General Terms Used in Automotive Industry
ABS - Short for anti-lock brake system, ABS describes the braking technology that prevents car wheels from locking up when a sudden stop is required.
AIR CONDITIONING - A cooling system that originally appeared in cars in 1970. Abbreviated as AC, it uses refrigerant and a compressor to lower temperatures inside the vehicle to make the ride more comfortable.
AIRBAGS - Safety features consisting of air-filled cushions that deploy immediately in the event of an accident to prevent injury to a vehicle’s occupants.
AIR FILTER - A filter composed of fibrous materials that prevents dirt, dust, debris and other contaminants from entering the engine.
BRAKES (DISC AND DRUM) - The system that stops your car. Disc brakes use calipers to clasp brake pads to metal discs called brake rotors, which brings the car to a stop. Drum brakes involve a combination of a metal drum and brake shoes, where to shoes press outward to apply pressure to the drum to bring the car to a stop.
CHASSIS - A blanket description of the base frame of a vehicle and the mechanical parts that are attached to it, including the power train and suspension.
CLIMATE CONTROL - The term used to refer to the heater, air conditioner and defrosting mechanisms in a car. Some vehicles have advanced systems that detect outdoor temperatures and can be adjusted accordingly.
COOLANT - Also called antifreeze, this combination of ethylene glycol and water protects the climate control system by dispersing excess heat and preventing parts from freezing.
CYLINDER - One of the four, six or eight cavities in the engine block in which pistons are located and where combustion action occurs.
DRIVABILITY - How smoothly a vehicle accelerates and idles, how well it starts at different temperatures and its ability to adapt to various driving conditions.
DRIVE RANGE (EV) - A term that refers to how far an electric vehicle can be driven before you need to recharge the battery.
DRIVETRAIN - All of the parts of a car that work together to deliver power to the car’s wheels. The components differ depending on the type of vehicle (manual, automatic transmission, front-wheel or four wheel-drive). The engine is not included into the drivetrain.
EMISSIONS - An assessment of how many pollutants a car gives off that is measured by EPA standards. Emissions of common gasses must not exceed the maximum levels set by the EPA.
ENGINE DISPLACEMENT - Previously measured in cubic inches and now designated in liters, displacement describes the volume of combustion in the engine’s interior.
FUEL ECONOMY - How far a vehicle can travel using a given amount of gasoline. Commonly described in miles per gallon and measured for city and highway driving.
FUEL INJECTION - A system that delivers a high-pressure fuel stream in an internal combustion engine.
GEARBOX - The system of gears controlled by the manual or automatic shifter in a vehicle. The movement of the gears directly influences the movement of the car, and various driving conditions, like cruising on level surfaces,or climbing a hill, use different gear setups.
GPS - A digital navigation system built into many modern vehicles that uses your current location to deliver the best route to a specific destination.
HANDLING - How well a vehicle moves on straightaways, around corners and over varying degrees of terrain.
HORSEPOWER - A unit of measurement equal to 550 foot pounds per second used to describe the power of a vehicle’s engine. Higher numbers mean more power and the ability to push a car to faster speeds.
IGNITION SYSTEM - The system that generates a spark and controls the timing of the spark that is necessary to ignite the fuel-air mixture and start fuel combustion inside the engine.
JUMP START - An emergency starting procedure used to get a car running when the battery is dead. Jumper cables are attached to the battery of a working vehicle and run to the failed battery to provide a jolt of power.
KEYLESS ENTRY - A modern entry system that unlocks doors via a battery-powered remote or key fob instead of requiring you to physically put the key into the lock.
OIL - Lubricant that reduces wear and tear on an engine’s moving parts, prevents overheating and delays the process of corrosion.
POWERTRAIN - This system consists of the combination of the engine and transmission and is often protected by a manufacturer warranty.
PSI - Pounds per square inch, a measurement of pressure most often used to ensure that tires are properly inflated.
SERVICE BOOK - A record book used to keep track of when service is performed on a vehicle. This is sometimes required in order for your car’s warranty to remain valid and may increase the value of a used car.
SUPERCHARGER - A compressor that delivers more air into the engine’s interior. The result is an increase in power but a decrease in fuel efficiency.
TIRE PRESSURE - How much air is in a vehicle’s tires, expressed in pounds per square inch. Some cars have a monitoring system that alerts you to low pressure.
TRACTION CONTROL - This safety feature minimizes wheel spin and ensures good traction between the tires and the road when a vehicle accelerates. It activates when there is a mismatch between engine torque and throttle input.
TRANSMISSION - The internal system that controls the power from the engine and translates it into movement via a manual or automatic shifting mechanism. The term is often used to refer to the gearbox, which we explained above.
TURBOCHARGER - Similar to a supercharger, this device increases vehicle power with the help of an exhaust-driven turbine.
VIN - A unique number known as the vehicle identification number that sets a vehicle apart as unique. Digits within the number describe various aspects of the vehicle.
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