In our daily life, we see every type of vehicle almost every time, all around us. While jumping into a car and starting the engine, we rarely give a second thought to the complicated combination of systems and components that enable us to move from place to place. The car has a complex structure. However, every vehicle owner doesn’t need to understand the car parts and their functionalities, still, it is helpful to know the basics.
As in the automotive industry for more than a couple of years, we have gathered some knowledge that we would like to share. In this blog, we have listed 12 common vehicle parts and brief information about their functionality.
Automotive Basics Car Parts and Thir Respective Functions
1. Car Engine
In a vehicle, the engine is the heart of every vehicle that uses oxygen and fuel and converts them into mechanical energy that propels the wheels forward. A common type of engine today found in cars is an internal combustion engine that utilizes spark plugs to ignite the fuel, creating pressure and energy that results in moving the vehicle back and forth.
2. Battery
In any vehicle, the battery is a rechargeable unit that ensures your engine starts properly by triggering the spark. The battery also provides power to other electrical components when your engine is not working properly.
Batter Terminal: Basically, a battery terminal is a way to connect to power up the vehicle’s electrical internal systems such as indicators, LEDs, and other dashboards accessories. There are three types of terminals that are post or top, side, and L.
Battery Capacity: The battery output energy is measured in ampere/hours.
Cold Cranking Amps: It is abbreviated as CCA which means ‘amount of current that battery supplies to the car’.
Group Size: Group size is the size of the battery. Some common group sizes are listed below:
| 24 | 24F | 25 |
| 34 | 35 | 51 |
| 51R | 52 | 58 |
| 58R | 59 | 65 |
AGM: Absorbent Glass Mat is sulphuric acid absorbed by a fiberglass mat to make the battery spill-proof and better for holding charge.
3. Radiator
Your vehicle’s radiators are heat exchangers that remove heat from your cooling system, preventing your engine from overheating. During the heating process, the coolant is pumped through the radiator, where it exchanges heat with the air passing by.
For the radiator maintenance service, make sure to always check your coolant level twice a year. Replacing a radiator can be time taking, but is the most doable DIY job. If you wanted to replace your Radiator then read the ‘How To Replace A Radiator’ article, to get the job done rightly. Also, you should check the vehicle’s repair manual, as each car is slightly different from the other.
4. AC Compressor
The functionality of the AC compressor in the car is to pump coolant throughout the system to start cooling the car. Without the AC compressor, the system won’t work. In the heating season, the summer heat shows how much essential your AC system is for your vehicle. So, it is better to get to know how your AC works and how to recharge it if it is not working quickly.
5. Alternator
The alternator is an electric generator that charges the car battery when the vehicle is running on the road and also allows to help power the vehicle when the engine of the car is not responding. It operates in conjunction with voltage regulators and batteries.
Your battery could be overcharged if it isn’t working and appears swollen. There could be a faulty voltage in your alternator. So, it’s better to stop at the nearby repair center and then get back on the road.
6. Vehicle AXLE
Generally, the front and rear axles serve as cross members to support a vehicle’s wheel hubs. Besides being part of the suspension system, the axles are responsible for transmitting power from the engine to the wheels through the transmission and differential. They are linked to the wheels and support each tyre’s weight.
Moreover, the CV axle has inner and outer joints with a ‘boot’ on each side. It is failed just because of a broken or leaking boot.
7. Tyre Brakes
A brake plays a vital role in stopping or slowing down your vehicle or preventing it from moving forward when the car is parked. Its two common parts are:
- Disc Brakes
- Drum Brake System
Further, some most common disc brake parts are:
Caliper: The non-rotational components of disc brakes that span the disc and contain hydraulic components that push the brake pads against the rotor to slow or stop a vehicle. This can be found in the front or rear axle of the vehicle.
Brake Pad: A material that is pressed against the disc by the caliper as a means of slowing down or stopping a vehicle. It is also terminally used for brake lining.
Brake Rotor: A brake rotor is a disc-shaped component that spins with the wheel and hub. As a brake system is used to slow or stop a vehicle, lining pads are forced against the rotor to provide a friction surface.
Drum Brakes: Usually, it contains brake drum and shoes. To slow the vehicle, the friction material is pressed against the shoes inside the drum.
8. Shock Absorbers
Typically, shock absorbers are fitted to each wheel of a suspension system to control the up, down, and rolling motion of the car body by dampening the oscillations or jounces of the springs when the car passes over bumps, thereby contributing to passenger comfort and safety. The shock absorber is also referred to as a strut or shock, depending on which the vehicle is equipped with.
Shock Absorber Functions:
- A device that dampens the effect of spring oscillation to stabilize the ride of a vehicle
- Control body sway
- Tire tread should be less prone to lifting off the road surface
9. Transmission
An engine’s transmission ensures that the appropriate amount of power is delivered to the wheels by working directly with the engine. Transmissions on cars typically consist of five to six gear sets that assist with speed control. There are two types of transmission:
- Automatic Transmission: Automatic transmission is the type of transmission in which gear ratios are automatically changed using ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid). The shifts operate by the engine computer. Moreover, some of the automatic transmissions are continuously variable (CVT), or shiftless transmissions that can change by the continuous change of gear ratios.
- Manual Transmission: A device in the power train that is used to change the relationship between the engine speed and the vehicle’s speed.
10. Catalytic Converter
The catalytic converter plays an important role in reducing air pollution by reducing toxic gases and pollutants. In the internal combustion process, several harmful byproducts are produced that the catalytic converter removes by catalyzing an important redox reaction.
11. Muffler
A muffler is a piece of equipment used to reduce the noise generated by an internal combustion engine. The exhaust released by this vehicle generates a significant amount of noise, which the muffler greatly reduces.
12. Tailpipe
As the final component of the exhaust system, the tailpipe carries the exhaust gases from the vehicle to the outside. The fuel makes its way through the whole vehicle as efficiently as possible, from the engine in the front to the tailpipe at the back.
