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| Acceleration Acceleration is what occurs when the car moves forward from a stop or a slower speed to a higher speed. |
| Accelerator
pedal The pedal found on all cars that controls engine rpm. Also called the gas pedal. |
| Accelerator
pump Accelerator pumps are found in cars equipped with carburetors. When you accelerate, the accelerator pump delivers extra fuel through the accelerator pump circuit to allow the engine to deliver more power. |
| Accessory Refers to a power-operated feature on a car. For instance, power windows and power locks would be considered accessories. |
| Air
conditioning system The air conditioning system is a related group of components that cool the incoming air taken in by the car's interior ventilation system. |
| Air filter This device filters the air that goes into your engine. Without an air filter, harmful particles would enter your car's engine and cause internal wear and damage. |
| Air pump Many emissions systems include an air pump, which pumps fresh air into a vehicle's exhaust to help complete the combustion process and reduce emissions. |
| Airbag A safety device found on most recent cars that protects the driver (and in some cases, the passenger) in a crash by inflating a cushion hidden in the steering wheel and dashboard. |
| Airbag
system The airbag system consists of impact sensors, a system computer, a detonation device, and the airbag itself. |
| Alignment Alignment is when all your wheels are pointing in exactly the right direction. If one wheel is off by even one or two degrees, it is considered out of alignment. When a vehicle is out of alignment, excessive tire, steering system and suspension system wear may be the end result. |
| All-wheel
drive (AWD) Unlike four wheel drive systems, all-wheel drive is a system that drives all four wheels at all times. An all-wheel drive system has differentials which split the engine's power to the four wheels according to which have the most traction. |
| Alternator An alternator is an engine accessory that generates electricity to keep your battery charged and operate your vehicle's electrical system. |
| Anti-lock
braking system (ABS) ABS uses a series of sensors, a computer and a high-pressure hydrualic pump to prevent your brakes from locking up during sudden stops on slippery surfaces. |
| Anti-roll
bar The anti-roll bar is a suspension system component that helps a vehicle to stay flat and not lean excessively when cornering. Also called a sway bar or stabilizer bar. |
| Anti-theft
code (radio) Many modern radios have special anti-theft circuitry that prevents them from operating after being disconnected from a power source. For these types of radios, it is necessary to enter a factory-supplied code to get the radio to work again. |
| Antifreeze The fluid mixed with water that is put into your vehicle's radiator. Antifreeze is traditionally green in color; however, newer long-life antifreezes may be red or orange. Please refer to your vehicle's owner's manual for the proper antifreeze for your vehicle. |
| Automatic
choke Automatic chokes use either a heat- or computer-controlled element to turn on and off automatically as needed. |
| Automatic
temperature control A computerized system that automatically maintains a selected temperature for your car's interior. Also called climate control. |
| Automatic
transmission Automatic transmissions have hydraulically operated gear sets, which require no gear shifting or clutching by the driver. |
| Axle The shaft around which the wheels rotate. |
| Balancing
(tire) The process of making sure a tire will not cause vibration when driving. By using a computerized machine, a technician can locate a non-balanced tire and balance it by attaching weights on the wheel rim to even out the tire's balance. |
| Ball joint A joint between two parts that allows movement in any direction by the two parts. Ball joints are most often found in a vehicle's suspension and steering systems. |
| Barrel
(carburetor) A barrel is a venturi in a carburetor where air and fuel are mixed, then taken into the intake manifold and then to a cylinder. Carburetors usually have from one to four barrels, depending on the engine application. |
| Battery Car batteries store and supply electrical current to a vehicle's starting, ignition, and electrical systems. |
| Bearings Bearings are used to prevent wear when two moving parts are placed very close to each other. |
| Bleeding Bleeding removes fluid from a system, such as a brake or clutch system. When a technician bleeds a brake system, the old fluid is completely removed and replaced with new fluid. |
| Brake
booster A device that uses engine vacuum or hydrualic pressure to multiply or boost the pedal effort of the driver while braking, thus adding more hydrualic pressure to the brakes for added stopping power. |
| Brake
caliper A c-shaped device used with disc brakes. When a driver presses on the brake pedal, the caliper piston squeezes the brake pads against the rotor and causes the car to slow down or stop. |
| Brake
drums Brake drums are drum-shaped components which contain internal brake shoes, which expand and press against the drum, when the driver presses on the brake pedal, slowing or stopping the car. |
| Brake
fluid A special type of hydraulic fluid designed specifically for brakes. Brake fluid transfers the motion of a driver stepping on a brake pedal directly to operate a brake caliper or wheel cylinder. |
| Brake
lines Metal tubing and rubber hoses which connects each brake caliper or wheel cylinder to the brake master cylinder. |
| Brake
master cylinder As the main component of a braking system, the brake master cylinder takes the pressure applied to the brake pedal by the driver and distributes it evenly to all four brakes on a car. |
| Brake pads Brake pads are used specifically with disc brake systems. The pads fit inside the calipers, and create friction and stopping power when pressed against the brake rotor. When you have your disc brakes replaced, it is often just the pads that are being replaced. |
