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.
Which is the weakest car in the world? The weakest car commonly recognized by automotive historians is the Peel P50, a road‑legal production microcar built in the early 1960s with roughly 3–4 horsepower from a 49 cc engine—far below any modern passenger car. While definitions vary, no mass-produced, street-legal car has been credibly documented with …
What Are the Components of the Steering System? The steering system comprises the driver interface (steering wheel and column), the steering gear (rack-and-pinion or recirculating-ball gearbox), linkages that connect the gear to the wheels (tie rods, arms, and joints), power assist hardware (hydraulic or electric), and the wheel-end assemblies (knuckles/uprights and ball joints). In modern …
How Often Should You Change Your Car’s Oil? Most modern cars that use synthetic oil can go about 7,500 to 10,000 miles or roughly 6 to 12 months between oil changes, but you should follow your vehicle’s oil-life monitor and owner’s manual for the exact interval; harsh driving conditions may shorten that to about 3,000 …
Signs of Turbocharger Failure: What to Watch For and What to Do Typical signs of a failing turbo include a sudden loss of power, excessive exhaust smoke (blue, white, or black), unusual whistling or siren-like noises under boost, increased oil consumption or visible oil leaks, and check-engine warnings such as underboost (P0299). These symptoms often …
Power Steering Warning Light: What It Means and What To Do When the power steering warning light comes on, your vehicle has detected a fault in the steering assist system—hydraulic or electric. Steering may become heavier, especially at low speeds, and assist can be reduced or disabled. Safely slow down, assess how the wheel feels, …
Why Throttle Response Feels Sluggish — Common Causes and How to Fix Them Poor throttle response is most often caused by airflow or fuel delivery restrictions, sensor or throttle-body faults in drive‑by‑wire systems, ignition issues, exhaust backpressure, or software/controls limiting torque. In practical terms, that means anything from a dirty throttle body or mass airflow …
What is the #1 selling electric car? Tesla’s Model Y is the #1 selling electric car globally, based on the latest full-year results for 2023 and widely cited 2024 year-to-date tracking that continues to show it leading individual battery-electric models. The ranking can vary by time period and region, but across major markets—including the United …
The Most Famous Lowrider Model The most famous lowrider model is the 1964 Chevrolet Impala, a staple of the culture whose status was cemented by the iconic custom car “Gypsy Rose,” itself a 1964 Impala. Revered for its clean lines, adaptable chassis, and deep roots in Chicano and West Coast car culture, the ’64 Impala …
V8 vs. HEMI: What’s the real difference? A V8 is an engine layout (eight cylinders arranged in a V), while a HEMI refers to a hemispherical combustion-chamber design; they address different aspects of an engine, and many V8s are not HEMIs, though several famous HEMIs happen to be V8s. In other words, “V8” describes how …
How Much Is $10 on Gas? $10 buys as many gallons as 10 divided by the pump price per gallon. For example, at $3.50 per gallon you’d get about 2.86 gallons (≈10.8 liters), and at $4.00 per gallon you’d get 2.50 gallons (≈9.5 liters). How far that takes you depends on your vehicle’s fuel economy; …
4WD vs. 2WD: What’s the Difference? Four-wheel drive (4WD) sends power to all four wheels—often through a transfer case and, in many systems, a selectable low range—for superior traction off-road and in low-grip conditions. Two-wheel drive (2WD) powers only the front or rear wheels, making vehicles lighter, simpler, more fuel-efficient, and usually cheaper to buy …
Who Is the Best Racing Driver of All Time? The most defensible single answer is Juan Manuel Fangio for dominance across machinery and era, but “best” depends on criteria: Lewis Hamilton is the statistical benchmark in Formula 1, Jim Clark is often cited as the greatest all-round pure talent, and legends like Michael Schumacher, Ayrton …
What Happens When a Radiator Goes Bad on a Car When a car’s radiator fails, the engine overheats, coolant is lost or contaminated, and continued driving can quickly lead to serious engine damage such as a blown head gasket, warped cylinder head, or even a cracked block. In practical terms, you might see a rising …
What is the tax on a new car in Texas? Texas charges a 6.25% state motor vehicle sales tax on the purchase price of a new car, calculated after any trade-in credit and before any manufacturer rebates, with no additional city or county sales tax on the vehicle. In addition to this tax, buyers pay …
Which states do not allow you to pump your own gas As of 2025, New Jersey is the only U.S. state that still prohibits drivers from pumping their own gasoline at retail stations; attendants are required to dispense fuel. Oregon, which long shared that restriction, changed its law in 2023 to permit self-service statewide while …
