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 Wrench Do You Need to Change a Battery? For most cars, a 10 mm wrench or socket is what you need to loosen and tighten the battery terminal clamps; many hold-down brackets use 10 mm or 13 mm, and GM-style side-post batteries typically use 8 mm (5/16 inch). That’s the quick answer. In practice, …
Time vs. Mileage: Which Matters More? Both matter—follow whichever comes first. In vehicles and many other products with wear or aging limits, manufacturers set service, warranty, and replacement intervals by time and by mileage/use because components degrade two ways: through use (wear) and through calendar aging (chemical and environmental breakdown). Understanding which process dominates for …
Are All Battery Terminal Bolts the Same? No—battery terminal bolts are not all the same. They differ by terminal style (top post, side post, stud, or insert), thread size and pitch (metric vs. SAE), length, head type, and material. Common sizes include M5/M6 (motorcycles and small sealed batteries), 3/8″-16 (GM/Delco side-post automotive), 5/16″-18 (marine studs), …
What Is Considered the First SUV? The Chevrolet Suburban Carryall, introduced for the 1935 model year, is widely regarded as the first SUV because it combined a closed, multi-passenger body with a light-truck chassis to deliver passenger, cargo, and utility capability in one vehicle. While the term “SUV” didn’t exist at the time—and other vehicles …
The actor who became a racecar driver Paul Newman, the Oscar-winning American actor, famously became a professional racecar driver and later a championship-winning team owner, building a second career that included multiple SCCA national titles, a runner-up finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979, and a class victory at the 1995 Rolex …
Which side of the road does Europe drive on? Most of Europe drives on the right; the main exceptions are the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, and Malta, which drive on the left, along with the Crown Dependencies (Isle of Man, Jersey, and Guernsey). In Gibraltar, driving is on the right. This pattern reflects historical influences …
What a Thermostat Controls—and Why It Matters A thermostat controls temperature by turning heating and/or cooling equipment on and off to maintain a chosen setpoint; in homes it typically controls furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, air conditioners, and sometimes fans and humidity, while in vehicles an engine thermostat regulates coolant flow to keep the engine at …
How a Stirling Motor Works A Stirling motor (Stirling engine) converts a temperature difference into mechanical work by cyclically compressing and expanding a sealed working gas at different temperatures, using external heat exchangers and a heat-storing regenerator. In practice, it is a closed-cycle, regenerative heat engine: heat flows in from a hot source, out to …
What Is a Combustion Engine? A combustion engine is a heat engine that converts the chemical energy of a fuel burned with an oxidizer—usually air—into mechanical work. In everyday use, the term most often refers to internal combustion engines (ICEs) found in cars, trucks, and many machines, though external combustion engines (like steam engines) also …
Is a catalytic converter part of an engine warranty? Usually not. On most vehicles, the catalytic converter is covered under an emissions (emission-control) warranty, not the engine or powertrain warranty. In the United States, federal law generally requires at least 8 years/80,000 miles of coverage for the catalytic converter, while “engine” or “powertrain” warranties typically …
Why your car’s battery light is red — what it means and what to do now A red battery light typically means your car’s charging system isn’t working, so the engine is running solely off the battery and could stall once the battery is depleted. While the icon looks like a battery, the fault is …
The most common cause of alternator failure, explained The most common cause of alternator failure is heat-induced rectifier diode failure, often accelerated by a weak or failing battery and poor electrical connections. In practice, the diodes in the alternator’s rectifier pack overheat and degrade, leading to low output, excessive AC ripple, or a parasitic battery …
Which side of the road does America drive on? In the United States, traffic keeps to the right-hand side of the road. Across the wider Americas, right-hand traffic predominates as well, with notable left-driving exceptions in parts of the Caribbean, along with Guyana, Suriname, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. What “America” can mean—and why it …
What Is a Compression Ignition Engine? A compression ignition (CI) engine is an internal combustion engine in which air is compressed until it becomes hot enough that fuel injected into the cylinder auto‑ignites—most commonly known as a diesel engine. Unlike spark-ignition engines that rely on a spark plug, CI engines use high compression and precise …
How Fast Is 240 Horsepower in mph? There’s no single mph number for 240 horsepower, because horsepower is power, not speed; however, in a modern car, 240 hp typically supports a top speed of roughly 130–155 mph depending on aerodynamics, gearing, weight, and limiters, with 0–60 mph times commonly in the 5.5–7.5 second range. Put …
