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.
Can speeding lead to a felony in the United States? Yes, but not for simple speeding alone. In most U.S. states, speeding by itself is a traffic infraction or, at most, a misdemeanor. It becomes a felony only when paired with aggravating circumstances—such as fleeing police in a vehicle, causing serious injury or death, engaging …
Does AWD Do Well on Ice? Yes, all-wheel drive (AWD) helps you get moving and stay moving on ice by sending power to multiple wheels, but it won’t help you stop faster or corner safely at higher speeds; winter tires and smooth driving matter far more for ice safety. In practice, AWD improves traction for …
How long can I drive with the battery light on while driving? Usually, you have anywhere from a few minutes to about an hour to keep driving after the battery light comes on, depending on your battery’s health and how many electrical accessories are running. Because the light means your charging system isn’t replenishing the …
How fast would NASCAR go without restrictor plates? On Daytona and Talladega today, a modern NASCAR Cup car with no horsepower-limiting device (no restrictor plate or tapered spacer) would likely average about 220–230 mph on a solo qualifying lap, touch 230+ mph on the straights, and in a tight multi-car draft could nudge into the …
How a Seatbelt Pretensioner Works A seatbelt pretensioner is a device that, when a crash is detected, rapidly retracts a small amount of belt slack—typically within milliseconds—using either a pyrotechnic charge or an electric motor, positioning the occupant firmly against the seat before peak deceleration and coordinating with airbags and a load limiter to manage …
What Is the Rarest Vintage Car? There is no single, universally agreed “rarest” vintage car, because countless one-off prototypes and coachbuilt specials survive from different eras and definitions of “vintage.” That said, among the rarest are unique, historically documented cars such as the 1924 Hispano‑Suiza H6C “Tulipwood” Torpedo (a one-off from the strict vintage era), …
Why British people drive on the left Britons drive on the left because centuries-old customs favored left-side travel for safety and practicality, and this was later codified—most notably in the United Kingdom by the Highway Act of 1835—while many countries on the European continent shifted to right-side driving under French and Napoleonic influence. Today, about …
Is Driving a Car Combustion? Driving, by itself, is not combustion; however, most conventional cars use internal combustion engines (ICEs) that burn fuel to create motion, so in those vehicles driving necessarily involves combustion. Electric vehicles do not combust fuel, hybrids combine electric drive with combustion some of the time, and hydrogen fuel-cell cars generate …
Will a flooded engine still start? Often yes—if the engine is “flooded” with too much fuel, it can usually be started after clearing the excess. If the engine has taken in water (hydrolock), it generally will not start and trying to crank it can cause severe damage. Understanding which kind of flooding you’re facing determines …
The Many Types of Trucks: From Pickups to Heavy Haulers Trucks range from light-duty pickups and delivery vans to heavy-duty semis and specialized vocational rigs such as dump trucks, mixers, and fire engines. Broadly, they’re categorized by weight class (light, medium, heavy), by body/role (e.g., box, flatbed, tanker), by chassis configuration (cab style and axles), …
Where is the ESC button located? The Escape (Esc) key is almost always found at the top-left corner of a physical keyboard, labeled “Esc.” On virtually all desktop keyboards, Windows laptops, Chromebooks, and current MacBooks, it’s a dedicated key in the upper-left; on some compact keyboards or older MacBook models with a Touch Bar, it …
How Many Miles Should You Drive Before an Oil Change? Most modern gasoline cars can go 5,000–7,500 miles between oil changes, and many on full synthetic oil can safely reach 7,500–10,000 miles or up to 12 months—unless your vehicle’s oil-life monitor (OLM) or owner’s manual says otherwise. In severe driving conditions, intervals may shrink to …
How many countries in Africa drive on the left? Fourteen countries in Africa drive on the left. They are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Africa, plus two island nations in the Indian Ocean. The rest of the continent follows right-hand traffic. This distribution largely reflects historical ties to Britain and regional alignment for cross-border travel …
Are seatbelts replaced for free? Sometimes. Seatbelts are replaced at no cost if there’s an open safety recall or if a manufacturer warranty (including a few brands’ lifetime seat-belt warranties) covers a defect; otherwise, you typically pay—though collision repairs are often covered by insurance. This article explains when replacement is free, how to check eligibility, …
How Long Can You Go Without Changing Oil? For most modern cars using synthetic oil, you can go about 7,500–10,000 miles or up to 12 months—whichever comes first—under normal driving; in severe conditions, plan on 3,000–5,000 miles or about 6 months. While going a few hundred to a thousand miles past schedule once is unlikely …