| Brake
pedal The pedal to the left of the accelerator pedal that controls a car's brakes. When you step on the brake pedal, the car slows down or stops. |
| Brake
rotors (discs) Brake rotors, or discs, are fitted to most modern cars. They are flat, circular plates that rotate with the wheel when you drive. When you step on the brake, the brake calipers squeeze the brake discs, slowing or stopping the car. |
| Brake
shoes Brake shoes are used specifically with drum brake systems. Brake shoes fit inside the brake drum, and are pressed against the drum by a wheel cylinder when the brakes are applied, thus slowing or stopping the car. |
| Braking
system The braking system in a modern car consists of the brake pedal, a power brake booster, brake master cylinder, brake lines, brake fluid, brake rotors (including calipers and pads), and, for some vehicles, brake drums (including wheel cylinders and brake shoes). In addition, all vehicles have a parking/emergency brake. Taken together, these components operate in sync to slow or stop your car. They operate like this: when you press on the brake pedal, the pressure you apply is multiplied by the brake booster. It is then distributed by the brake master cylinder and sent via the brake fluid through the brake lines to each individual wheel. When it arrives at a wheel, this pressure causes, for instance, the caliper (in a vehicle with disc brakes) to close, which then causes the pads to come in contact with the brake rotor. The resulting friction causes the car to slow down and eventually stop. Should this system fail, then the emergency brake may be used as a backup to stop your vehicle. |
| Burning
oil (engine) Oil burning occurs when one or more internal engine components fail, thus allowing oil into the engine's combustion chamber. There, the oil is burned along with the air/fuel mixture. |
| Bushing A piece of rubber or plastic that fits in between two components. Bushing protects the two components from excess wear and damage. |
| Camshaft The engine's camshaft is driven by the crankshaft via the engine timing belt or timing chain and controls when the engine's valves open and close. Older cars have the camshaft inside the engine, but newer vehicles have overhead cam designs that place the cam in the cylinder head for more efficient operation. |
| Carburetor Carburetors are what all cars had prior to fuel injection. A carburetor takes air and fuel and mixes them in the right proportion to allow a car to run smoothly and powerfully. Some cars have multiple carburetors to allow for more power. |
| Carburetor
jet A fitting inside a carburetor that meters fuel into a metering circuit where it is mixed with air in the venturi. |
| Catalytic
converter A catalytic converter is an exhaust system component that causes a chemical reaction so harmful pollutants are minimized before they continue through the exhaust system. |
| Charging
system The system which maintains the electrical charge in your vehicle's battery. The charging system consists of the alternator, voltage regulator and battery. |
| Chassis A car's chassis is like the foundation of a house - it is the basis upon which the rest of the car is constructed. |
| Choke A device in a carburetor which shuts off airflow so that the engine runs rich. This is necessary to start a cold engine. |
| Circuit The term circuit refers to a closed system, whether electric, fluid, or hydraulic, that brings energy or fluid from one part of a car and delivers it to another. |
| Clear-coat
finish Many modern cars have a clear-coat finish. This is an extra, clear layer of paint that goes on top of the last color coat of paint to protect it from scratches, chips and other environmental damage. |
| Climate
control Climate control, also called automatic temperature control, is a computerized system that automatically maintains a selected temperature for your car's interior. |
| Clutch A clutch is found on cars with manual transmissions. The clutch lets the driver deliver the torque of a spinning crank and smoothly engage it to the gearbox to make the car move. Without a clutch, it would be nearly impossible to get a car with a manual transmission to move forward or backward. |
| Clutch -
cable-operated A cable-operated clutch uses a metal cable between the clutch pedal and clutch fork to control clutch engagement. |
| Clutch -
hydraulic A hydraulic clutch uses a hydraulic circuit between the clutch pedal and clutch fork to control clutch engagement. |
| Clutch
cable A cable that goes between the clutch pedal and clutch fork to control clutch engagement. |
| Clutch
disc The friction material lined plate that delivers power from the engine to the transmission. |
| Clutch
pedal The pedal on manual transmission cars that operates the clutch. |
| Clutch
throw-out bearing A bearing that lets the clutch smoothly engage and disengage with minimum wear. |
| Clutch-operated
fan An engine cooling fan that uses a heat-activated, viscous-fluid clutch which turns the fan on and off as needed. |
| Coil A part of the ignition system. The coil takes the electrical voltage supplied by the battery and amplifies it many times until it is powerful enough to fire a spark plug. |
| Combustion The process by which the air/fuel mixture burns within an engine to create power. |
| Combustion
chamber The area in the cylinder head where air/fuel is ignited to create power. |
| Comprehensive
insurance coverage Comprehensive coverage includes protection against theft and accident damage, regardless of fault. |
| Compression
gauge A special gauge used by technicians to measure how much pressure a cylinder can create. |
| Compression
test A test to see how much pressure a cylinder can create. |
| Computer
(ECU) Many modern cars with fuel injection have a central computer called an engine control unit (ECU). This controls the car's fuel and ignition systems by taking information from various sensors to determine how to run the engine with the most efficiency and power. |
