For the uninitiated, the automotive world can be a daunting one. So many technical terms… what do they all mean? While it’s impossible to teach the complexity of mechanics in just one sitting, let’s start with a glossary of car terms. So next time someone throws around some vehicular jargon, you’ll be in the driver’s seat.

A is for alternator – A device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy and recharges the battery.

B is for brake system – The set-up of discs, callipers, pads, hoses and fluid that work to slow or stop a vehicle.

C is for chassis – The lower structure of a car — like a skeleton — to which the body panels and running gear are attached.

D is for drive train – All of the components, such as engine and transmission, which combine to deliver engine power to the road.

E is for exhaust system – The pipes, catalytic converter and muffler that direct exhaust gases from the engine to the atmosphere.

F is for fuel system – Consists of parts like a tank, pump, injectors, and intake manifold to delivers fuel to an engine’s cylinders.

G is for gasket – A thin piece of compressible material placed between two surfaces to form a tight seal.

H is for hydraulic – Any system operated by liquid under pressure. For example, brakes and clutch.

I is for ignition – A combination of parts, including a distributor and spark plugs, which provide spark to ignite the air/fuel mixture.

J is for jumper cable – Two heavy-duty leads used to connect two batteries to start a vehicle.

K is for keyless entry – Allows one to lock and unlock a vehicle’s doors via a button on a remote key-fob, rather than a conventional key.

L is for limited-slip differential – Helps prevent the driven wheels from skidding or losing traction by diverting power from the slipping wheel.

M is for manifold – The piping that channels the air/fuel mixture into an engine and ducts the exhaust gas out of it.

N is for neutral – The position of a transmission when an engine is disengaged from the drive train.

O is for odometer – The counter in the instrument cluster that indicates trip or total kilometres accumulated on the vehicle.

P is for piston – An internal engine part that thrusts up and down within a cylinder during the ignition and exhaust phase.

Q is for quarter panel – A metal panel that covers the front and rear quarters of the vehicle.

R is for radiator – Situated in front of the engine, through which hot coolant is circulated and cooled, then recirculated back to cool the engine.

S is for suspension – The components, including springs and shock absorbers, used to support the vehicle and suspend the frame, body and engine above the wheels.

T is for transmission – Takes power produced by the engine and converts it to turn the drive wheels.

U is for undercarriage – Also known as the “chassis” (see “C is for…”)

V is for valve – Used to control the flow of air/fuel mixture in and the flow of burned gasses out of the engine.

W is for water pump – Circulates coolant through the block, cylinder head and radiator to prevent the engine overheating.