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.
How to Put Gas in a Car Without a Gas Cap If your car has a capless fuel filler, insert the gas pump nozzle straight in until it opens the internal flap and refuel normally; if you’re pouring from a gas can, use the special funnel stored with your vehicle tools to open that flap. …
The most iconic old car The Ford Model T is the most iconic old car. It defined mass motoring, reshaped manufacturing, and embedded itself in global culture in a way few vehicles ever have. While regional favorites like the Volkswagen Beetle, the 1964½ Ford Mustang, the Classic Mini, and the Porsche 911 each have powerful …
Types of Door Locking Mechanisms: From Traditional Deadbolts to Smart, Connected Systems The main types of door locking mechanisms include mechanical locks (deadbolts, mortise, rim/night latches, euro-cylinder, and multipoint systems), electronic and smart locks (keypad, RFID, Bluetooth/Wi‑Fi/Z‑Wave/Zigbee/Matter, and biometric), electrified access-control hardware (electric strikes, magnetic locks, and motorized latches), exit devices (panic bars), and supplementary …
What Is a Reclining Bike Called? A reclining bike is called a recumbent bicycle, often shortened to recumbent bike; the gym version is known as a recumbent exercise bike. The term “recumbent” refers to the laid-back seating position that supports the rider’s back and distributes weight over a larger area, offering comfort and aerodynamic benefits …
What Is the Nickname for a Lowrider? The widely used nickname for a lowrider is “low-low.” In car culture—especially West Coast, Chicano, and hip-hop communities—the term “low-low” is a familiar, affectionate shorthand for a customized, lowered car with emphasis on style, cruising, and often hydraulic or air suspension. The expression has spread through music, car …
Is a Transmission Cooler Necessary? In most daily-driving situations, a separate transmission cooler is not strictly necessary; the factory cooling system is designed to handle normal use. It becomes recommended—or essential—if you tow, haul heavy loads, drive in sustained heat or mountains, off-road, or push performance, because keeping transmission fluid temperatures in the optimal range …
Which Is the Most Famous Car in the World? The Aston Martin DB5 is widely regarded as “the most famous car in the world,” a reputation cemented by its enduring role as James Bond’s signature vehicle since 1964’s Goldfinger. While fame is subjective and other icons have strong claims based on sales, cultural impact, or …
V4 vs. V6: Which Engine Is Better, and When? Neither is universally better: for most cars and trucks, a V6 is typically the stronger, smoother, and more available choice, while in motorcycles a V4 can deliver compact packaging and high-rev performance. The right answer depends on what you drive or ride, how you use it, …
What Is Considered Car Art? Car art is any artwork in which the automobile is either the subject or the medium, encompassing everything from paintings and photographs of cars to custom paintwork, race liveries, sculptural assemblages using car parts, and drivable “art cars.” It spans galleries, museums, racetracks, the street, and digital spaces, and is …
What makes the white smoke that announces a new pope? White smoke appears above the Sistine Chapel when cardinals burn a special chemical mixture—primarily potassium chlorate, lactose, and rosin—in a dedicated stove, signaling that a new pope has been elected and has accepted. Black smoke, produced by a different mixture, indicates no decision; church bells …
Can I Trade In a Car in Poor Condition? Yes—most dealerships and car-buying services will accept trade-ins in poor condition, including vehicles with major mechanical issues or cosmetic damage. However, expect a significantly lower offer, and in some cases a dealer may wholesale the car at auction or refer you to a junk/salvage buyer. Whether …
What Fails Inside a Torque Converter Inside a torque converter, the most common failures involve the lock-up (TCC) clutch and its damper springs, the stator’s one-way clutch (sprag), internal needle/thrust bearings, cracked or de-brazed fins on the pump/turbine/stator, worn or cracked turbine hub splines, warped or leaking TCC piston/seals, and structural issues like ballooning, cracked …
Alternative fuel options: what’s available now and what’s coming next Alternative fuel options today include electricity (battery-electric), hydrogen (fuel cells or combustion), biofuels (ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel), natural gas (CNG/LNG) and renewable natural gas, propane (LPG), synthetic e-fuels (power-to-liquids and power-to-gas), and emerging choices such as methanol, ammonia, and dimethyl ether. These …
How long can you ride without a gas cap? You can drive most modern cars without a gas cap for quite a while without harming the engine, though you’ll likely trigger a check-engine light and increase fuel vapor emissions; on motorcycles, however, riding without a cap is unsafe and should be limited to the shortest …
Parts of an Internal Combustion Engine: What They Are and How They Fit Together An internal combustion engine typically includes the engine block and cylinders, pistons with rings, connecting rods, a crankshaft, the cylinder head with valves and a camshaft, a timing drive, intake and exhaust manifolds, fuel and air metering components, ignition (for gasoline …
