21st Century Cars Overview

• Styles
• Drives
• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
• Underhood Label
• Systems
• Body
• Windshield & Windows
• Seating
• Engine
• Fueling
• Cooling
• Lubrication
• Air Intake
• Gas Exhaust
• Ignition
• Starting
• Charging
• Drive Train
• Suspension
• Steering
• Braking
• Lighting & Signaling
• Air Conditioning
• Passenger Restraint
• Accessories
• Sensors & Diagnostics
• Instrument Panel (Dashboard)
• Audio
• Gasoline
• Lubricants
• Coolants
• Refrigerants
• Body Finishes
• Undercoatings
• Other Fluids

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Driving the Car

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Styles

Click on images to obtain larger sizes.   Images and text from Erjavec 55-57 unless otherwise indicated.

Sedan has front and back seats to accommodate 4 to 6 passengers.   It can be 2-door or 4-door.   An older name for a 2-door sedan is coupe.   It is a 2-wheel drive.


Coupe (2-door sedan).


Convertible has a vinyl roof that can be raised and lowered.   It comes in 2-door or 4-door models with or without back seats.   Those without back seats are called sports cars.   It is a 2-wheel drive.


Hatchback (liftback) has a luggage compartment as an extension of the passenger compartment.   An upward-opening hatch-type door provides access to the luggage.   Usually, the rear seats can be folded down to increase the luggage space.   It is a 2-wheel drive.


Station wagon is a sedan with the roof extending straight back to provide a spacious interior passenger or luggage compartments.   A rear door provides access to the luggage.   They come in 2-door or 4-door models.   It is a 2-wheel drive.


Pickup truck has an open cargo area behind the driver's compartment.   Some models have an extended cab with rear seats.   Available in 2-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive or both.


Van has a tall roof and toally enclosed large cargo or passenger area.   They can seat from 2 to 12 passengers.   They come in two basic sizes: mini (shown) and full.   It is a 2-wheel drive.


Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) is a multipurpose vehicle for on-road and off-road duty.   They can be 2-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive or both.   This is a mid-size model.


A large-size SUV.


A small-size SUV.


Crossover vehicles have features of a SUV, minivan, and station wagon.

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Drives

Source:Walczak n.p. unless otherwise indicated.

Cars, including light ("pickup") trucks, have four wheels and an engine located over the front axle.   (Larger trucks and tractors have 4, 6, and 8 wheels where double wheels are counted as one wheel.)   The car can be designed so that the engine powers the 2 front wheels (front wheel drive), or the 2 back wheels (rear wheel drive), or both (4 wheel drive).   Most modern cars have front wheel drives because it gives better traction and provides more interior room.   The weight of the front-mounted engine adds weight to the front wheel tires, which gives them firmer road contact.   Also, this arrangement eliminates the long drive shaft between the engine and the rear axle (the "hump"), thus saving interior space.   Pickup trucks continue to have rear wheel drives because the anticipated extra weight from a load adds weight to the rear wheel tires, thus providing better traction than a front wheel drive.

4 x 2 (2WD)   means a 2-wheel drive vehicle with 4 wheels.   The first figure is the number of wheels.   The second is the number of powered wheels.   With a 4x2, engine power is transmitted to only 2 wheels, usually the front on a front-wheel drive car, the rear on a rear-wheel drive car, and the rear on a pickup truck.   (6 x 2, 6 x 4, 6 x 6, 8 x 2, 8 x 4, etc. are drives found on commercial and military vehicles.)

2 Wheel Drives are classified by the location of the engine and whether the rear or front wheels are driven.   (See diagram.)   A front wheel drive (FWD) has the engine located above the front wheel axle.   A rear wheel drive (RWD) has the engine located above the rear wheel axle.


4 x 4 (4WD)   A vehicle with 4-wheel drive.   The first figure is the number of wheels.   The second is the number of powered wheels.

Part-Time 4WD   A 4-wheel drive vehicle that operates on-demand via a shift lever.   It usually includes 2 speed ranges (Hi and Lo).   Part-time 4WD systems must be operated in 2WD mode on dry pavement, as they're designed to be used only in specific situations when extra traction is required.

Full-Time 4WD   A 4-wheel-drive vehicle that can be operated continuously on all surfaces.   A full-time 4-wheel-drive system may include the option of part-time 2WD operation for driving on dry pavement.   It may or may not have Hi and Lo speed ranges.     The percentage of front and rear power delivery varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Automatic Four-Wheel Drive (A4WD)   A 2WD drive that automatically engages 4WD as needed.   When internal monitors sense differences in individual wheel speeds, indicating that a tire is slipping, then 4WD is automatically engaged.

All-Wheel Drive (AWD)   A full-time single-speed system designed to supply drive power to all four wheels.   The percentage of front/rear power delivery varies from system to system.

Shift on the Fly   A type of drive that allows manual shifting from 2WD to 4WD Hi without coming to a stop.   Most systems have a speed limit at which you can engage the system, typically under 60 mph.

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VIN

VIN is 17 alphanumerics stamped on a metal tag riveted to the instrument panel close to the windshield.   It became mandatory in 1981.


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Underhood Label

Underhood label used since 1972 have an underhood emission control label containing such information as emission control devices, engine size, vacuum hose routing, and valve adjustment specifications.