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Expertasig - Car glossary Category: Travel and Transportation > Cars Date & country: 24/11/2013, RO Words: 401

Squat
The opposite of dive, squat is the dipping of a car's rear end that occurs during hard acceleration. Squat is caused by a load transfer from the front to the rear suspension.

Spoiler
An aerodynamic device that changes the direction of airflow in order to reduce lift or aerodynamic drag and/or improve engine cooling..

Space frame
A particular kind of tube frame that consists exclusively of relatively short, small-diameter tubes. The tubes are welded together in a configuration that loads them primarily in tension and compression.

Spark Plug
Converts voltage into an arc that passes between its electrodes; the arc ignites the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber. The mixture explodes, creating power by pushing down the piston.

Specific output
The amount of BHP produced from 1 litre of fuel.

Speedo
An instrument dial above the steering wheel which informs the driver of the current speed, in MPH and/or KPH.

Slushbox
A slang for an automatic transmission.

Smart Airbag
There are many designs, but each contains similar elements including a system of sensors and mathematical algorithms to detect the presence or absence of an occupant in the seat; to determine the size, weight and nature of any occupant (including whether it is a rear-facing infant and determine whether the occupant is an adult, a dog, a bag of groc...

Society of Automotive Engineers
The professional association of transportation-industry engineers. The SAE sets most auto-industry standard for the testing, measuring, and designing of automobiles and their components.

Skidpad
A large area of smooth, flat pavement used for various handling tests. Road holding is measured by defining a large-diameter circle (Car and Driver uses 300 feet) on the skidpad and measuring the fastest speed at which the car can negotiate the circle without sliding off.

Slalom
Several soft turns in a row at a race-track, like at Brands Hatch in the UK.

Slicks
A type racing tyre characteristically very wide with no tread.

Slip angle
The angular difference between the direction in which a tyre is rolling and the plane of its wheel. Slip angle is caused by deflections in the tyre's sidewall and tread during cornering. A linear relationship between slip angles and cornering forces indicates an easily controllable tyre.

Side mount
A spare tyre mounted on the side of a car, normally on the fender just above and behind the front wheel.

Side-Impact
safety regulations require that vehicles absorb a certain amount of force when hit from the side. To meet side-impact standards, automakers have stiffened side-impact beams, which resist intrusion into the passenger compartment, and added safety devices such as side airbags and extra padding, which are designed to push the occupant toward the inter...

Short Block
The lower portion of an engine below the cylinder head.

Side Airbag
An inflatable cushion that fills the space between the door and the occupant to prevent head, torso and pelvis injuries when a vehicle is hit from the side. Side airbags may be stored in the door-trim panel or the outboard side of the seat; they may protect the hip and torso only or also protect the head. A new design, called an inflatable tubular ...

Shift Interlock
On a vehicle with automatic transmission, a safety device that prevents the driver from shifting out of park unless the brake pedal is depressed.

Shock absorber
A device that converts motion into heat, usually by forcing oil through small internal passages in a tubular housing. Used primarily to dampen suspension oscillations, shock absorbers respond to motion; their effects, therefore, are most obvious in transient maneuvers.

Sequential Fuel Injection
Similar to multi-port fuel injection, but the injectors spray fuel into the individual intake ports exactly at the beginning of each cylinder's intake cycle. The precise fuel control provides better engine performance.

Shift gate
The mechanism in a transmission linkage that controls the motion of the gearshift lever. The shift gate is usually an internal mechanism; however, in some transmissions: including Ferrari five-speeds and Mercedes-Benz automatics: the shift gate is an exposed guide around the shift lever.

Sedanette
A two-door sedan having a slanted back with the rear window and trunk along one unbroken curve. This name for the early streamlined design is most often used for Buick and Cadillac models, but similar designs of other makes are known by various names.

Semi-trailing-arm suspension
An independent rear-suspension system in which each wheel hub is located only by a large, roughly triangular arm that pivots at two points. Viewed from the top, the line formed by the two pivots is somewhere between parallel and perpendicular to the car's longitudinal axis.