| Coolant Also called antifreeze. The fluid mixed with water that is put into your vehicle's radiator. Antifreeze is traditionally green in color; however, newer long-life antifreezes may be red or orange. Please refer to your vehicle's owner's manual for the proper antifreeze for your vehicle. |
| Coolant
reservoir Many cars have a clear plastic reservoir that allows the owner to see the level of their vehicle's coolant. Check your owner's manual to find the coolant reservoir on your vehicle. |
| Cooling
system The system of components that keeps your engine at the correct operating temperature. The cooling system includes the radiator, radiator cap, coolant reservoir, cooling fan, water pump, thermostat, hoses, heater core, heater valve, and antifreeze. |
| Cracked
paint Cracked paint occurs when a paint is so damaged, the surface actually develops cracks. These cracks may spread in a spiderweb fashion across the surface of the paint. Cracked paint is unrestorable, and must often be completely removed when a car is repainted. |
| Crankshaft The crankshaft is an engine part that takes the up and down motion of the pistons and translates it into circular motion that can be directly transferred to the drivetrain. |
| Crazed
paint Crazed paint occurs when paint is so damaged, the surface actually develops hairline cracks. These cracks may spread in a spiderweb fashion across the surface of the paint. Crazed paint is unrestorable, and sometimes has to be completely removed when a car is repainted. |
| Cruising Cruising is a driving style whereby the driver maintains a set speed with very little fluctuation. |
| CV joints CV (constant velocity) joints are part of a car's driveline. They allow a wheel to rotate freely in any direction while still receiving power from the axle. |
| Cylinder Cylinders are the large round holes in the engine block that contain the pistons. The pistons travel up and down in the cylinders to create the engine's power. |
| Cylinder
head The cylinder head is the top part of the engine. It often contains the valves, and for cars with overhead cams, it contains the camshafts as well. The cylinder head also forms the top part of the combustion chamber. |
| Defroster A setting of your car's heating controls that lets you easily remove frost and fog from your vehicle's windows. |
| Diesel
engine A type of engine that uses heat caused by engine compression rather than spark plugs to ignite its fuel mixture. Diesels are often more economical than gasoline engines; however, they create extra noise and vibration. |
| Dieseling A symptom whereby an engine continues to run after the ignition has been turned off. When this occurs, the firing of the engine is uneven, often causing a sound much like a diesel engine. |
| Differential A part of a car's driveline that takes the power from the engine and splits it between two wheels or two axles. A differential also lets two wheels on the same axle rotate at different speeds. For instance, when you go around a corner, the inside wheel turns slower than the outside wheel. Without a differential, cars would not be able to take sharp turns. |
| Distributor Part of a car's ignition system. The distributor receives the spark from the coil and literally distributes it amongst the spark plugs. In addition to the distributor itself, there is a distributor cap and distributor rotor which send power to the spark plugs. |
| Distributor
cap The distributor cap contains the terminals that the spark plug wires plug into. When the distributor sends power to a spark plug, it goes to the cap first and then to the spark plug wire and to the spark plug. |
| Distributor
rotor The rotor spins around inside the distributor. As it turns, it comes into contact with the terminals for each spark plug on the distributor cap. When this happens, it sends current at that precise moment to the spark plug, which then ignites the air/fuel in the cylinder at exactly the right time. |
| Double
overhead cam (DOHC) A DOHC engine has two camshafts in the cylinder head - one for the exhaust valves, and one for the intake valves. This allows greater efficiency and greater power. |
| Downshifting The process of going from a higher gear (for instance, fourth gear) to a lower gear (for instance, second gear) with a manual or automatic transmission. |
| Drive
belt Also called a fan belt or serpentine belt, drive belts are used to drive the engine's accessories, such as the alternator, power steering pump, or air conditioning compressor. A serpentine belt is a wide single drive belt that drives all the engine's accessories. |
| Driveline The system of components that connects the transmission to the wheels. The driveline consists of axles, differentials, constant velocity (CV) or universal joints, and, for cars with rear-, four-, and all-wheel drive, a driveshaft. |
| Driveshaft In rear-, four-, and all-wheel drive cars, the driveshaft is the tube(s) that connects the transmission with the differential(s). |
| Electric
cooling fans Electric cooling fans are part of many cars' cooling systems. They use a heat activated switch to turn on and off as needed to help keep your engine cool. |
| Electric
motor Electric motors are often used in accessories such as power windows or power seats to provide movement with minimial effort by the user. |
| Emergency
brake Also called the parking brake. The emergency brake is used when a car's main braking system experiences a complete failure. |
| Emissions Emissions are the byproducts of combustion. After combustion is complete, water, gases, and carbon are released through the car's exhaust system as emissions. |
| Emissions
equipment Emissions equipment is equipment required by the government to keep a car's exhaust emissions to a minimum. Emissions equipment includes catalytic converters, air pumps, and oxygen sensors. |
