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.
The Complete Guide to Car Categories in 2025 Cars are grouped in multiple ways: by body style (sedan, SUV, hatchback), size/segment (A–F in Europe; subcompact to large in the U.S.), propulsion (gas, hybrid, electric), drivetrain/layout (FWD, RWD, AWD), purpose/market positioning (economy, luxury, performance), and regulatory class (light-duty, commercial). No single global list exists, so understanding …
Arkansas New Car Sales Tax: What You’ll Pay in 2025 Arkansas charges a 6.5% state sales/use tax on the taxable price of a new vehicle, plus any applicable city and county sales taxes; local taxes are generally applied only to the first $2,500 of the vehicle’s taxable price. In practice, you’ll pay 6.5% on the …
What size wrench do I need for an oil plug? Most oil drain plugs use a metric hex head between 13 mm and 17 mm (commonly 14 mm or 15 mm), while some trucks/SUVs go up to 19 mm; a minority use an internal hex (6 mm or 8 mm) or, less often, Torx. Always …
What Is the Purpose of Fuel Injectors? Fuel injectors precisely meter, atomize, and time the delivery of fuel into an engine so the air–fuel mixture burns efficiently, cleanly, and with the intended power. In modern gasoline and diesel engines, injectors—controlled by the engine computer—spray pressurized fuel in fine, targeted patterns either into the intake ports …
Can I Replace One Tire on My AWD? Yes—but only if the new tire’s rolling circumference closely matches the other three, typically within about 2/32 inch (1.6 mm) of tread depth or roughly 0.3–0.5% in circumference. If the difference is larger, most automakers and tire experts advise replacing all four tires or shaving the new …
What does “clutch” mean on Urban Dictionary? On Urban Dictionary, “clutch” generally refers to coming through at a crucial moment—delivering when it matters most, securing a win under pressure, or doing something unexpectedly helpful at the perfect time. The term is often used as praise in sports, gaming, and everyday situations, and it can function …
How to tell if a traffic light has a camera You can usually tell by looking for a dedicated enforcement camera box aimed at the lanes (often with “Photo Enforced” signage nearby), typically mounted on a separate pole or mast arm and oriented to capture the rear of vehicles that run a red light; small, …
How Long Can You Go Between Oil Changes? For most modern cars on full synthetic oil, you can typically go 7,500–10,000 miles or about 12 months between oil changes; certain European “long-life” systems allow up to 15,000 miles or 2 years, but only when the vehicle specifically permits it and you use an approved oil. …
How Car Tickets Work: From Citation to Consequence—and Your Options Car tickets are official notices alleging you violated a traffic or parking rule; you must respond by a deadline by paying, contesting, or seeking mitigation, and failure to act can lead to extra fees, holds on your vehicle registration or license, and in some cases …
How Much a Vehicle Transmission Costs in 2025 In the United States, a replacement transmission typically costs about $3,500 to $6,000 installed for many mainstream vehicles, though totals can range from $1,800 for a basic manual to $10,000 or more for advanced or luxury models. The price depends on the transmission type (manual, automatic, CVT, …
What Is the Miller Cycle? The Miller cycle is a variation of the conventional gasoline and diesel engine cycle that achieves higher efficiency by closing the intake valve either earlier or later than usual, reducing the effective compression ratio while keeping a large expansion ratio; it’s often paired with turbo- or supercharging and intercooling to …
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Motor? Expect to pay roughly $3,500–$10,000 to replace a mainstream gasoline car engine, $8,000–$20,000+ for trucks and luxury models, and $6,000–$15,000 for an EV drive unit (electric motor assembly). Smaller automotive “motors” like a window or blower motor usually cost $200–$900 installed. Exact pricing depends on the …
The Vehicles That Cost the Most to Repair in 2025 The most expensive vehicles to repair are ultra-luxury and exotics (Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Bentley, Rolls-Royce), European luxury SUVs and high-performance sedans (Range Rover, Porsche, Mercedes-AMG, BMW M), and premium EVs (notably Tesla Model S/X, Rivian, Lucid Air), with heavy-duty diesel pickups also incurring steep bills …
How a Car’s Steering System Works A car’s steering system converts the driver’s rotation of the steering wheel into a precise change in the front wheels’ direction, typically through a rack-and-pinion or steering box with hydraulic or electric power assist. In modern cars, sensors and control units modulate assist and integrate with driver-assistance features, while …
How a Transmission System Works A transmission system moves something from a source to where it is needed by converting and controlling it along the way: in vehicles it matches engine speed to road speed through gears and clutches; in electric grids it moves high-voltage power over long distances via lines, transformers, and substations; and …