Sensor Algorithm
An algorithm is a mathematical formula or series of formulas used by an on-board computer or processor to make decision. In an airbag system, a crash-sensor algorithm determines whether the change in velocity indicates an impact of great enough force to require airbag deployment, based on pre-programmed parameters. If the change in velocity is grea...

Sat-nav
An LCD showing the vehicle position within the local area, as pinpointed by a GPS satellite.

Sedan
A fixed-roof car with at least four doors or any fixed-roof two-door car with at least 33 cubic feet of rear interior volume. Called a Limousine outside America. Daimler only make this car type.

Running board
A strip running between the fenders and below the doors of early autos used both as a step up into the car and to wipe the mud from one's feet.

Running Yellow
This indicates that something may be wrong on the race track, but the cars are allowed to stay, running at a reduced speed. A quick check by the officials usually resolves the issue and the green light comes back on.

Rush hour
A time period between 8am>10am, where traffic peaks more so than at any time during the day, but excluding weekends.

Rumble seat
Fold-up seat in the rear of a car.

Rocker Panel
The body panel that runs beneath a vehicle's doors.

Rollcage
A protective steel cage to prevent driver injury during a rollover.

Rollover
The type of vehicle impact in which the car or truck rolls over on its side, onto its roof, or turns over completely. The biggest cause of injury in a rollover is ejection of the occupant or any part of the occupant. Rollover is a greater risk in any sport-utility vehicle - because of its high center of gravity - than in a minivan, pickup truck or ...

Rim
The outer edge of a bare wheel. A hub-cap sometimes sits within this.

Road test
A neutral road vehicle examination done by transport depts., publishers, an consumer associations. It covers - design, engineering, performance, braking, handling, ride, comfort, safety, equipment, specifications, economy, market & finance.

Roadster
An open car having a single seat for two or three passengers, with originally a rumble seat in the rear, an usually a folding roof.

Rev counter
Usually sits near the Speedometer. Shows the driver the rpm level while pressing the accelerator, thus indicating how much fuel maybe unnecessarily be being burned.

Recirculating Ball
A steering mechanism in which the steering shaft turns a worm gear causing a toothed metal block to move back and forth, turning the front wheels. Ball bearings reduce friction between the worm gear and the metal block.

Redline
The point on the engine tachometer that indicates the maximum RPM the engine can safely withstand.

Release Fork
Disengages the clutch disc from the flywheel by pressing on the pressure plate release springs.

Retractable
A car having a mechanically retractable hardtop such as the late '50's Ford Skyliner.

Rally
Competing teams, consisting of a driver and a navigator, are given route instructions, which they must follow exactly. Each team follows the course independently, trying to rack up points based on how well they meet a pre-determined schedule.

Rear axel assembly
The drive shaft turns (spins) a set of gears within the rear axle assembly known as the differential, or rear differential. The differential changes the direction of power from the driveshaft out to the rear wheels via the rear axle.

Recall
A manufacturer calls in vehicles to repair defects, usually safety-related. Recalls may be voluntary, requested by the government, or mandated by NHTSA.

Rag Top/Soft-top
A convertible with a soft top, usually made from canvas or a polymer.

Radiator
The copper or aluminum device in front of the engine through which hot engine coolant is circulated and cooled. The liquid is then recirculates back through the engine block to cool it.

Rack and Pinion Steering
The steering wheel is connected to a pinion gear that meshes with a toothed bar, also called a rack or linear gear. As the pinion turns, the rack moves side to side, moving the steering linkage and causing the front wheels to turn left or right. The ends of the rack are linked to the steering wheel with tie rods.

RACMSA
The RAC Motor Sports Association is recognized by the FIA as the governing body of motor sport in Great Britain.

Quality control
A department within a company that ensures its products meet the required standard, such as checking if a car has adequate weather-proofing.

Quarter Panel
Sheet of metal panel that covers the front and rear quarters of the vehicle.

Quickest Lap
Counted officially by race organisers, this determines each cars position on the 'starting grid'. It is achieved by each competitor driving their cars their fastest around 1 circuit of the race-course, over 1 session.

