in your car and the temperatures drop, you could be in for a very uncomfortable ride. Here are 10 ways to combat the cold in your car.
Start Your Vehicle Early
Even if your car doesn’t have heat, if you start up your car a solid 10 to 15 minutes before you plan on getting in, the engine will add heat under the hood and with the fan turned on it will warm up the inside of the vehicle by a few degrees.
Purchase a Small Heater
A portable heater for your car is going to save you this winter. This dashboard heater plugs into your car’s power socket, directing heat to the front, top and all around the car, thanks to the high-powered fan, as well as two strategically placed vents that will target both the windshield and the inside of the car.
Use a Windshield Cover
A windshield cover keeps snow and ice off of your windshield and provides some insulation. This cover has magnetic edges that make it easy to put on and take off.
Try a Heated Travel Mug
That hot cup of coffee is ideal when you first get in your car, but if you don’t have heat, it will cool off very quickly. Keep your drink and your hands warm with a heated travel mug. This stainless steel cup plugs into your car’s power socket and maintains a temperature of 140° F.
Buy a Plug-In Seat Warmer
Just because your car isn’t fancy enough to have built-in seat warmers (along with not having heat!), doesn’t mean you can’t have a warm seat. Purchase an after-market seat cover to help thaw out and warm up you and your car while you drive.
Install a Block Heater
If you install a block heater on your engine, which plugs into a household outlet, it will warm your engine as well as vital fluids, despite the frigid temps. The block heater will both help the engine components work better while also heating up the engine more quickly and helping to warm up the passenger compartment.
Purchase a Heated Hat
According to Harvard Health, there’s little subcutaneous fat for insulation in the head. “As a result, even if the rest of your body is nicely wrapped up, if your head is uncovered you’ll lose lots of body heat — potentially up to 50% of it — in certain cold-weather conditions.” If a regular hat isn’t cutting it, upgrade to an electric one!
Keep Wool Blankets in the Car
If you need an extra layer despite being bundled up, be sure you have blankets in your car. Wool is a good insulating fabric because it traps air.
Get a Steering Wheel Warmer
You need your hands to drive, but when hot air isn’t blowing out from your car’s vents, they’re likely to get very stiff and cold. Plug this steering wheel warmer into your car’s power socket. It will then automatically release a temperature of 95° F to 113° F to warm up your hands.
Stash Disposable Heating Packets
Keep some single-use, disposable hand and feet warming packets in your car for unexpected col weather if you don’t have heat in your car.