| Engine The power source that creates the energy to make a car move. An engine can be run by gas, diesel fuel, electricity, steam or any other number of power sources. |
| Engine
accessory An engine accessory is a peripheral piece of equipment that runs directly off of the engine's power to supply energy or a fluid to another part of the car. Engine accessories include the alternator, power steering pump, air pump, air conditioning compressor, as well as many others. |
| Engine
block The engine block is where the cylinders and pistons reside. The block is the strongest part of the engine and withstands tremendous pressures while the engine is operating. |
| Engine
mounts Engine mounts are often made of metal and rubber. Engine mounts help support the engine, and also help to prevent engine vibrations from shaking the entire car. |
| Engine
temperature sender The engine temperature sender measures the temperature of the engine's coolant. It sends this information to many places - the engine computer, the radiator fan, the engine temperature warning light, or engine temperature gauge. |
| Exhaust
hanger Exhaust hangers keep the exhaust system in place, while also preventing excess vibration and noise from reaching the passengers. |
| Exhaust
manifold The exhaust manifold carries the exhaust from the cylinder head to the exhaust system. |
| Exhaust
system The exhaust system carries exhaust away from the engine and away from the car. The exhaust system includes the exhaust manifold, the oxygen sensor, the catalytic converter, the muffler, and the tailpipe. |
| Fan belt Also called a drive belt or serpentine belt. Fan belts are used to drive the engine's accessories, such as the alternator, power steering pump, or air conditioning compressor. A serpentine belt is a wide single drive belt that drives all the engine's accessories. |
| Fan
clutch The heat-operated, viscous-fluid clutch that controls whether or not an engine fan rotates to help cool an engine. |
| Fan motor An electric motor with a fan that controls the airflow to the interior of a car. |
| Fiberglass
matting and resin These materials are often used to fill in large rust holes where filler would be unable to work, and where welding in new metal would be difficult. |
| Filler Filler, also referred to as Bondo, is a plastic material used to repair minor accident and rust damage. Filler begins as a paste, but hardens to a solid consistency in minutes. |
| Flushing Flushing is a means of entirely replacing the fluid in a given system. For instance, when a technician flushes a cooling system, all the old coolant is removed and completely replaced with new. |
| Flywheel The flywheel helps an engine run smoothly. It also has teeth on its outside edge that engage with the starter motor to help start the engine. |
| Four-wheel
drive (4WD) 4WD is a selectable system; that is, a 4WD vehicle can be operated in 2- or 4WD, depending on the driver's preference. In contrast, a vehicle with all-wheel drive constantly sends power to all four wheels. |
| Front-wheel
drive (FWD) A front-wheel drive vehicle sends its power to the front wheels of the car. |
| Fuel
filter A car's fuel filter removes debris and contaminants from fuel before it reaches the carburetor or fuel injection system. |
| Fuel
injection Fuel injection is a system by which fuel is directly sprayed into the intake manifold or intake port at high pressure. Fuel injection is often controlled by a computer, allowing precise monitoring of efficiency and performance by the car's computer. |
| Fuel
injector A fuel injector is a nozzle that sprays fuel into the intake manifold or intake port. |
| Fuel pump The fuel pump moves gas from the gas tank and delivers it to the fuel injection system or carburetor. |
| Fuel
starvation Fuel starvation occurs when fuel, for one reason or another, is prevented from reaching the carburetor or fuel injectors. |
| Fuel
system The fuel system is the system by which fuel is stored and delivered to each cylinder. The fuel system includes the fuel tank, fuel tank level sending unit, the fuel pump, the fuel filter, and fuel lines. For carbureted cars, the fuel system also includes the carburetor. For fuel injected cars, the fuel system also includes injectors, fuel pressure regulator and often a main computer. |
| Fuel tank
level sending unit This unit measures the amount of gas in the fuel tank and sends that information to your vehicle's gas gauge and, if equipped, a low gas level warning light. |
| Fuse Fuses are purposely-placed weak links in electrical circuits that protect accessories in case of a sudden power surge. If a surge occurs, the fuse will blow instead of the item being protected. |
| Gas -
grade This is a general term that refers to a gasoline's general quality - for instance, its octane rating and package of additives. The two common terms for gas grades are "regular" for low-grade gas, and "premium" for high-grade gas. |
| Gasket A gasket is a piece of material that seals two parts together. The gasket prevents air or fluids from leaking between the parts. |
| Gauge A gauge is a type of instrument that measures or displays levels of a certain system. For instance, the gas gauge in your car measures the fuel level, while the temperature gauge measures the engine temperature. |
| Gear
selector The gear selector is the lever that lets you select a certain gear with an automatic transmission. In modern cars, the gear selector is often connected to the brake pedal, so that you can only shift into drive or reverse when your foot is on the brake. |
| Gear
synchronizers Gear synchronizers allow you to upshift and downshift a manual transmission without grinding gears. They do this by synchronizing, or matching, the speed of the engine and the speed of the gear you are selecting. If your car didn't have gear synchronizers (also known as synchromesh), you would either have to match the engine speed to the gear speed (known as double-clutching) or else grind your gears every time you shifted. |
| Gearshift
lever The gearshift lever is the lever that lets you select gears with a manual transmission. |