What the “Gas Meter” Means on a Car Dashboard The “gas meter” on a car is the fuel gauge: it shows how much gasoline is left in the tank, typically labeled F (full) to E (empty), and often works with a low-fuel warning light and an estimated “distance to empty” readout. In everyday use, it …
Why your car squeals when you reverse and turn It usually comes down to two things: either your brakes or your belt. The most common causes are brake pad/rotor contact that’s more noticeable in reverse, or a slipping serpentine belt as the power-steering pump loads up while you turn. Less commonly, it’s tire scrub at …
Do all cars have crumple zones? No—virtually all modern passenger cars are engineered with crumple zones, but not every vehicle on the road has them. Older models, some specialty or low-speed vehicles, and certain heavy-duty designs may lack modern, purpose-built energy-absorbing structures. In most markets today, mainstream new cars integrate front, rear, and side energy-management …
Is It Worth Fixing a Steering Rack? Usually yes—if the vehicle is otherwise sound—because the steering rack is a safety-critical component and repairs typically restore safe drivability for far less than replacing the car. It’s most worth it when the issue is a leak or wear on a relatively modern vehicle; it’s questionable when repair …
Who is the greatest NASCAR driver of all time? There’s no single, universally accepted “best ever,” but most historians and fans narrow it to three seven-time Cup champions—Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Jimmie Johnson—with many modern analysts giving Johnson a slight edge for winning seven titles in the playoff/modern era (including an unprecedented five straight) …
How Much Does It Cost to Replace Suspension Components? For most U.S. vehicles in 2025, replacing common suspension parts typically ranges from $150–$350 for sway bar links or tie rod ends, $400–$1,000 per side for control arms, $600–$1,200 per pair for shocks/struts on mainstream cars, and $1,000–$3,000+ per axle for air or adaptive systems. A …
What Is Rack-and-Pinion Steering? Rack-and-pinion steering is a mechanism that turns the steering wheel’s rotation into the side-to-side motion needed to steer a vehicle’s front wheels; it’s the dominant steering system in modern passenger cars because it’s compact, precise, and efficient. In practice, a small gear (the pinion) on the steering shaft meshes with a …
How to Jumpstart a Car with Cables To jumpstart a car with jumper cables, connect red to the dead battery’s positive (+), red to the donor car’s positive (+), black to the donor car’s negative (−), and black to a bare metal ground on the dead car, then start the donor, start the disabled car, …
Can You Drive a Car With Bad Coils? Yes—briefly in an emergency—but it’s unsafe and can cause expensive damage. Bad ignition coils can lead to misfires, loss of power, and overheating of the catalytic converter; if the check-engine light is flashing, you should stop driving and arrange a tow. Here’s what’s happening, how to recognize …
The Pros and Cons of Bioenergy Bioenergy can cut fossil fuel use, firm up renewable power, turn wastes into useful energy, and even deliver net‑negative emissions with carbon capture—but its benefits depend heavily on feedstock, land use, and air‑quality controls. Poorly designed projects can increase greenhouse gases, harm biodiversity, compete with food, and lock in …
What Makes Smoke White? White-looking smoke is usually caused by countless tiny liquid droplets—most often condensed water—mixed with light-colored particles that scatter all visible wavelengths of light nearly evenly, making the plume appear white. In practice, you see it when hot, moist gases cool rapidly (car exhaust on a cold morning, cooling towers), when fuels …
Why Your Car Might Be Using Lots of Coolant If you’re topping up coolant often, the most likely causes are an external leak, an internal engine leak (such as a head-gasket issue), a faulty radiator cap, or overheating that boils coolant away. Check for visible leaks, avoid opening the system when hot, and arrange a …
What Is a CVT Gearbox? A CVT gearbox—short for Continuously Variable Transmission—is an automatic transmission that provides an uninterrupted range of gear ratios instead of fixed, stepped gears. In practical terms, it adjusts seamlessly to keep the engine in its most efficient or powerful range, improving smoothness and often fuel economy. This article explains how …
Is It Difficult to Drive a Carryall? Generally, no—but it depends on which “Carryall” you mean. Club Car Carryall utility vehicles drive much like golf carts and are easy for most people to learn. Historic “Carryall” trucks and SUVs (such as the Chevrolet Suburban’s early “Carryall Suburban” lineage and the WWII-era Dodge WC-53 Carryall) are …
Is it safe to drive with a noisy alternator? Generally, no: a noisy alternator signals a developing failure that can quickly leave you without electrical power and, in many cars, without power steering or proper engine cooling. While a very short, daylight drive to a safe location or repair shop may be possible if the …