Pushrod
A metal rod that transmits the motion of the camshaft to the valve actuators to open and close the valves. Used on engines with overhead valves but without overhead camshafts.

Project car
An essentially complete, usually running car, that is capable of being restored. A project car usually has a condition number of #4 or #5.

Projector-Beam Headlights
A headlight that uses a spherical reflector to tightly control the light beam. The bulb or light source directs the light inward, toward the reflector at the back of the headlight assembly, which then projects it forward from the vehicle. These lights are more powerful, accurate and expensive than standard sealed-beam and halogen headlights, and ar...

PSI
Acronym for pounds per square inch. A pressure measurement used in tyre inflation and turbocharger boost.

PRO
Professional Racers Organization

Pro Rallies
Road rallies which are very competitive and are run at high speeds on roads closed to the public. Often sponsored by the SCCA.

Pro Start
A method of starting a drag race that differs from most starts in that it only has one amber light between the initial staging and the final lights on the track-owners car.

Pro street
A customized automobile designed for very high-performance and racing.

Powertrain
The combination of engine and transmission.

Pressure Plate
Holds the clutch disc against the flywheel.

Pretensioner
A device that rapidly yanks in shoulder-belt slack when a crash sensor detects an impact. Some pretensioners are activated by a small explosive charge in the belt retractor; some contain their own inertial sensors. So far, pretensioners are still found on more expensive models, particularly those by European manufacturers. By pulling in belt slack ...

Power Steering Fluid
Many power steering systems use hydraulic power. These systems use a power steering pump driven by a belt from the crankshaft. The pump moves fluid under pressure through hoses to the steering gear. The pressure is used in the steering gear to reduce steering effort. A reservoir for fluid is attached to the rear of the pump.

Power-to-Weight Ratio
The maximum power output of the vehicle per unit mass. The higher the ratio, the more powerful the vehicle. In comparing several vehicles, this can be a better measurement than engine horsepower or torque because it considers the weight variable. In other words, a car that seems to have a powerful engine but is also heavy may have less get-up-and-g...

Pitstop
This is the garage area at F1 races, where major mechanical work is done on the cars. The pitlane runs its length. At Indy racing [in USA] its called the 'gasoline alley'.

Poke
The degree of acceleration after exiting a sharp turn, as in 'pokey'.

Pole position
The leading spot amongst an array of cars on the starting grid of a race.

Power Steering
A steering system that uses a separate motor or engine power to reduce the effort necessary to turn the front wheels.

Pinion
A type of gear that has small teeth that mesh with other, larger gears.

Piston
A solid, cylindrically shaped part that alternately compresses fuel vapor within a cylinder (the compression stroke) and is thrust downward (the power stroke) by the force of the explosion that results when the vapor is ignited. Rocker arms connect the pistons to the crankshaft.

Piston Rings
Metal rings seated in grooves on the outside of a piston that are used to ensure a proper seal between the piston and the cylinder wall. Typically, three (3) rings are used: two (2) ensure proper compression is produced and one (1) prevents oil from leaking into the cylinder.

Passive Restraint
A device or structure that automatically helps restrain vehicle occupants in an impact. This includes airbags, belt pretensioners, padded knee bolsters, and shoulder belts that are motorized, or attached to the door.

Phaeton
A four-door open car (convertible). Most true phaetons had vanished by the late '30's, but as late as the '60's, a few models that roughly qualify for the term were briefly re-introduced by Lincoln. VW brought back the term in 2002 for their luxury saloon model.

Pick-up
The type of light-duty truck with an open cargo bed behind a closed cab.

Pace Car
Seen at racing meets, the pace car leads race cars into their pole positions at the beginning of races, or after a yellow flag or restart has been called.

Package Shelf
The ledge between the rear seat and the backlight (or rear windshield). The name is misleading because it's a bad idea to put anything on the package shelf. However, it often contains the sound system's rear speakers and, on some vehicles, the CHMSL or center brake light. Sometimes also called the package tray. On European cars the package tray oft...