| Gearshift
linkage This is a series of rods and/or cables that connect the gearshift lever or gear selector to the transmission. |
| Generator A generator is like an alternator in that it generates electrical current to both keep the battery charged and supply electricity for a vehicle's electric system. |
| Glazing
(belts) Glazing is a shiny coating on the inside surface of a fan, or serpentine belt. Glazing occurs when the belt slips repeatedly at a high speed. It is a sign that the belt needs replacement. |
| Glow
plugs Glow plugs are only found on vehicles with diesel engines. Glow plugs heat up the diesel fuel before the engine has been started, making the engine easier to start. |
| Ground
(electric) A ground is necessary to complete an electric circuit. It serves as a destination for a positive flow of electrical energy. |
| Hazard
relay The hazard relay controls the flashing of the hazard warning lights. |
| Head
gasket The head gasket seals the cylinder head to the engine block. It is subject to tremendous pressures, and often fails if and when an engine overheats. |
| Heater
core The heater core is a miniature radiator that sits in the dashboard. When the heater is turned on, it opens the heater valve which lets hot coolant into the heater core, which then warms the air coming into the vehicle's interior. |
| Heater
ducts The heater ducts are the tubes that connect the heater fan to the vents in your vehicle's dashboard. |
| Heater
fan The heater fan is the interior fan that controls the speed of air being introduced into the interior. |
| Heater
valve The heater valve is controlled by the interior heating controls. When you turn on your vehicle's heat, the valve opens and allows hot coolant to enter the heater core, which then warms the air entering your vehicle's interior. |
| Heater/heating
system The heating system warms the air brought into a vehicle's interior. The heating system is connected to the cooling system and consists primarily of the heater core, heater valve, and, if equipped, a climate-control system. |
| Hoses
(cooling system) The cooling system hoses allow coolant to circulate between the radiator, engine, and heater. Over time, they deteriorate, and should be checked annually for condition and possible damage. |
| Hub Hub is a generic term for the area where a wheel is mounted. For instance, there are hubs for every wheel on your car. |
| HVAC HVAC is a mechanic's term for your car's ventilation system. The letters stand for Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning. |
| Hydraulic
circuit The hydraulic circuit is a closed system of tubes that contain hydraulic fluid. When pressure is applied at one end of the hydraulic circuit, it travels through the tubes to the other end. |
| Idle When your car is on but not moving, and you are not touching the gas pedal, it is idling. For instance, when you are waiting at a stop light, your car is idling. |
| Idle
circuit This is a special kind of circuit found in a carburetor that only operates when the engine is at an idle. |
| Ignition
condenser The condensor soaks up excess electrical energy in an ignition system that has points. This prevents that extra energy from jumping across the points when they first open and close. |
| Ignition
module Part of the ignition system which instructs the coil to send voltage to the distributor. |
| Ignition
points Part of the ignition system which instructs the coil to send voltage to the distributor. They do this by opening and closing, which turns on and off a circuit. |
| Ignition
switch This is the switch where you insert the key that starts your vehicle. |
| Ignition
system The ignition system contains the components that supply spark to your vehicle's spark plugs. These include the battery, the coil, the distributor (including the cap and rotor), the spark plug wires, the ignition module, and the spark plugs themselves. Older cars also have ignition points and an ignition condensor. |
| Instrument An instrument measures levels of a certain system and provides a visual key for those levels. For instance, the gas gauge in your car measures the fuel level, while the temperature gauge indicates the engine temperature. |
| Intake
manifold The intake manifold goes between your vehicle's fuel system and the cylinder head(s). |
| Knocking
(engine) When your engine knocks or pings, it is a sign that the engine is firing at the wrong time. This could be because of bad ignition timing, an incorrect grade of gas, or another ignition or fuel system fault. |
| Leakdown
test A leakdown test is used to find excessive wear in an engine. When a technician performs a leakdown test on your vehicle, each cylinder is tested to see how well it holds pressure. If a cylinder is unable to hold pressure, your technician can pinpoint what component of the cylinder (piston rings, valves, etc) has a problem that is causing a pressure loss. |
| Liability
insurance Liability insurance is coverage only for damage that you inflict on other people or their possessions. It does not cover theft or damage to your vehicle. |
| Limited-slip
differential (LSD) An LSD senses the slippage of each wheel it sends power to and redirects power to the wheel with the most grip. Many high-performance vehicles have LSDs. |
| Lug nuts Lug nuts attach a car's wheel to its hub. |
| Manual
choke Manual chokes have a cable that lets the driver control the carburetor's choke operation. Most newer cars with carburetors have automatic chokes instead of manual chokes. |
| Manual
steering With a manual steering system, there is no power assist to the driver. |
| Manual
transmission A manual transmission is a transmission with a clutch. In addition, it is up to the driver to select gears. |
| Muffler The muffler is a part of the exhaust system designed to reduce the noise generated by a vehicle. |
| Neutral
(gear) Neutral is actually not a gear. When your vehicle is in neutral, the gearbox and engine are completely disconnected. Thus, your car is able to roll freely whether the engine is on or off. |
