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.
Category: Glossary of Car Terms
What is Alternator?
An alternator is an engine accessory that generates electricity to keep your battery charged and operate your vehicle’s electrical system.
What is Air Bag System?
The airbag system consists of impact sensors, a system computer, a detonation device, and the airbag itself.
What is Accelerator Pedal?
The pedal found on all cars that controls engine rpm. Also called the gas pedal.
What is Accessory?
Refers to a power-operated feature on a car. For instance, power windows and power locks would be considered accessories.
What is Acceleration?
Acceleration is what occurs when the car moves forward from a stop or a slower speed to a higher speed.
What is 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.
What is Automatic Choke?
Automatic chokes use either a heat- or computer-controlled element to turn on and off automatically as needed.
What is Axle?
The shaft around which the wheels rotate.
What is Driveshaft?
In rear-, four-, and all-wheel drive cars, the driveshaft is the tube(s) that connects the transmission with the differential(s).
What is 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.
What is 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.
What is 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.
What is 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.
What is 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.
What is Defroster?
A setting of your car’s heating controls that lets you easily remove frost and fog from your vehicle’s windows.
What is 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.
What is DLC?
An acronym for Data Link Connector. Formerly referred to as the ALDL, this is the connector to which diagnostic scan tools are connected. Under OBD II, the DLC is a standardized 16-cavity connector and has a standardized location under the driver-side instrument panel.
What is 4WD?
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.
What is Automatic Transmission?
Automatic transmissions have hydraulically operated gear sets, which require no gear shifting or clutching by the driver.