Why Lowrider Bikes Are So Expensive They cost more because most lowrider bikes are custom-built in small numbers with labor‑intensive craftsmanship, show‑grade finishes (chrome, candy paint, engraving), specialty parts (multi‑spoke wheels, springer forks, twisted metal), and higher compliance, import, and shipping costs—pressures that have remained elevated into 2024–2025. Beyond the sticker shock, their price reflects …
Which U.S. states have a “Super Speeder” law? Only Georgia has an official “Super Speeder” law by that name. Other states do not use the term, but many impose stiff penalties for extreme speeding under labels such as reckless driving or excessive speeding, often including heavy fines, license suspensions, and even criminal charges. Below is …
Can you still drive a car if the turbo goes? Usually, you can limp a short distance at low speed if a turbocharger fails quietly (loss of boost without heavy smoke or noise), but it is risky and you should stop and arrange a tow; if the turbo seizes, sheds parts, starts smoking heavily, or …
Can governments control gas prices? Governments can influence, but rarely fully control, gas prices. They can move prices in the short term through taxes, subsidies, strategic stock releases, regulations, and diplomacy, yet global oil and gas markets, refining capacity, weather, and geopolitics set the baseline that limits what policy can achieve. This article explains what …
How Much Are Taxes on a Car in Utah? Expect to pay a combined sales/use tax of roughly 6.10% to 9.05% on a car in Utah, depending on your home address. The statewide rate is 4.85%, and local city/county add-ons make up the rest. Utah also charges an annual age-based “uniform fee” in lieu of …
What Is Meant by a 1-Liter Engine? A “1‑liter engine” refers to an internal-combustion engine whose total displacement—i.e., the combined volume swept by all pistons between their lowest and highest points—is about 1.0 liter (1,000 cubic centimeters) per complete four‑stroke cycle (two crankshaft revolutions). In practical terms, it describes the engine’s size, not the fuel …
Is the clutch a brake? No. The clutch is not a brake—it’s a coupling device that connects and disconnects the engine from the transmission. Brakes convert a vehicle’s kinetic energy into heat to slow or stop; the clutch simply manages power flow. You should slow with the brakes (and, when appropriate, engine braking via downshifts), …
What a Clutch Does—and Why It Matters A clutch lets a driver or control system temporarily disconnect and smoothly reconnect the engine (or other power source) to the transmission, enabling smooth starts, stops, and gear changes without stalling or damaging components; it also modulates torque and cushions shocks in the drivetrain. In modern vehicles and …
Does Higher Horsepower Mean a Faster Car? No—higher horsepower usually helps a car accelerate quicker and reach a higher top speed, but it doesn’t guarantee it. A car’s real-world quickness depends on power-to-weight ratio, torque delivery, gearing, traction, aerodynamics, drivetrain efficiency, and even software limits. Understanding how these pieces fit together explains why a lighter, …
How a Clutch Pack Differential Works A clutch pack differential uses stacked friction plates and springs inside the differential carrier to resist excessive speed difference between the left and right wheels, automatically sending more torque to the wheel with better grip. In normal driving it behaves nearly like an open differential; when one wheel begins …
What Is the Point of Camming a Car? Camming a car—installing a performance camshaft—is done to change when and how far the engine’s valves open so the engine breathes better in a specific rpm range, typically increasing horsepower and shifting the torque curve; it also gives a lumpier, more aggressive idle. In practical terms, a …
Lost Your Gas Cap? Here’s What To Do Right Now—and How to Prevent Bigger Problems You can usually drive to the nearest parts store and buy a replacement gas cap the same day; keep the fuel door closed, avoid flames or sparks, and expect a possible check-engine light until it’s replaced. Below is a clear …
How Fast Carbon Monoxide Builds Up in a Car Carbon monoxide can accumulate to dangerous levels inside a car in minutes under the wrong conditions—especially if the vehicle is idling in an enclosed space or the tailpipe is blocked. In open air with a well-maintained vehicle and no exhaust leaks, significant buildup is much less …
Is It Legal to Have Nitrous Installed in a Car? It depends on where you are: in many places, nitrous oxide (N2O) systems are legal for off‑road/track use, but using them on public roads is illegal or tightly restricted—often allowed only if the bottle is removed or disconnected. The details vary by country, state, or …
What a Transmission Converter Does—and Why It Matters A transmission converter—more precisely a torque converter in an automatic vehicle—connects the engine to the transmission via a fluid coupling, multiplies torque at low speeds for stronger launch, allows the car to idle in gear without stalling, and locks up at cruising speeds to reduce slip and …