How Automatic Door Locks Work Automatic door locks use an electromechanical actuator controlled by a small computer to move or release a latch when an authorized signal is received from a credential reader or sensor; power, safety logic, and fail-safe/fail-secure modes ensure they operate reliably and comply with building and life-safety codes. This article explains …
Who Is the Greatest Race Car Driver? There is no single, definitive “greatest” race car driver across all of motorsport; the answer depends on what you value—dominance, versatility, longevity, or competition level. In Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Juan Manuel Fangio, and Ayrton Senna are the most cited; Max Verstappen is rapidly joining that …
What Car Is Considered a Crossover? A crossover is a vehicle built on a car-based unibody platform that blends SUV-like ride height and styling with the driving manners and efficiency of a passenger car. In practice, most modern “SUVs” you see at dealerships—such as the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR‑V, Tesla Model Y, Subaru Outback, Kia …
How much does it cost to replace a differential (diff)? Expect $1,200–$5,000 total in the U.S. for most vehicles, with economy RWD cars on the low end and SUVs or AWD vehicles higher; premium/performance models can run $3,000–$7,000+. Prices vary by drivetrain (FWD/RWD/AWD), whether the unit is used, remanufactured, or new, and local labor rates. …
Is It Illegal to Put a Supercharger on a Car? Generally, no—it’s not inherently illegal to install a supercharger. However, it becomes illegal if the modification violates emissions, safety, or registration rules where you drive. In the United States, a supercharger can be street-legal if the vehicle still meets federal and state emissions standards (and …
Can speed limiters be turned off? Sometimes—but it depends on the type of limiter, the vehicle, and where you are. Many factory top-speed limiters can only be changed by reprogramming the vehicle’s control unit and doing so may be illegal or void warranties; commercial vehicle limiters are often mandatory and tamper-proof by law; and Europe’s …
How to Find a Car’s History With a License Plate You can often find a car’s history from a license plate by first converting the plate to the vehicle’s VIN through a state or national lookup, then running the VIN through official databases like NMVTIS (U.S.), NICB’s free stolen/salvage check, and reputable commercial history services; …
Manual vs. Automatic: Which Is More Fuel-Efficient Today? In most modern cars, automatic transmissions—especially CVTs and advanced multi-speed automatics—are typically as efficient or more fuel-efficient than manuals. While skillful manual driving can still edge out in certain scenarios, recent engineering and EPA ratings show automatics often deliver equal or better MPG across comparable models. Why …
How to know if a manual gearbox is bad If your manual gearbox is going bad, you’ll typically notice hard or grinding shifts, gears that pop out under load, whining or howling that changes with road speed, excessive shifter play, leaks or low gear oil, and metallic glitter in the fluid; confirming these signs while …
Can You Drive a Car With Injector Problems? Usually, you can drive a short distance with mild injector problems, but it’s risky; if you notice a fuel leak or smell, a flashing check-engine light, heavy smoke, loud knocking, or severe loss of power, you should not drive and should arrange a tow to avoid engine …
What Controls Adaptive Headlights Adaptive headlights are controlled by an electronic control unit—often called the Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS) or lighting control module—that reads inputs from steering, speed, yaw/acceleration, suspension level sensors, and a forward camera (and sometimes GPS/map data), then commands motors, shutters, or LED/pixel arrays to aim and shape the beam in real …
What “Side Road Left” Means on the Road The “Side Road Left” sign warns that an intersection is ahead where another road joins from your left; be prepared for vehicles entering or turning and adjust your speed and scanning accordingly. In practice, it alerts drivers to a junction with potential cross-traffic, helping them anticipate conflicts, …
Is It Bad to Leave Tree Sap on a Car? Yes—leaving tree sap on a car can damage the finish by etching the clear coat, staining paint, and accelerating corrosion, especially in heat and sunlight. The longer sap stays on the surface, the harder it is to remove and the more likely it is to …
Is the valve body inside the transmission? Yes. In virtually all automatic transmissions, the valve body—often called the mechatronic unit in modern designs—is located inside the transmission housing, typically bolted to the lower part of the case just above the transmission pan. Manual transmissions do not have a valve body. Where it sits and how …
Do I have to pay for roadside assistance through my insurance? No—roadside assistance through your auto insurer is optional. You can buy it as a low-cost add‑on to your policy, get it from a motor club like AAA, rely on coverage included with a new-car warranty or certified pre-owned program, use a pay‑per‑use dispatch service …