| Octane A fuel octane rating measures a fuel's resistance to knocking or pinging. |
| Odometer The odometer measures how many miles are on your vehicle. |
| Oil
filter The oil filter removes most particles and contaminates from your engine's oil to protect your engine's internal moving parts. |
| Oil pan The oil pan is where the oil in your engine is stored. |
| Oil
pressure sensor The oil pressure sensor measures the pressure at which your engine's oil is flowing. If the pressure becomes too high or too low, the oil pressure sensor sends a signal to the vehicle's oil pressure warning light. If you see this light turn on, pull over as soon as possible and shut off your engine. Have your car towed to a service facility to have the problem checked by a technician. |
| Oil pump The oil pump takes oil from the oil pan and pressurizes it, allowing it to travel throughout the engine and lubricate the engine's moving parts. |
| Overboost
(turbo) Overboost occurs when a turbo's wastegate does not release excess intake pressure. This pressure instead enters the engine, causing potentially significant damage to the engine. |
| Overdrive Overdrive is a transmission gear that allows the engine to turn at a reduced rpm for a given road speed. |
| Overhead
cam (OHC) An overhead cam engine has its camshaft in the cylinder head, above the valves and cylinders. This allows the camshaft to directly open the valves without using pushrods. |
| Overhead
valve (OHV) An overhead valve engine has its camshaft in the engine block. It uses lifters, pushrods and rocker arms to open and close the valves in the cylinder head. |
| Overheating Overheating occurs when an engine reaches too high of an operating temperature. Overheating may lead to potentially significant engine damage. |
| Overinflation
(tires) Overinflation occurs when a tire is inflated beyond the pressure recommended by the manufacturer. Overinflating can lead to increased tire wear and sudden tire failure. |
| Owner's
manual The owner's manual is the booklet supplied with all cars when they are sold new. It is usually placed in the glovebox. Your owner's manual contains information about the equipment your car has, what kinds of fluids and lubricants to use, and how to maintain your car. If you don't have an owner's manual, you can obtain one from your vehicle's manufacturer. |
| Oxygen
sensor The oxygen sensor is part of the exhaust and emission systems. It senses the amount of air in the exhaust and adjusts the fuel system's operation accordingly to minimize emissions while improving econmy and performance. |
| Park
(gear) This is a gear found only on automatic transmissions. The park gear locks a vehicle's transmission in place, preventing the car from moving. |
| Park/neutral
safety switch This is a switch found on many modern automatic transmissions that prevents a vehicle from starting unless the gear selector is in park or neutral. |
| Parking
brake Also known as the emergency brake. The parking brake is used when parking on an incline to prevent the car from rolling away. |
| Parking
brake cable The parking brake cable connects the parking brake pedal or handle to the parking brakes themselves. |
| Parking
brake shoes/pads The parking brake shoes/pads are just like normal brake pads or brake shoes. The only difference is that they work specifically with the parking brakes. |
| Pinging
(engine) When your engine knocks or pings, it is a sign that the engine is firing at the wrong time. This could be because of bad ignition timing, an incorrect grade of gas, or another ignition or fuel system fault. |
| Piston The piston fits into the cylinders and is connected to the crankshaft. When a spark plug fires, it ignites the air/fuel mixture in the cylinder, pushing the piston down which then turns the crankshaft. This is how an engine makes its power. |
| Piston
rings Piston rings fit around the pistons, and prevent combustion energy from being lost around the edges of the piston. They also prevent engine oil from getting into a cylinder. |
| Plastic
polish A special type of polish designed to gently remove scratches and yellowing from plastic items such as convertible top windows and plastic lenses. |
| Play Play occurs when there is excessive free movement in your vehicle's steering system. For instance, if you turn your steering wheel either direction from the center and nothing happens for the first two inches of travel, your steering system has play in it. |
| Power
steering Power steering is a steering system with a high-pressure pump that boosts the driver's steering efforts, making it easier to steer with much less effort. |
| Power
steering fluid A special type of fluid designed for power steering systems. |
| Power
steering pump The power steering pump pumps power steering fluid to other power steering system components, allowing the driver to steer with minimal effort. |
| Pressure
plate The pressure plate is part of the clutch. It applies pressure evenly to the clutch disc friction area, thus allowing a smooth application of power. |
| Pushrod Pushrods are used in engines with overhead valve (OHV) designs. The camshaft in the engine block pushes up on the lifters and then on the pushrods, which then push the rocker arms, which then open the valves. |
| Radiator The radiator is the central component of the cooling system. It takes the heat from the engine and coolant and passes it to the surrounding air, which then cools the engine. |
| Radiator
cap The radiator cap maintains a specific pressure in the cooling system so it operates efficiently. |
| Rear-wheel
drive (RWD) Rear wheel drive cars transmit power to the ground through the rear wheels. |
| Relay A relay is like an automatic switch. When power is applied to a relay, an internal switch closes, completing a circuit. |
| Reservoir Reservoir is a generic term that refers to any container for a fluid. For instance, most vehicles have a windshield washer fluid reservoir and a brake fluid reservoir. |
