Our general FAQ section provides clear answers to the most common automotive questions that apply to all vehicles, regardless of make or model. From understanding routine maintenance schedules and oil change intervals to learning about warning lights, smog checks, brakes, tires, and general car care tips, this category is designed to help every driver. Whether you’re new to car ownership or just want reliable advice, our general FAQs give you the knowledge to keep your vehicle safe, reliable, and road-ready.
What car was in the ZZ Top videos? Inside the iconic “Eliminator” coupe It was a customized 1933 Ford three-window coupe, nicknamed the “Eliminator.” The bright-red hot rod—built for ZZ Top guitarist Billy F. Gibbons—became a visual trademark for the band in the early MTV era, starring in videos like Gimme All Your Lovin’, Sharp …
How a Cammed Engine Works A “cammed” engine is one fitted with a performance camshaft that opens the intake and exhaust valves farther and for longer than stock, shifting torque higher in the rev range and often producing a choppy, lopey idle due to increased valve overlap and reduced vacuum. In practice, the camshaft’s shape …
How Much It Costs to Fix the Inside of a Car in 2025 Most interior fixes run $100–500 for minor items, $200–1,000 for common upholstery or trim work, and $1,000–5,000+ for major jobs like dashboards, seats with airbags, or HVAC cores; a full interior refresh can range from $1,500–6,000, while post-crash airbag replacements often total …
What Powers a Car? A car is powered by energy stored in fuel or batteries—most commonly gasoline or diesel, increasingly electricity, and sometimes hydrogen or alternative fuels—which the powertrain converts into motion via an engine or electric motor. In practical terms, that energy source feeds a system of components that turn stored energy into rotational …
What makes a camshaft move The camshaft is moved by the engine’s crankshaft through a timing belt, timing chain, or gear train; in a four‑stroke engine it turns at half the crankshaft speed, and variable valve timing devices can shift its phase but do not power it. Put simply, torque originates at the crankshaft—first from …
How a Car Works: Turning Energy into Motion, Control, and Safety A car works by converting stored energy—gasoline/diesel in an internal-combustion engine or electricity in a battery—into rotational force that turns the wheels via a drivetrain, while computers manage fueling, spark or power delivery, stability, braking, and comfort. In practice, this involves an energy source …
What “Engine Breakdown” Means—and Why It Matters Engine breakdown refers to the sudden or critical loss of an engine’s ability to operate as intended, resulting in a stoppage or severe reduction in power. The term is commonly used in automotive, aviation, maritime, and industrial contexts to describe an event that renders a vehicle or machine …
How to Raise a Car That Is Too Low The most reliable ways to raise a car’s ride height are to fix worn suspension parts, adjust height on factory or aftermarket coilovers, install taller springs or spring spacers, fit a vehicle-specific lift kit (common for trucks/SUVs), or switch to air suspension; any change should be …
How to Start Learning About Cars and Engines Begin by mastering the fundamentals of how engines and drivetrains work, studying reliable service information, assembling a safe starter toolkit (including an OBD-II scanner), and practicing simple maintenance tasks under supervision. From there, progress into diagnostics, electronics, and modern systems like hybrids and EVs. This guide outlines …
Battery or Alternator? How to Tell What’s Failing and What to Do Next If your car starts with a jump and then runs but won’t restart later, it’s usually the battery; if it won’t stay running after a jump, or the voltage while idling is below about 13.0 V with accessories on, it’s likely the …
How Horsepower Is Defined Horsepower is a unit of power. In its most common form—mechanical horsepower—it is defined as exactly 550 foot-pounds of work per second, which equals 745.699871582 watts. A widely used alternative, metric horsepower (PS/CV), is defined as 75 kilogram-force meters per second, equal to 735.49875 watts. In electrical contexts, horsepower is often …
Did Henry Ford or Karl Benz Invent the Car? Karl Benz is widely credited with inventing the first practical automobile powered by an internal combustion engine, while Henry Ford did not invent the car but transformed it into a mass-market product through assembly-line manufacturing. Benz’s 1886 patent for the three-wheeled Patent-Motorwagen marks the birth of …
What Happens If Your Intake Manifold Goes Bad If your intake manifold goes bad, the engine may run rough, misfire, lose power, trigger a check-engine light, leak coolant (on some engines), and in severe cases cause overheating or catalytic-converter damage—so it’s wise to diagnose and repair quickly. The intake manifold routes air (and sometimes coolant …
Can You Haul 2,000 Pounds in a Half-Ton Truck? Yes—some modern half-ton pickups can legally and safely haul 2,000 pounds in the bed, but many cannot. Whether it’s feasible depends on the specific truck’s payload rating, configuration, and how much weight you’re already carrying in passengers, fuel, and accessories. Understanding the door-jamb payload sticker and …
