The heat is your car is considered essential for the winter, as it prevents freezing while driving. However, the car heat could stop working for a variety of reasons, at drastically different price points. 

If you don’t have the funds, or an Auto Extended Warranty, to pay for this procedure, then you might have to go without for a little while. 

When the heat from the engine alone isn’t enough, there are a plethora of options. While it is not ideal, there are things that can be done to make the experience a little better. 

What Can Keep You Warm?

If your car heater is not working, then you are going to need a few things to keep you warm in the instance that you can’t afford the fix. Remember, staying warm in the Winter is essential for survival, even if you are in a vehicle. 

• Winter Apparel
• Heated Car Seat Cover
• Blankets (Preferably Heated)
• Electric Car Portable Heater
• Heating Pads
• An Auto Extended Warranty

These should be good in order to keep you warm while driving. Pairing a few of these items together yield the best results, but one of these items individually will be able to keep you warm enough for the drive. 

Winter Apparel

Basic winter apparel, such as jackets, gloves, and winter boots, are designed to keep you warm in colder climates. If you have a high tolerance for cold temperatures, having the basics might keep you warm enough for a short excursion, but not a long road trip. 

However, remember that having gloves on while driving might make it hard to grip the wheel. It is recommended to get gloves with grips on them for better traction, or invest in a heated steering wheel cover so that you don’t need gloves. 

Heated Car Seat Cover

While this will cost money if you don’t already have one, it is a good investment. This will ensure that you stay warm without compromising your ability to drive. 

Most also come with several measures of heat, so it will be customizable for your needs. Those who are sensitive to the heat can have a lower setting than those who like it hot. 

The only downfall to this would be the wires that it tends to come with. A heated seat cover generally needs to be plugged into your car in order to work. This means that the wires can get all tangled in the process of trying to plug it in. 

It is also not recommended to keep these items plugged in, as it could drain your battery. Some cars, when they turn off, don’t turn off the power to the plug, which drains the battery if anything is left plugged in.

Heated Blankets

This will also cost a pretty penny when it comes to having it, but it could be worth it. A heated blanket works like the seat cover in many ways, but it helps to cover the top of your body, instead of underneath. 

The only hazard that can come from a heated blanket for cars would be with the pedals. You would need to be wary as to how far down the blanket is on your legs. If the blanket is too long it has a possibility of getting caught up on the pedals. 

Not only will this cause some issues with trying to untangle, but if it is not untangled, it could cause some severe driving issues. Much like having a bottle or can stop your brakes from working, the blanket can do the same. 

While normal blankets can be used as car blankets, it won’t do as much for you in regards to keeping you warm. However, it will do the trick if you don’t have the money to spend on a good heated blanket.

Electric Car Heater

There are electric portable car heaters on the market that work like space heaters. They plug into your car and allow for heat to circulate around your vehicle. This is recommended more for pick-up trucks, as it has a smaller area to have to heat up. 

This is not to say that it is not possible for an auto car heater to heat up a larger area, but it might not work as effectively. If you have a larger area for passengers, you may have to combine this with one or more of the other options for the best results. 

An electric heater for your car can also have some flammable warnings that should come with it. Depending on where you put the plug in car heater, it can cause melting of fabric, or a fire. Be sure to place it on an non-flammable surface, or mount it somewhere safe. 

Heating Pads

Heating pads are nice to place on the bottom part of your seat. While this warms up less of your body than a traditional seat heater, it will ensure that there are no complications when it comes to driving. 

If you get a battery operated heating pad for a car, it will yield the best results, as there are no wires to have to play with in order to get your item to work properly. 

An Auto Extended Warranty

With an Auto Extended Warranty, you are able to get the help that you need, without a penny more than needed. 

DriveSmart Warranty makes sure that you never have to worry about having money to pay for wear and tear. That heater that you have a problem with could be fixed and paid for in full if you had a DriveSmart Extended Auto Warranty.

With a Extended Warranty through DriveSmart, you will not only be taken care of if any issues arise, but you also have a lot of extras to use if you need to. These extras include Tow, Rental, and Roadside Assistance. They even offer Trip Interruption!

Check out all of the cool things that come with a DriveSmart Auto Extended Vehicle Warranty, and find out why you should have one before you need one. 

Blog By Brooke Lazar