Many acronyms and words are often encountered when we bring our cars to the garage and service center. Some relate to engine components, while others are connected to other important functions of your car.
To ensure a smooth ride, we bring you closer to your car. This page contains a list of abbreviations and terms that we love to muse about.
Exterior Parts and Components
ORVMs and Wing Mirrors
For proper visibility of what is behind you while changing lanes or scooting in another direction, the mirrors are attached to your front door.
Windshield
For the driver and co-passenger, the front glass is located above the bonnet so they can see the road.
Brakes- Drum & Disc
The brakes of our car are often found just inside the wheels. Most Indian cars have drum brakes at their rear and disc brakes at their front.
The simplest form of disc brakes is the Caliper. This holds the disc and allows the driver to apply the brake, bringing the car to a halt.
Drum brakes are very old and have a lower stopping power. They rely on drum brake liners to contact the drum, causing pressure that causes the wheel to slow down when brake is applied.
Hub
This is the area around the wheel that has 5 to 4 bolts attached to join the wheel to the axle. After putting your car on a lift or jack, loosen the bolts to remove or replace it.
Tire Pressure
It refers to the pressure of the air in the tire. It is usually measured in PSi. For a better tire-use experience, it is recommended to keep the required pressure.
Under the Hood
Coolant
It is a fluid that circulates around the engine and radiator via pipes. This helps to lower the engine’s high temperatures. It regulates the temperature of the vehicle’s climate control system by keeping it at the right temperature.
Brake Fluid
You will find the brake fluid container inside the hood. This fluid is a fluid that helps ensure optimal braking due to the pistons in the brake.Fuel Pump
It’s an electronic device that supplies fuel to the engine when it is turned on. This ensures that the engine has the correct amount of fuel.
ECU
ECU is the onboard computer in your car. It manages various parameters to ensure efficient combustion. It is also responsible for turning the car’s engine on and off in coordination with other components, such as the immobilizer.
Engine Oil
To prevent the interior components from oxidizing. The engine promotes wear and tear.
Transmission
The engine can’t move the wheels by itself. It is connected to a transmission to allow the car to travel at high speeds. We also have the manual transmission.
Powertrain
The engine and transmission combine to power the car’s powertrain.
Turbocharger
It’s a tool that allows the engine to absorb more air, which results in better combustion and increased mileage. Turbo is essentially a turbine. It has two openings, one which allows air to be piped into the engine, and the other that makes the turbine turn from exhaustion.
Other Terms
ABS (Anti Lock Braking System)
This system is very useful as it prevents brakes from being locked in the biting position, which could cause slippage on wet surfaces or skidding.
Traction Control
It’s a link between the accelerator inputs and the torque transferred to the wheels. This reduces wheel spin caused by heavier acceleration.
Chassis number
An unique identification number (ID) is assigned to each car in order for it to be recognized by the RTO or the manufacturer. Every car has its own unique number.
Service Profile
This is a written record of data that contains information such as the time, mileage and date of your last service. It also includes the due date. This information is now available in modern cars via the car’s infotainment system.
Ignition System
This system’s main purpose is to ignite the fuel and start the combustion process that eventually starts the engine.
Horsepower
It describes the automobile’s potential to maintain high speeds.
Emissions
This is the number of pollutants and gases the car emits through its exhaust pipe. It indicates a limit, and each car should adhere to that value.
Although you won’t be an engineer, knowing all this information will help you to understand the essential processes that every car must go through.
We hope that you found it useful and informative.
