Problem

It gets too hot in the passenger compartment.

   First and foremost, make sure this flap can open completely so you get adequate fresh air. (Many CX-owners drive around with this locked in half open position without knowing it, and then they complain that the CX has such a poor ventilation system… :(

   The CX can become very hot inside in the summer if the outdoor temperature is high. This is mainly due to large glass surfaces, and heat coming in through the bulkhead and floor.
   So you may want to heat/noise insulate the torpedo wall and the floor, the passenger compartment will then also keep the heat better in winter. And you can add 8mm fireproof felt inside the roof, and on the Berline also glue the same on the wall between the trunk and the passenger compartment. When it comes to glass surfaces you can put window socks on the rear doors, and the Berline can have a blind in the rear window.


Starting the trip

• When you are entering a very hot car it is best to set up all the doors for a few minutes first, on the Break also the tailgate.
• While fanning out, turn on the ignition (diesel engine: turn the key anti-clockwise slightly again so the glowing plugs switch off) and set the fan speed to full. Then you will get rid of the red-hot air inside the ventilation system so it does not blow quite as hot when you start driving.
• If the steering wheel and gear knob still are too hot, use gloves.
• Keep floor mats (and maybe also the headrests) lying in the freezer (in a plastic bag). Then they will function as a cooler when you start your trip.

Parking in hot sunshine

• Park in the shade when you can. But remember that the shade move, so when you return to the car it might stand in the sun (if you have miscalculated;).
• If you must park in the sun, set the car so the sun is in the area 3 – 6 o'clock.
• You can cover your windshield, or possibly all windows with heat reflective matting.
• Take down all the sun visors (if you have not covered the windows).
• You can take all the side windows down slightly (approx. half cm). But not if you can get dust or smoke into the car.
• NOTE! NEVER leave children or pets in a parked car, even for a short time!

   On a very hot summer day it is a big difference between starting driving in a car that has been left in a cool garage, and one that has been standing in the sun. Both will stay long at the temperature they had in the first place, because all the surfaces inside the passenger compartment will give away cold/heat. (You can image putting an ice cube or red-hot coal in a small thermobag and leave it open. They will determine the air temperature in the bag for a long time, even if the air in the bag is constantly being replaced.)

   Solar powered fan to hook on the inside of a side window. It should in theory remove hot air from the passenger compartment when the vehicle is parked in the sun, but works probably rather more like ventilation, making the air in the the passenger compartment a little fresher. It does not reduce the heat noticeably.
   On the Break that have a large compartment you may well hook up two fans.
   Remember that it is easier to break into the car with such fan installed, because there are gaps on the windows.
   A much better alternative would be to mount one or two solar powered battery chargers on the dashboard and connect them to the ventilation fan with a 5-pin relay. (The fan then is powered from the battery/alternator when the ignition is on, and from the battery chargers when the ignition is off.)
   Remember that it is not wise to suck air into the car if the air contains smoke or dust.