[1] A taxi or car for hire.

[2] The closed part of a truck (or even a car) where the driver sits.

a fixed rigid top applied to a touring car replacing the regular folding top, usually with sliding glass windows for weather protection

one of a number of shafts in an engine that opens and close the valves

A measurement of the light producing ability of a light bulb.

A bright color (usually red) paint (often with metal flakes) with a transparent clear coat

The action of removing good parts from one vehicle in order to put them into another vehicle.

The convertible top.

A wheeled vehicle such as an automobile, a section of a train, or a streetcar. The word is an abbreviation of "carriage" -- a device to carry people or goods.

A collision between two or more vehicles (or between a vehicle and a stationary object), whether the vehicles are cars or trucks. Some are minor like a fender bender while others are totaled.

A person who steals object from a car, but does not steal the car itself.

A cover which encloses the entire vehicle to protect the finish from the elements.

[1] A group of vehicles (belonging to one organization) which follows after one another.

[2] A British term for camping trailer or a mobile home.

An abbreviation for "carburetor."

(CO2) A colorless, odorless, non-toxic gas which is a product of breathing and the combustion process. Sometimes used as refrigerant: Refrigerant # is R-744

the fuel system component that meters the fuel and air and supplies the proper amounts of both to the engine. The part of the engine that handles the job of changing ratios or air and fuel mixture within an engine to meet different operating conditions (e.g. heat or altitude).

The space within a station wagon or van for carrying goods or the bed of a pickup truck for carrying goods

A process of stealing a car while the driver is still in it. The car may be stopped at a traffic light when a car jacker appears with a gun and demands that the driver get out, then he drives away with the car. If it happens to you, give him the car -- your life is worth more than the vehicle.

An unlocking device for the ignition switch, doors, trunk, gas cap, etc.

A place where vehicles are sold by an independent dealer

The action of covering the passenger compartment floor (and sometimes the trunk floor) with a form-fitting rug or carpet.

A telephone that is installed in a vehicle, but has recently been replaced by personal cell phones. Also see cellular phone

A product which enhances the shine of the paintwork of a vehicle

A radio receiver which is installed (usually in the dash) in a vehicle

A bolt that has a smooth dome head (like a mushroom) so that no screwdriver or wrench can remove it from the dome-side.

An alloy of iron and more than 2% carbon. It is used for engine blocks and transmission and differential cases because it is relatively cheap and easy to mold into complex shapes.

A nut with several lugs protruding from one end making it look like the turrets on the top of the wall of a castle. This nut is used on a shaft with a hole drilled in it. It is secured to the shaft by passing a cotter pin through an opening in the nut and through the shaft hole.

a process technology that delivers a liquid molten metal into a purpose-built mould. After cooling, the solid metal surface has the shape of the mould cavity.

A pollution-control device found on the exhaust system of all cars since its introduction in 1974 which acts like an afterburner to reburn unburned gas in the tail pipe. It looks like a small muffler and is usually made of stainless steel. It contains platinum, rhodium, or palladium which is a catalyst for the chemical reaction needed to burn off any unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide by turning them into water vapor, carbon dioxide and other less toxic gases.

Pronounced SHAM-mee. A soft piece of animal skin (from a deer, sheep, goat, etc.) used to absorb water after washing the surface of a vehicle. Also called a chamois leather or shammy leather.

The action of selecting a different gear. This expression is used more in Britain than in North America where the expression is "shift gear."

[1] The action of passing an electric current through a battery to restore it to the active (charged) state. Normally the vehicle's generator or alternator takes care of this. If the vehicle is not used much, an external charger is needed to charge the battery.

[2] The definite quantity of electricity usually found in a storage battery.

[3] Refers to the mass of air and fuel that enters a cylinder during the intake stroke.

the structural framework of a car, which includes the axles, drive train, engine, steering, and suspension

A colloquial term for a vehicle that has been kept in, or restored to, perfect condition. Also called "mint" or "like new."

[1] Small pits in the glass (windshield or headlight) or in the paint caused by small flying stones.