| Revving
the engine When your car is in park or neutral and you press on the gas without the intention of making the car move, you are revving the engine. |
| Rheostat Rheostat refers to a control which varies the intensity of the lights and speed of certain accessories that it is connected to. For instance, an instrument lighting rheostat controls the brightness of the instrument lighting. |
| Riding
the clutch When driving along, if you rest your foot on the clutch pedal, you are riding the clutch. This practice causes excess wear on the clutch and the clutch throw-out bearing. |
| Rocker
arms Rocker arms are used in overhead valve (OHV) engines. They are operated by pushrods and open and close the valves. |
| Rotary
engine A rotary engine does not have pistons or cylinders; instead, it has triangular shaped rotors that move in an elliptical path within chambers to create power. The only companies that have offered rotary cars for sale are Mazda, NSU, and Citroen. |
| Rubbing
compound A rubbing compound is a type of paint polish that contains extremely fine abrasive particles. These particles remove the top layer of paint, revealing the shiny layer underneath. |
| Running
rich This is a condition that occurs when too much gas and too little air is being fed to the engine. A sign of rich running is black, sooty exhaust. |
| Rust-converting
primer Rust-converting primer is a special type of primer that stops the progress of surface rust. |
| Serpentine
belt A serpentine belt is a wide single drive belt that drives all the engine's accessories (alternator, power steering pump, air conditioning compressor, etc.). |
| Shift
linkage This is a series of rods and/or cables that connect the gearshift lever or gear selector to the transmission. |
| Shock
absorbers Shock absorbers are part of your vehicle's suspension and contribute to your vehicle's ride quality. They also regulate how much your vehicle moves up and down after going over a bump. |
| Short
(circuit) A short circuit occurs when there is a break in an electrical circuit and the circuit either finds a new ground or stops working altogether. |
| Single
overhead cam (SOHC) A type of overhead cam engine with a single cam that operates both the intake and exhaust valves. |
| Spark
plug A part of your vehicle's ignition system. The spark plug ignites the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. |
| Spark
plug electrode The electrode is the curved piece(s) of metal (ground electrode) that reaches over the center electrode. The spark is created between the electrodes. |
| Spark
plug gap Gap is the precise distance between a spark plug's center and ground electrodes. |
| Spark
plug terminal The terminal is the shiny metal part of a spark plug that the spark plug wire attaches to. |
| Spark
plug wires Spark plug wires are the thick cables that bring spark from the distributor cap to the spark plugs. |
| Speedometer An instrument that indicates a vehicle's speed. |
| Springs Springs absorb road imperfections and vibration, help hold the suspension up, and help vehicles handle better. |
| Stabilizer
bar The stabilizer bar is a suspension system component that helps a vehicle to stay flat and not lean excessively when cornering. Also called a sway bar or anti-roll bar. |
| Starter
motor (starter) This is the electric motor that turns your engine over when you turn the key in the ignition switch. |
| Starter
solenoid This is a large relay that controls the operation of the starter motor. |
| Starting
system The starting system consists of the starter motor, starter solenoid, battery, ignition switch and ignition key. |
| Steering
lock The steering lock is a theft prevention device that locks the steering wheel in place when the key is removed from the ignition switch. |
| Steering
system The steering system allows you to control the direction of your vehicle. Most modern cars have a rack and pinion steering system with a power assist. Components in your steering system include the steering rack, tie rods, tie rod ends, ball joints, power steering pump, power steering hoses, and the pump drive belt. |
| Struts Struts are part of your vehicle's suspension. They regulate how much your vehicle moves up and down after going over a bump. |
| Supercharger A supercharger is used to increase the volume of air that an engine can take in, resulting in more power. It is run directly off of the engine by a drive belt. |
| Suspension A car's suspension helps it to handle better, while increasing comfort and isolating passengers from bumps and vibration. |
| Sway bar The sway bar is a suspension system component that helps a vehicle to stay flat and not lean excessively when cornering. Also called a stabilizer bar or anti-roll bar. |
| Synchromesh Synchromesh is a feature that allows you to upshift and downshift a manual transmission without grinding gears. It does this by synchronizing, or evening out, the speed of the engine and the speed of the gear you are selecting. If your car didn't have synchromesh, you would either have to match the engine speed to the gear speed (known as double-clutching) or else grind your gears every time you shifted. |
| Tachometer An instrument that indicates engine rpm. |
| Tailpipe The part of an exhaust system where exhaust gasses exit the car body. |
| Thermostat The thermostat in your vehicle automatically regulates the coolant flow through the radiator based on temperature. |
| Throttle The throttle regulates the amount of air/fuel mixture that is fed to the engine. |
| Tie rod Part of the steering system, the tie rod connects the wheels to the rest of the steering system. |
| Timing
(ignition timing) Timing refers to when the spark ignites the air/fuel mixture. Timing needs to be set exactly right for an engine to run correctly. |
| Timing
belt Timing belts are rubber belts that connect an engine's camshaft to its crankshaft. If a timing belt breaks, these two components will go out of synch, causing potentially significant engine damage. |