What Is Motor Lubrication? Motor lubrication is the controlled application of lubricants—typically oil in internal combustion engines and grease or specialty oils in electric motors—to reduce friction and wear, carry away heat, protect against corrosion, keep parts clean, and improve efficiency. In cars and trucks, it usually means engine oil circulating under pressure; in electric …
Which car has the worst crash rate? The most consistent answer across recent U.S. data is the Subaru BRZ: multiple insurance-based analyses through 2023–2024 report that BRZ drivers have the highest share of at-fault crash involvement among vehicle models. However, “worst crash rate” depends on how you measure it—at‑fault crashes reported to insurers, insurance claim …
What Is the 30-60-90 Rule for Car Maintenance? The 30-60-90 rule is a planning guideline that suggests comprehensive maintenance checkups at roughly 30,000, 60,000, and 90,000 miles (about 48,000, 96,000, and 145,000 kilometers), or at 3, 6, and 9 years—whichever comes first. It’s a convenient framework, but the exact services and timing should always follow …
How a Car Works, Simply Explained A car turns stored energy—either gasoline/diesel in a tank or electricity in a battery—into rotation that spins the wheels, while steering, suspension, brakes, and onboard computers help you control speed and direction safely. In essence, the powertrain makes motion, the chassis guides and supports it, and safety systems watch …
How Long Can You Go Without an Oil Change? Most modern cars running synthetic oil can go 7,500–10,000 miles or up to 12 months between oil changes; some manufacturer-approved extended intervals reach 10,000–15,000 miles. In heavy or “severe” use (frequent short trips, extreme temperatures, towing, lots of idling), plan on 3,000–5,000 miles or follow your …
Is the Cooling System the Radiator? No. The radiator is just one component of a vehicle’s cooling system, which also includes the water pump, thermostat, fans, hoses, sensors, coolant, and control electronics. The cooling system is the entire network that manages engine (and, in modern vehicles, battery and inverter) temperatures; the radiator is the main …
Can you drive with a cut-off muffler? You can physically drive a car with a cut-off (or deleted) muffler, but on public roads it’s illegal in many places and often unsafe due to noise and potential exhaust leaks. Expect tickets, inspection failures, or orders to repair; the prudent choice is to tow the vehicle or …
What Is the $200,000 Bike? It most commonly refers to a custom Trek time-trial bicycle painted by Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara and ridden by Lance Armstrong in 2009, which sold for $200,000 at a Sotheby’s charity auction. The phrase has become shorthand in cycling circles for an art-provenance bike whose value comes from its cultural …
How to tell if a brake caliper piston is seized The quickest way to tell is to compare wheel temperature and drag: a seized caliper piston typically causes one wheel to run much hotter and resist spinning, the car may pull to one side under braking or even while coasting, and the affected brake pads …
How much does it cost to replace car brake discs Expect to pay, per axle, roughly $300–$800 at independent shops in the U.S. for new brake discs (rotors) and pads on mainstream cars, $600–$1,500 at dealerships, and $800–$2,500+ for luxury or performance models; rotor-only replacement typically runs $240–$600 per axle if pads are retained. Prices …
Is Frankie Muniz really a NASCAR driver? Yes—Frankie Muniz is an active professional stock-car racer competing under the NASCAR umbrella. He ran the full 2023 ARCA Menards Series season and began making select starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024, continuing to pursue opportunities into 2025. While he has not raced in the top-tier …
How to Tell If Your Brake Light Switch Is Bad You likely have a bad brake light switch if your brake lights don’t turn on when you press the pedal (or stay on constantly), your cruise control won’t disengage, the shifter is stuck in Park, a push-button start won’t recognize the brake pedal, or you …
What Color Is the Speed Limiter Wire? There isn’t a universal color for a “speed limiter” wire. The color—and whether a discrete limiter wire even exists—depends entirely on the vehicle or device. On many e-bike controllers, a thin white “loop” or single-wire connector is commonly used for speed limiting, but cars and many scooters handle …
Are there manual cars with no clutch? Yes—there are cars that let you select gears manually without a clutch pedal. They use an automated clutch or similar device so the driver doesn’t have to operate it. Technically, a clutch (or torque converter) still exists inside the drivetrain to connect and disconnect the engine from the …
What Does the Power Steering Wheel Do? The power steering wheel lets you turn a vehicle’s front wheels with far less effort by using hydraulic or electric assist, while also relaying road feel and working with modern driver-assistance features. In practice, it amplifies your input, helps the wheel return to center, and can deliver gentle …