Parts car
A car that is suitable only for gleaning parts. Such cars are often, wrecked, incomplete and do not run. Such a car would normally have a condition number of #6.

Oversteer
Occurs when the rear tyres lose adhesion under cornering. In motor sports, this is also called loose. Oversteer can lead to a spin if the driver doesn't reduce acceleration. See also Understeer.

Oxygen Sensor
An emissions related device which senses the presence of oxygen in the exhaust. The voltage it puts out is interpreted by the main computer (ECM) along with other sensor input to determine automatic adjustment of the air/fuel mixture.

Optional Equipment
Machines or features that can be added to a particular model which are not part of the standard package. These usually involve additional cost and can be ordered individually or as part of a package. A CD changer/jukebox is an example.

Overdrive
A transmission gear with a ratio below 1:1, which improves fuel economy by reducing engine revolutions per minute at highway speeds. On a five-speed manual transmission, the fourth and fifth gears are overdrive. On a four-speed automatic transmission, the fourth gear is overdrive. When an overdrive gear set is engaged, the output shaft turns at a h...

Offroader
A wheeled road vehicle whose design allows it to move across rugged terrain with greater ease than standard vehicles.

Octane
The hydrocarbon substance in gasoline that reduces engine knock or pinging, which is a noise caused by premature ignition of fuel in the cylinder combustion chamber. The higher the octane number, the less chance of premature ignition. High octane, which has a rating above 91, is useful only when recommended by the manufacturer.

Odometer
Indicates the number of miles a vehicle has been driven, an is also called a Mileometer. It is illegal to tamper with the odometer reading. This illegal practice of rolling a vehicle's odometer back to indicate that it traveled fewer miles than it actually has, is done by 2nd-hand sellers. Odometer Rollover occurs when the vehicle's mileage exceeds...

NASCAR
National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing; the governing body which sets the rules and regulations for stock car racing.

Nitro-methane
A mixture of nitric acid and methane which is used to fuel Top Fuel Dragsters and Hotrods; is also called nitro or top fuel.

Nose
A small frontal body section of a car which extends beyond the bonnet line, typically slanting downwards. The narrower version used on Formula cars is called a shark-nose. 'Nosed' refers to the process of raising a small peak in the center of the bonnet of a car, usually as part of a customized design.

Multi-Port Fuel Injection
An electronic fuel-injection method that uses individual injectors to spray fuel directly into each intake port, bypassing the intake manifold. Also called multi-point fuel injection.

Muscle car
A term used beginning in the mid-'50's to refer to cars which had very high horsepower and is still in use today. Occasionally called a 'pony car' in USA. The Aston-Martin Vanquish is a perfect example.

Miles Per Gallon / MPG
Fuel economy measurement. Generally, a vehicle maker may offer mpg ratings for city driving, highway driving, and combined driving, so their is no definitive single measure overall.

Minivan
A quite large car of saloon capacity but resembling a small van with windows.

MPV
A multi-person vehicle, pioneered by Renault, like a windowed van with several seats. Similar to a mini-bus but with modcons an for private use.

Multi-Link Suspension
Independent suspension controlled with several link arms that restrict undesired motion of the suspension for a smoother ride and more precise handling.

Max torque
The weight of force per foot, given in pounds, and the rpm level, eg 100 lb ft at 1000 rpm.

Metallic paint
A glittery sheen within the paintwork by customer request at an additional cost.

Manual Transmission
A transmission that varies the power and torque through a foot pedal controlled clutch and a floor-mounted or steering-shaft-mounted gear selection lever.

Mass Airflow Sensor
Device that measures the flow of air entering the throttle housing.

Master Cylinder
The primary component for pressurizing fluid in a hydraulic system. Used in the braking system, it supports a reservoir for holding brake fluid and is activated each time the driver depresses the brake pedal.

Max power
Two figure totals given in brake-horse-power by engine revs per minute. [bhp x rpm].

Lowrider
Generally, a car on which the chassis has been lowered; however, other customizations are often present. Some American cars have a hydraulic mechanism that does this action during driving.