Engine Throttle Control: What It Is and How It Works Engine throttle control is the system that regulates how much power an engine produces by controlling airflow (in gasoline engines) or fuel delivery/air management (in diesels) in response to the accelerator pedal. In modern vehicles, this is typically handled by electronic throttle control (also called …
Can hydroplaning occur at 35 mph? Yes—hydroplaning can occur at 35 mph, especially with standing water, worn or underinflated tires, and light steering or braking inputs. While full “dynamic” hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds, partial loss of tire grip on a water film can begin around 35 mph and is enough to cause skids …
Is Ken Miles the greatest driver of all time? No—Ken Miles is not widely regarded as the greatest racing driver of all time, but he is revered as one of endurance racing’s most influential development drivers and a pivotal figure behind Ford’s 1960s GT40 program. The question persists because his 1966 season—winning Daytona and Sebring …
How Much Does Roadside Recovery Cost in 2025? Expect to pay roughly $150–$400 (US), £150–£300 (UK), CA$150–CA$350 (Canada), AU$180–AU$400 (Australia), or €150–€350 (EU) for a one-off local recovery or short tow, with longer-distance towing adding $4–$10 per mile (US) or £2–£4 per mile/€1–€3 per km in many regions. Annual membership with major providers typically runs …
Will GEICO insure a salvage title? Generally, GEICO will not insure a vehicle that currently carries a salvage title for on‑road use. After the vehicle is repaired and retitled as “rebuilt” or “reconstructed” following a state inspection, GEICO often can provide liability coverage in many states and may offer comprehensive and collision on a case‑by‑case …
How to Get Rid of Throttle Lag: Practical Fixes, Causes, and What Really Works To reduce throttle lag, start with drive-mode changes (use Sport), keep the transmission in a lower gear, and ensure basic maintenance like a clean throttle body and healthy sensors; if you want more, consider a calibrated ECU/TCU tune or a reputable …
How to tell if your car has an automatic transmission If your vehicle has only two pedals and the gear selector shows P-R-N-D (and possibly S, L, M, or +/-), you have an automatic transmission; if there’s a third pedal (a clutch) and an H-pattern shifter labeled with gears 1–5/6, it’s a manual. Below is …
What Safety Glass Is Used For Safety glass is used wherever glass must minimize injury on breakage, resist impacts, or stay intact under stress—most prominently in car windshields and side windows, building doors and partitions, shower enclosures, railings, skylights, canopies, bus shelters, and other public-facing installations. Beyond injury reduction, it can add security, acoustic dampening, …
Can You Go 10,000 Miles on Synthetic Oil in a Toyota? Yes—on many late‑model Toyotas that specify full-synthetic 0W‑20 or 0W‑16, 10,000 miles (or 12 months, whichever comes first) between oil changes is acceptable under normal driving. However, severe-use conditions, certain engines (especially performance or some turbocharged applications), and older models can require shorter intervals—often …
What Is the Meaning of “Emergency Lane”? An emergency lane is a designated strip of roadway—typically along the outer edge of a motorway, freeway, or highway—kept clear for emergency use by first responders and for drivers forced to stop due to breakdowns or urgent hazards; it is not for routine driving or overtaking. In many …
How to Get a Vehicle Title in Your Name To put a vehicle title in your name, gather proof of ownership (an assigned title or Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin), a bill of sale, government ID, insurance, and any lien release; complete your state’s title application and odometer disclosure; then submit everything—often within 10–30 days of …
Why You Shouldn’t Top Off Your Gas Tank You shouldn’t top off your gas tank because it can damage your vehicle’s evaporative emissions (EVAP) system, cause fuel spills, increase pollution and health risks, and may waste money without adding usable range. Modern pumps are designed to shut off at a safe fill level—continuing past the …
How Safety Glass Is Made Manufacturers make safety glass primarily in two ways: by tempering (heating and rapidly cooling glass to lock in surface compression) and by laminating (bonding layers of glass to tough plastic interlayers so broken pieces stay attached). In practice, producers choose the method based on performance needs—tempered glass is strong and …
What Is the Black Stuff on the Road Called? It’s usually asphalt—also called asphalt concrete or “blacktop”—and the black binder that holds it together is bitumen. In everyday conversation people may also say “tarmac,” though modern roads rarely use tar. Here’s what that all means, why it looks black, and how to tell similar materials …
What Is an ECM (Engine Control Module)? An Engine Control Module (ECM) is the vehicle’s primary engine computer that monitors sensors and controls actuators to manage combustion, power, efficiency, and emissions. In modern cars and trucks, it orchestrates fuel injection, ignition timing, variable valve timing, throttle response, turbo boost, and emissions systems, while storing diagnostic …
Hitch Weight vs. Towing Capacity: What’s the Difference? Hitch weight is the downward force a trailer exerts on your vehicle’s hitch; towing capacity is the maximum total weight your vehicle is rated to pull. One is a vertical load (tongue or pin weight) that consumes payload and affects handling, the other is a total allowable …