Automotive terms

Automotive Definitions

Adaptive Automatic Transmission - Transmissions which can learn to adapt to the driver's style by altering shift points and other transmission functions, and thus, produce the most efficient operation possible.

Adaptive (Intelligent) Cruise Control - An advanced cruise control system that uses a radar sensor that is mounted in the front of the vehicle to maintain a safe cruising distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you when in use. They usually allow you to set the distance between vehicles and then the system will either accelerate or brake to maintain that interval. Some systems can adjust for hilly terrain and passing situations.

Air Suspension - Suspension system that used airbags instead of steel coil or leaf springs for a softer ride. Some cars will have a unit at each corner that contains pressurized air. It can be equipped to have the up-and-down or bouncing ride you often see.

Adjustable Suspension - Systems used to vary shock-absorber firmness to give a better ride or handling. Some can automatically sense different road conditions and adjust the shock-absorber settings for the correct ride. Some allow the driver to adjust the shock-absorber settings by a switch on the dash to give a softer or firmer ride or tweak the handling.

Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) - ABS works automatically to pump the brakes when the driver applies steady pressure to the brake pedal thus preventing the wheels from locking up. This helps the driver maintain control in emergency stops or on slick pavement.

Automatic Climate Control - Like central heat and air for your car. The heating and air conditioning system automatically adjusts itself to maintain a temperature that you select.

Automatic Transmission With Manual-Shift Capability - An automatic transmission, that allows you to manually change gears when you feel like it. Usually, it is a traditional automatic transmission when left in Drive, but it can be shifted manually through the gears for increased control of engine speed, but there is no clutch pedal.

Bluetooth Capability - A radio system designed to work with Bluetooth wireless connectivity when it is available on your cell phone.

Brake Assist - Sensors gauge the speed at which the driver begins pressing the brake pedal and determines whether full emergency stopping power is required shortening the stopping distance in a panic stop even if the driver did not push the pedal all the way to the floor.

Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) - CVT works like an automatic transmission, but without gears. Power is sent in a continuous flow to the wheels from the engine.

Curtain Side Airbags - Side airbags are located on both sides of the car while the curtain side airbags deploy from above the front and rear side windows in the case of a side-impact collision. The bags are designed to protect occupants' heads. Some advanced systems can deploy the bags when sensors detect a rollover. The bags inflate within a fraction of a second and deflate after a few seconds just as steering wheel airbags do. These bags also help keep the occupants safer from broken side glass. SUVs with three rows of seats may not have curtain airbags for the backseat occupants.

Dual Front Airbags - Protect the driver and front passenger in case of a front-end collision. One bag is mounted in the steering wheel hub while the other is located in the right side of the dashboard. Both inflate and deflate within a fraction of a second. Most systems can judge the severity of an impact and determine whether the front-seat occupant is wearing their seat belt and to adjust the rate of deployment to reduce injuries from the airbags. If the front passenger seat is empty, the passenger airbag, in may cars, will not be deployed and save you money in the body shop. Dual front airbags are required by law on all new passenger vehicles.

Dual-Overhead-Cam - Engines which have two separate camshafts rather than one to drive the valves.

Dual-Stage Airbags - Front airbags that use sensors to deploy at either of two levels, depending on the severity of a collision.

Dual-Zone Climate Control - Allows control of heating and air conditioning by both the driver and front passenger for their side of the car, while some have a third adjustment for rear passengers.

Electronic Brake-Force Distribution - Works along with the ABS to balance the force applied to brakes at front and rear wheels to prevent over-braking, make your brake pads last longer, and to ensure braking efficiency under any condition.

Hybrid Powertrain - System using a gasoline engine and and electric motor to work together to save fuel and to produce less emissions.

Intelligent (Adaptive) Cruise Control - An advanced cruise control system that uses a radar sensor that is mounted in the front of the vehicle to maintain a safe cruising distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you when in use. They usually allow you to set the distance between vehicles and then the system will either accelerate or brake to maintain that interval. Some systems can adjust for hilly terrain and passing situations.

Lane-Departure Warning System - Sensors that issue a warning when the vehicle reaches the highway lane markers on the side of the road. It can detect the lane dividers and creates a sound when the vehicle begins to move into an adjacent lane.

MP3 Capability - The ability of a radio to play MP3 music.

Navigation System - Basically a small computer system with an electronic screen which displays a map and can audibly give directions on how far and where to turn to reach the destination that has been programmed in by the car's driver. The system receives signals from a satellite to maintain the vehicle's location and direction of travel. Some new systems use voice recognition to make it easier to operate for the driver.

Overhead-Cam Engine - The camshaft, which drives the valves, is located on top of the engine rather than down inside the middle of the engine.

Oversteer - Rear-wheel drive cars are more likely to oversteer, which is also called loose, if the car is going too fast in a turn. Oversteer is harder to control. To correct oversteer, you must turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction of the turn and carefully let off of the accelerator and ease onto the brake to prevent a spin-out.

Real-Time Traffic Information - System that comes with satellite radio to warn drivers of traffic problems on the route and provide an alternate route.

Rear Obstacle Warning System - Vehicle system with sensors which are mounted in the rear bumper to warn the driver of objects behind the car when the car is in reverse. The system issues a warning to signal the distance to the object.

Rear-Seat Entertainment System - An option most often offered on minivans and SUVs that allows the rear-seat passengers to view video by playing DVDs. They will either have a screen that drops from the ceiling behind the front seats or mounted in the back of the headrests on the front seats.

Satellite Radio - Two satellite systems, XM and Sirius, provide radio reception via satellites. You can drive across the country and never change the station or lose the signal. The signal will be lost when you are under an awning or in a garage. XM and Sirius charge a monthly fee for their service. Satellite-ready radios are standard in some vehicles and can be added to most.

Side Airbags - Protect the car's occupants in case of a side collision. Some are mounted in the side of the seat backrest while others are found in the door panel. The bags inflate and deflate within fractions of a second. Side airbags may be provided for both front and rear-seat occupants.

Stability Control System (Anti-Skid System) - Stability control sensors automatically apply individual brakes which prevents a sideways skid. The system may also slow the engine to help control the skid. Can help keep control in fast turns even if the brakes are not used.

Traction Control - Limits tire slip when accelerating on slippery surfaces. Sensors determine if the wheels that are receiving power have lost traction and pumps the brake to those wheels to stop slipping and may reduce engine power to those wheels.

Turbocharged - Turbochargers use the normally wasted exhaust gases to compress the air that enters the engine, and increase the engine's power.

Understeer - Front-wheel drive cars tend to understeer which can also be called tight or pushing which is where the wheels lose their contact with the road. This is worsened in snow or in rain. You feel this in curves when the car feels that it wants to keep going straight even though you are steering into the turn. Taking your foot off of the accelerator and gently applying the brakes should correct the problem by shifting more weight to the front tires and providing increased traction.

Variable Valve Timing - VVT is controlled by a computer which controls the opening and closing of the engine's valves to produce the greatest level of efficiency.

Voice Recognition - Vocal commands can be used to control the climate-control system and navigation systems.

Xenon Headlights - High-intensity-discharge (HID) or bi-xenon headlights are now standard on some vehicles and optional on others. These lights emit a brighter beam. Some cars make the headlights move in unison with the steering wheel to light the road ahead even in a curve.