| Timing
chain Timing chains are metal chains that connect an engine's camshaft to its crankshaft. Timing chains use sprockets that eventually wear out and can cause sloppy timing. When this happens, it is time to replace the sprockets and chain. If a timing chain breaks, the camshaft and crankshaft will go out of synch, causing potentially significant engine damage. |
| Timing
gears Timing gears are part of a timing chain system that connects the engine's camshaft to its crankshaft. |
| Timing
light A timing light is used to check or set ignition timing. |
| Tire
gauge Tire gauges are used to measure the pressure inside of a tire. You should always check tire pressure when your tire is cold (when your vehicle hasn't been driven for about an hour). |
| Tire
valve The fitting in the valve stem on your wheel that allows you to inflate or deflate your tire. |
| Torque
converter Part of an automatic transmission. The torque converter acts like a clutch does in a manual transmission; it allows smooth power transfer from the engine to the transmission through a hydrualic coupling. |
| Transaxle Transaxles are a combination of components; the transmission and differential. Most front-wheel drive cars have transaxles. However, some rear wheel drive cars, such as some Porsches, new Corvettes and Alfa Romeos, have rear-mounted transaxles. |
| Transfer
case The transfer case is used in 4WD vehicles to regulate power to the front and/or rear axles. |
| Transmission A transmission takes an engine's power and regulates it through gears to allow a car to travel at a wide range of speeds. |
| Transmission
fluid Transmission fluid (ATF) is specially developed to allow automatic transmissions operate smoothly and efficiently. |
| Transmission
interlock A safety device found on many modern automatic transmissions that prevents drive or reverse from being selected until the brake is pressed. |
| Transmission
linkage This is a series of rods and/or cables that connect the gearshift lever or gear selector to the transmission. |
| Transmission
mounts Transmission mounts are often made of steel and rubber. Transmission mounts help support the transmission, and also help to prevent transmission vibrations from being transmitted to the car interior. |
| Transmission
oil Transmission oil is specially developed to allow manual transmissions to operate smoothly and efficiently. |
| Travel Travel is a measurement of how much play occurs in a given system. |
| Tune up When an engine is tuned up, a series of parts that wear out (spark plugs, plug wires, distributor cap, etc.) are replaced to bring the engine back to good operating condition. In addition, timing is checked and set. |
| Turbo A turbo is used to increase the volume of air that an engine can take in, resulting in more power. It is driven by the engine's exhaust. |
| Universal
joint Universal joints are part of a car's driveline. They allow the driveshaft to continue to rotate at all angles. |
| Vacuum Vacuum results as an engine sucks in air. Engine vacuum is also used to power some accessories, such as brake boosters. |
| Vacuum
hose Vacuum hoses connect between vacuum-powered accessories and a vacuum source like the engine's intake manifold. |
| Valve
cover The valve cover is the metal cover that is attached to the cylinder head. It allows technicians easy access to an engine's valves and rocker arms for adjustment and checks. |
| Valves Valves are the part of an engine that let in air/fuel mixture and let exhaust out at specified times. They are opened and closed by the camshaft, which is timed to the crankshaft via the timing chain or belt for smooth operation. |
| Vapor
lock Vapor lock occurs when an engine gets so hot, it boils the fuel travelling through the fuel lines. This creates vapor, which then prevents the engine from running. |
| Variable-assist
power steering Variable-assist power steering is desgined to vary the level of power assist according to vehicle speed or angle of the steering wheel. |
| Voltage
regulator The voltage regulator regulates the power output of the alternator to prevent overcharging the battery and electrical system. |
| Washer
fluid This is special fluid designed to clear the windshield quickly and with little residue. |
| Washer
fluid reservoir The container where washer fluid is kept in a car. |
| Washer
nozzles These are the jets on the hood or in the wipers that spray washer fluid onto the windshield. |
| Washer
pump This is an electric motor that delivers washer fluid to the washer nozzles. |
| Wastegate
(turbo) A turbo's wastegate allows excess intake boost pressure to be released before it enters the engine, which may cause potentially significant engine damage. |
| Water in
fuel warning light This is a warning light only found on diesel-engined cars. Since diesel fuel collects water, a sensor in the fuel tank will go off when the ratio of diesel fuel to water reaches a certain level. |
| Water
pump Part of the cooling system. The water pump circulates coolant through the cooling system, helping the engine stay in the desired temperature range. |
| Wax Wax is a product used to protect paint finishes and create extra shine. |
| Wheel
bearing The wheel bearing is contained within the hub. It allows the wheel to travel around the axle with minimal wear and friction. |
| Wheel
cylinder (brakes) The wheel cylinder is used with drum-type brakes. When the brake pedal is pushed, the wheel cylinder pushes the brake shoes against the drum brake, slowing or stopping the car. |
| Wheel
nuts Wheel nuts are used to attach a wheel to a hub. |
| Wiper
arms These are the parts of your wipers that go between the wiper pivots at the base of the windshield and wiper blades. |
| Wiper
blades These are the actual rubber parts of the windshield wiper that clear your windshield. |
| Wire
(electrical) Wire is what the electrical system uses to transmit electricity from one component to another. If a wire breaks, it creates a short circuit. |