[2] To cut with a chisel.

[3] A collection of sample paint.

A wedge used to prevent a wheel from rolling -- especially when replacing a tire/wheel. Also called a "wheel chock."

A butterfly valve or plate located near the top of the carburetor that limits or restricts the amount of air allowed to enter the carburetor, thus enriching the fuel-air mixture and enabling the vehicle to start and run more easily when cold. Automatic chokes have a thermostatic coil or thermostatic spring that activates a butterfly valve at the top of the carburetor barrel. Older cars have manually operated chokes. Some vehicles use an enrichner instead of a choke.

A horn which makes a particular sound "Ah-oo-gah."

the clear protective coating applied in a base coat/clear coat or tri-coat system.  The clear coat can be an acrylic lacquer or an enamel

A tire whose edges hook under the curved-in hooked edge of a special rim, not commonly found anymore on bicycles and often confused with the common wired-on tire.

Type of wheel rim used with early beaded-edge tires

A tire whose edges hook under the curved-in hooked edge of a special rim, not commonly found anymore on bicycles and often confused with the common wired-on tire.

The fabric of the seats made of cloth rather than leather or vinyl.

A highway overpass system which has four basic loops for getting on the highway or leaving it.

A vehicle which might run but is rusty and in need of a lot of repair work.

a device that connects and disconnects the wheels from the engine enabling the gears to be changed

[1] To proceed, usually downhill, on a bicycle without pedalling; or in a motor vehicle without the aid of the engine.

[2] A designation on a cruise control switch which (when activated) will cause the vehicle to slow down to a lower cruise controlled speed.

An instrument with a magnetic needle which is mounted on the dash to give the driver an idea of where magnetic north might be.

Headlight which (when not lit) is hidden behind a panel. When the headlight switch is turned on vacuum is applied to a controller which opens the panel exposing the light. Also called "hide-away headlights" or "pop-up headlights."

A vehicle that is not currently in production, but is still in the design stage. Some are merely paper drawings, but others are clay mock-ups. The ideas in the concept cars sometimes appears in production models.

a gathering or show of the elegant. It is often misspelled "concourse" which means a driveway, promenade, or open space as in an air terminal

a car with a roof that can be lowered or removed.

Liquid in the cooling system. Usually a mixture of water and antifreeze (ethylene glycol). This mixture lowers the freezing point of the water in the cooling system, prevents rust and corrosion, lubricates the water pump, and picks up heat from the engine and transfers it to the air passing through the radiator.

A fastener shaped like a pin, but split up the center. After it is inserted, the legs are bent around the item containing the hole. A length of wire which is folded almost in half and the bend forms an eye. Also called a "split pin."

the structural body part located at the front of the passenger compartment, between the engine hood and the body, back to the windshield

the single largest section of engine containing the crankshaft in an oil-tight housing

The act of engaging the starter by turning the key in the ignition switch which makes the engine turn over. In the old days, a hand crank was used to do this, thus the term "cranking."

A platform on four small caster wheels that allows you to move around easily while lying on your back under your vehicle.

A feature that keeps your vehicle moving at a set speed. Old cruise controls were mere throttle control units which kept the engine speed the same. When the vehicle approached a hill, the vehicle slowed down noticeable going up and speeded up going down. Later models used vacuum controls to push or pull on the accelerator rod. Newer models use electronic controls to accomplish this task. It can be turned off by hitting the off button or touching the brake pedal. The resume switch allows you to return to the pre-set speed after brake disengagement. The coast switch slows the speed down and the accelerate switch increases it.

A machine which crushes scrapped cars into small blocks.

A stone or cement ridge between the road and the sidewalk. In Britain it is called "kerb"

A term used to describe the very light production automobile made prior to 1922. It was usually made from motorcycle parts and generally powered by single-cylinder or twin-cylinder engine. They disappeared when genuine light cars appeared.

A chamber within an engine which contains a piston and valves. A fuel and air mixture is first compressed by the piston and then ignited. The force of this ignited mixture (a controlled explosion) moves the piston, creating the basic force of the engine (power).