Irrespective of whether you attend to your car maintenance and repairs yourself or take it to the service station, it is important to know the ins and out of the various components of your car. This understanding will help you make informed decisions about the maintenance of your car and any repairs or replacements you should be attending to.
Given below are some of the most important auto parts and their function. Knowing a thing or two about them may help you should you come across an unexpected problem in your car.
Radiator
If your car overheats then you know the problem most likely lies with the radiator. The main function of the radiator is to prevent the engine from overheating. It does this by moving hot coolant through the radiator which works to blow air across it to cool it down. Checking your level of coolant twice or thrice a year should suffice for general maintenance.
The Ac Compressor
This auto part is what makes your car’s AC system work. It does this by pushing coolant through the AC system to cool the car.
Battery
You need the battery to start your car and get it moving. The battery does this by converting chemical energy that it stores within the battery into electrical energy to power the car’s electrical components.
Alternator
Leaving the lights on while the engine is switched off can result in the battery dying; this is because the alternator charges the battery while the engine is running. The alternator generates electricity by converting mechanical energy into electrical energy. It works together with the battery to provide power to the car’s electrical system.
Axle
This is another important component in your car for without it your car will not be able to move. They are the shafts on which the wheels of your car are mounted and provide the necessary drive to the wheels to set them in motion. There are front and rear axles each with its function.
Brakes
Important for stopping the car or slowing it down. The brake system also prevents the car from moving forward or backwards when left parked. They come in two systems drum brakes, and disc brakes.
Shock Absorber
Connected to each wheel of the suspension system, shock absorbers absorb the shock when a car goes over a bumpy road to give you a smoother ride and also help the wheels grip the road to control the car from swaying.
Transmission
The transmission transmits the energy created by the engine to the wheels to allow the wheels of the car to move. There are two types of transmission automatic transmission and manual transmission.
Catalytic Converter
Helps reduce emissions from your car and is used to get rid of pollutants and make exhaust fumes less harmful to the environment.
Muffler
It reduces the noise generated by the exhaust system by restricting the flow of exhaust gas. Depending on the level of restriction the exhaust noise will be more or less.