How long can I go without a gas cap? You can usually drive for a short time—typically a day or two—without a gas cap and the car will run normally, but it’s not advisable. Replace the cap as soon as possible to avoid a check-engine light, fuel vapor loss, and contamination. If your vehicle has …
What an Inlet Manifold Does An inlet manifold—often called an intake manifold—distributes air (or, in older carbureted engines, an air‑fuel mixture) evenly to each cylinder, helps tune airflow for power and efficiency, provides vacuum for vehicle systems, and houses or connects to components like the throttle body, sensors, EGR/PCV passages, and sometimes fuel injectors. In …
What Is a Voltmeter and an Ammeter? A voltmeter measures electric potential difference (voltage) between two points, while an ammeter measures the flow of electric charge (current) through a circuit. In practice, a voltmeter is connected in parallel across a component and has very high internal resistance; an ammeter is connected in series with the …
What Is the Source of Power in a Car? In most cars, propulsion power comes either from fuel burned in an internal combustion engine or from electricity stored in a battery that drives an electric motor; onboard electronics are powered by a 12-volt system supplied by an alternator (in combustion cars) or a DC–DC converter …
How to Safely Raise a Car From the Ground To raise a car safely: park on level, hard ground; engage the parking brake and chock the wheels; place a rated hydraulic floor jack at a manufacturer-approved lift point; lift slowly; then support the vehicle with jack stands or drive onto ramps. Never work under a …
Where Should I Pour Water in My Car? You should generally pour water only into the windshield washer reservoir; in an emergency you may use distilled water to top up the engine’s coolant expansion tank when the engine is completely cool, and on some older, serviceable 12V batteries you can add distilled water to the …
How to Find Pictures of Your Old Car The fastest way to find pictures of your old car is to gather its identifiers (VIN and license plate), then search image archives and past listings using Google Images/Lens, marketplace archives (eBay Motors, Cars.com, Autotrader), salvage/auction sites (Copart, IAAI), the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, and enthusiast communities. …
How Tow Trucks Know Your Car Is Up for Repossession Tow trucks don’t “just know.” They act on a formal repossession assignment from your lender or a forwarding company, and they locate the vehicle using a mix of license-plate recognition scans, GPS/telematics data when legally available, and traditional skip-tracing. In practice, a lender flags a …
What’s on the Outside of Cars? The Materials Shaping Modern Vehicle Exteriors Mostly painted steel and aluminum form the outer skin of today’s cars, supplemented by plastic fascias and trims, glass windows, rubber seals, and multilayer protective coatings. Depending on the vehicle and its purpose, automakers also use composites like fiberglass or carbon fiber, specialized …
How a Manual Transmission Stays in Gear A manual transmission stays in gear because a splined hub and sliding sleeve lock “dog” teeth on the chosen gear to the shaft, while spring-loaded detents, back-tapered dog teeth, and axial forces from helical gears keep the sleeve from slipping back. In practice, once you select a gear, …
How Nitrous Boosts a Car Nitrous boosts a car by injecting nitrous oxide (N2O) into the intake stream, where it breaks down under heat to release extra oxygen and cool the incoming air. That extra oxygen lets the engine burn more fuel, raising cylinder pressure and producing an on-demand power increase—commonly 50 to 400 horsepower—when …
Why Your Car Makes Noise in Reverse If your car makes noise only or mostly in reverse, the most common culprits are surface rust scraping on brake rotors, bent or rubbing brake backing plates, parking-brake shoes dragging, a clicking CV axle, or a normal reverse-gear whine (especially in manual transmissions). Less commonly, the sound points …
What Makes an Engine a HEMI Engine A HEMI engine is defined by a hemispherical (dome-shaped) combustion chamber with valves set on opposite sides and a centrally located spark plug—an architecture that promotes efficient combustion and strong airflow. While “HEMI” is a Chrysler/Stellantis trademark, the hemispherical chamber concept predates and extends beyond the brand; modern …
Can a Leaking Transmission Be Fixed? Yes—most transmission leaks can be repaired, ranging from simple gasket or line replacements to more involved seal work or, in severe cases, a rebuild. Driving with a leak risks rapid damage and expensive failure, so prompt diagnosis and repair are strongly advised. What Usually Leaks—and Why It Matters Transmission …
What Is the Normal Output of an Alternator? For a typical 12‑volt passenger vehicle, a healthy alternator produces about 13.8–14.7 volts DC at the battery terminals with the engine running, while its maximum current capacity commonly ranges from 60–150 amps depending on the unit. Modern “smart” charging systems may momentarily vary voltage from roughly 12.6 …