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Confused by the jargon used in auto shops? Frustrated with not knowing the difference between a fuel pump and an air filter? Use this simple to use car glossary of 20 commonly-used terms that have been translated into simple terms the next time you need repairs or maintenance completed on your vehicle.

Auto Shop Jargon Made Easy

To make your next trip to the auto shop a little simpler, here’s a list of some of the most commonly used verbiage, translated into basic, simple to understand language. Even if you think you’re familiar with what is being said most of the time, some of these terms may be new. Use this as a tool for communicating like a pro when visiting your local auto shop.

Chassis — The chassis is the metal frame that holds all the major parts of a vehicle together, including the suspension system, wheels and body.

Climate Control — Climate control refers to the vehicle’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. It's more intricate than a standard air conditioning system because it allows occupants to set a specific temperature inside the vehicle.

Cruise Control — Cruise control sustains a vehicle at a certain speed automatically.

Drivetrain  / Powertrain — The drivetrain or powertrain refers to all the devices, including the engine, transmission, wheels, etc. that produce a car’s power and deliver it to the road.

Engine Liter Size — Vehicle engines are described in liters, referring to the amount of space inside the engine for the fuel and air mix. The more space inside the engine, the more power the car produces. For example, a 1.2 liter engine is smaller and less powerful than a 1.4 or 1.6 liter engine. This measurement is also known as engine displacement.

Four Wheel Drive — Four wheel drive vehicles have an engine that sends power to all four wheels at once, instead of only the usual two wheels.

Headlights — Xenon headlights, officially known as high-intensity discharge headlamps, are usually known as a more efficient solution, mostly because of the color temperature and the amount of light they generate. Such a lamp contains xenon gas, hence the slight blue tint of the light. Halogen headlights are also popular in the automotive world mostly because they have a very long life. LED lights are popular because they need very low power to work. The amount of power generated by light-emitting diodes is generally believed to be in between the ones produced by halogen and xenon lamps but, with the efforts made by automakers, LEDs are likely to improve in the future.

Horsepower (HP) — This is basically the measurement of an engine’s power. James Watt, who calculated that one horse could do 30,000 foot pounds of work in one minute, invented it. He then used this measurement to calculate the power of a steam engine. Manufacturers have been using this measurement ever since to describe a vehicle’s power.

Hybrid — A hybrid engine has two different power sources, usually a petrol engine linked to an electric motor. At high speeds the car uses the petrol engine. At low speeds, it switches to electric. A hybrid uses less fuel, is environmentally friendly, and usually offers more power for your money.

Transmission — The transmission refers to the gears of a vehicle, which enable the engine to provide a wide range of different speeds. Without it, you'd be limited to just one gear.

CO2 emissions — The CO2 emission figure refers to the level of carbon dioxide released via the car’s exhaust. It gives an indication as to how ‘environmentally friendly’ a vehicle is and your tax is calculated by how much CO2 your car emits. The lower the figure, the cheaper the tax is.

If you ever have questions about your vehicle, you can always give us a call – we’ll explain everything.  Take a look at our Car Care Tips!