Protect Your Dash & Deck From the Summer Sun

• CoverKing Suede Rear Deck Cover
• Carhartt Dash Cover
• Camo Dashboard Covers
• Dash Designs Silver Shield Sun Shade
• WeatherTech TechShade Sun Shade
• QuikSnap Car Side Window Sun Shade
• Window Tint Kit
• Covercraft Car Cover

Keep That Vehicle Dash From Fading & Cracking

It’s that time again! School’s out, and the mercury is climbing. All these hot, sunny days can really take a toll on the interior of you vehicle, especially on the two main flat surfaces in the front and rear—the dashboard and rear deck. After months and years of UV exposure, the materials in your dashboard and rear deck can warp, fade and crack. This kind of damage is not just unsightly; extreme cases can alter the shape of your dash, compromising window seals and delicate electronic systems like speakers, leaving you with a massive repair bill and costing you resale value.

Most drivers assume that parking under a tree or using a sunshade is enough to keep the damage at bay. While those strategies might help, they can’t protect your rear deck and dashboard from the constant UV exposure while driving. And, let’s face it, not every parking spot is shaded. So, break out the SPF 50 and put on your sunglasses. Let’s look at how NAPA can help you safeguard your dashboard and rear deck from the summer sun!

The Best Dashboard Covers & Rear Deck Covers

Also known as the instrument panel, your dashboard houses all the dials, gauges and digital readouts that inform you of the vehicle’s engine condition and performance. In most sedans, the rear deck sits directly below the rear window and houses the seat belts and rear brake light hardware. Together, these two interior components absorb the most UV rays throughout the life of a vehicle.

So, if you’re wondering how to prevent warping, fading or buckling of your dashboard, it’s time to look into some serious sun protection. The first line of defense are reliable covers for your dashboard and rear deck. The best dashboard covers and rear deck covers should meet a few crucial standards:

1. Protects against UV damage. Yes, a dashboard and rear deck cover should look great and even express your personality like these popular Camo Dashboard Covers, but they should also reliably block UV rays.

• Minimizes glare. The reflected surface of your dashboard and rear deck in the windshield and rear window can compromise the ability to navigate traffic ahead and in your rearview mirror. It’s a common issue, and the best prevention is a reliable cover like the CoverKing Suede Rear Deck Cover.
• Fits your ride. If your dashboard cover doesn’t fit right, bunches up or slides around, you’re left with gaps in coverage, and eventually, that means damage. Application-specific dash mats like the premium-looking Coverking Molded Dash Cover and the rugged reliability of the Carhartt Limited Edition Dash Cover ensure you’re protected side-to-side, front-to-back.

How to Get the Best Car Interior Protection

Your dashboard and rear deck aren’t the only interior components that get blasted by the summer sun. If you’ve ever opened your car door on a sunny summer day and felt like you’re getting into an oven, you were not wrong. In certain climates, interior surface temperatures can skyrocket, deteriorating the chemical compounds used on your seats and console and posing a burn risk to skin. Let’s take a look at some of the options for best car interior protection.

The obvious answer is a reliable, reflective sunshade system like the Dash Designs Silver Shield Sun Shade to keep those blazing rays out of your windshield. Because the sun can get into your vehicle at almost any angle, it is a mistake to stop your sun protection at the windshield. The WeatherTech TechShade Sun Shade system features application-specific, totally opaque sun shades, which fit snugly into each window in your vehicle.

What about keeping the sun out of your ride while you’re driving? Even with the A/C at full blast, staying cool while driving for long distances in the summer sun is sometimes difficult. Premium modern vehicles like the BMW 7 Series were designed with transparent electronic roller sunshades to keep the sun out of your interior on long summer road trips. If you don’t have a BMW, don’t worry! Stay cool and maintain visibility with the QuikSnap Car Side Window Sun Shade. A great-looking semi-permanent solution is a Vehicle Window Tint Kit! NAPAonline offers a wide range of tint shades so you can customize the level of tint to what works for your ride. And, when it’s time to park your vehicle long-term or outside of a garage or shaded area, it’s always a good idea to use an application-specific car cover like the Weathershield HP Car Cover from Covercraft.

This summer, let NAPA help you beat the heat on your dashboard, rear deck and seat! Now, NAPA offers even more savings on all your summer driving necessities when you sign up for NAPA Rewards. Join the program now to earn points on all your automotive parts, maintenance products, garage tools and customized accessories. You’ll earn 1 Point for every $1 you spend. Collect 100 points and automatically get $5 off your next order. Best of all, there’s no card to carry or key fob to flash. Your NAPA Rewards membership is part of your NAPAonline account so you can track your them online. Sign up today and save!