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Best Carbon Monoxide Detector For Your Car: Help Prevent Poisoning And Death

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GXG-1987

Back in 2019, Ford warned owners of specific Explorer SUV models (built 2010-2018) that carbon monoxide (CO) could be leaking into their vehicles’ cabins. The danger is that CO is an odorless and colorless gas that can cause severe impairment in drivers and even death.

The company took charge of righting the problem, but for many people, this issue highlights safety concerns most of us probably never even consider with our cars. Is your vehicle leaking CO? It’s worth your safety (and that of your passengers) to find out by investing in a reliable vehicle carbon monoxide detector.

Article Overview

Best Carbon Monoxide Detector For Your Car

We’ve chosen the best carbon monoxide detector for car interiors based on accuracy, features, pricing, and other factors.

Note: Quick readings of low levels are vital for a car’s small, enclosed interior. Most home CO detectors only alarm after an hour at higher levels.

Sensorcon Inspector Review

Sensorcon Inspector CO Carbon Monoxide Detector and Alarm#1

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Sensorcon is our top pick for the best car carbon monoxide detector. It is a professional-grade CO detector, manufactured for commercial and industrial use. But it’s also an excellent personal portable detector that’s small enough to fit in your car. The large digital display shows accurate readings from 1-1,999 ppm, and the alarm sounds with a low-level alert at 35 ppm and a high-level alert at 200 ppm after only 60 seconds. It also has the broadest range of operating temps of our other top picks.

Pros

Cons

  • Compact design
  • Durable casing
  • Operating temperature from -4 to 122°F
  • Long, 2-year battery life (batteries are replaceable)
  • 2-year warranty
  • Made in the U.S.
  • On the pricey side
  • Doesn’t have a mount (but it has a belt clip on the back so you can hang it on your visor)

Price

Forensics Detectors Review

Forensics Detectors Car, Vehicle, Aircraft CO Detector#2

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Forensics Detectors’ carbon monoxide detector is specifically made for vehicles, including cars, trucks, school buses, aircraft, and boats. Within 60 seconds of turning it on, a red LED light indicates levels over 9 ppm, and it alarms (70dB) with levels over 25 ppm. This device is also compact and has a 3M sticky mount, making it a great fit for your car.

Pros

Cons

  • Designed specifically for vehicles
  • Compact and lightweight design
  • Operating temperature from 14 to 122°F
  • The large digital display shows exact reading
  • 1-year warranty
  • Some users say the batteries don’t last as long as the manufacturer’s claim (which is 8-12 months)
  • Doesn’t read CO level under 9 ppm

Price

GXG-1987 Handheld Carbon Monoxide Meter Review

GXGHandheld Carbon Monoxide Meter on Amazon (Affiliate)#3

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The GXG-1987 is a handheld manual meter that detects CO levels. It displays the temperature and CO concentrations between 1-1,000 ppm. The alarm is preset to sound with CO levels starting at 24 ppm, but you can adjust that level if you prefer. However, this device automatically shuts off after 10 minutes, so you’ll need to power it on again periodically if you’re on a long car trip.

Pros

Cons

  • Compact size
  • Adjustable alarm setting (preset for 24 ppm)
  • 2-year warranty
  • Battery operated (3 AAA batteries)
  • Auto-shut-off, so you can’t leave it on continuously
  • Doesn’t give accurate readings at temps below 32ºF (range is from 32º to 122ºF)

Price

FASOHERE Review

FASOHERE Multi-Function Car Carbon Monoxide DetectorView on Amazon

The FASOHERE device combines a charger, CO detector, and glass breaker all-in-one — all at an affordable price. However, based on customer feedback we’ve seen, it may not be the most reliable option for totally accurate CO level detection. Some consumers said they tested this device against higher-end detectors, and the FASOHERE’s levels read low compared to readings from reliable products.

Pros

Cons

  • Inexpensive
  • Three devices in one (charger, CO detector, glass breaker)
  • Can charge 2 devices at once
  • Alarm only beeps with high to dangerous levels of 100+ ppm
  • No warranty

Price

Which Levels Of CO Are Dangerous?

The health effects of carbon monoxide depend on the CO concentration and duration of exposure, as well as a person’s overall health. CO concentration is measured in parts per million (ppm).

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets its worker safety standards at a maximum exposure of 50 ppm in any given 8-hour period. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, as CO levels increase and remain above 70 ppm, symptoms can include headache, fatigue, nausea, and dizziness.

Carbon Monoxide Levels Chart

Tips To Reduce CO Poisoning Risk In Cars

Make sure you or your mechanic regularly check your car’s exhaust and emissions systems, keep your vehicle well-tuned, and never drive a car with holes in the floorboard or trunk (or with the trunk open).

How Does CO Get Into A Car?

This brief video gives you expert tips on the reasons CO can be leaking into a car or truck.

Need A Carbon Monoxide Detector For Your Home?

Please remember that if you need to warm a vehicle, you should remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Leaving the engine running, even with the garage door open, could result in high levels of CO.

If you don’t have carbon monoxide detectors in your home, you’re taking another huge risk. In fact, it’s illegal in many states to not have them. See our experts’ reviews of the best carbon monoxide detectors for your home for our top picks and tips on where to place them.

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Sally Jones

While attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s graduate school for journalism and public relations in the late 1990s, Sally began a long career researching and writing about business, technical and scientific topics. Her decades of experience as well as a passion to stay on top of the latest online tools and resources combine to help small businesses (and freelancers like herself) flourish. Her work has appeared in many notable media outlets, including The Washington Post, Entrepreneur, People, Forbes, Huffington Post, and more.
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