Little known button keeps car cool in hot weather and saves on fuel

With the summer fast approaching, the heating in your car can be abandoned for the air-con. But there’s one little-known button that can help keep your car cooler and save you fuel.

Taking to TikTok, a driving expert from the Virtual Driving Instructor pointed to the recirculating air button on their car, which they said is a "life-saver on a scorcher of a day". He explained: "When you press this button, it stops any air from outside coming through these vents, circulating the air inside the cabin." Pressing both the air conditioning and recirculating air buttons can be really helpful, as they "keep all the cool air inside the cabin".

The driving expert added: "This is going to help you not sweat your a** off inside the car, which usually ends up steaming up the inside of the car, making your windows all misty."

However, if you don't have the air conditioning button turned on, you won't want to have the other button turned on either.

According to the expert, this will just cause "lukewarm air" to circulate, making the inside of the car warm and steaming up the windows. If this is the case, your "only real option is to have the windows cracked down," the expert explained.

It turns out many people had no idea what the button was for, with one person saying: "I have been driving for 20 years and finally understand what that button is for."

A spokesperson from Eden Tyres previously warned that the air circulation button should be turned off during the winter when it's cold outside.

They added: "The air-recirculation button is best to use alongside your AC during warm weather. During cooler weather, it doesn’t have many benefits and can even be detrimental.

"Some drivers think it makes sense not to have ‘all that cold air coming in’ if they are using heaters in winter. However, it’s best to have your air recirculation turned off."

This is because when it’s cold outside, recirculating air can trap moisture inside, causing your windshield and windows to fog.