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.
Who Originally Designed the Corvette? Harley J. Earl, General Motors’ pioneering head of design, originally conceived and directed the design of the Chevrolet Corvette, which debuted as the EX-122 Motorama show car in January 1953 before entering limited production later that year. The project was realized with key contributions from Chevrolet’s studio and engineering teams. …
When the ABS System Fails: What Drivers Can Expect and How to Respond If your ABS fails, your vehicle’s regular brakes still work, but the anti-lock function—and often stability and traction control—shut down. That means your wheels can lock during hard braking, steering control may diminish, and stopping distances can increase on many surfaces. An …
How Much Does a Car Muffler Cost in 2025? A typical replacement muffler costs about $75–$350 for the part alone and $250–$800 installed at an independent shop; performance or OEM/dealer-installed units can run $400–$1,200+ installed. Prices vary by vehicle, materials (aluminized vs. stainless), whether it’s a universal or direct-fit part, labor rates in your area, …
What “910 of a gallon” means — and how to interpret it correctly It almost always means nine-tenths (9/10) of a gallon, i.e., 0.9 gallon; in U.S. measures that’s about 115.2 fluid ounces or roughly 3.41 liters. If the phrase is literal—“910 of a gallon” with no slash—it would mean 910 gallons. Context (receipts, labels, …
What Is the Inflation Zone for Airbags? The inflation zone for airbags is the space directly in front of the airbag module where the cushion bursts out and rapidly expands during a crash; the highest injury risk is in roughly the first 2–3 inches from the module. To reduce risk, safety agencies advise sitting about …
Who has the right of way in a merging lane? In most places, the vehicle already traveling in the through lane has the right of way, and the driver in the merging lane must yield and merge only when it’s safe. In slow, queued traffic where “zipper merge” is required or advised, drivers in the …
How Much Does Car Air Conditioning Cost in 2025? Expect to pay $100–$200 for diagnostics, $150–$350 for an R‑134a recharge, or $250–$600 for an R‑1234yf recharge in the U.S. Common repairs range roughly $200–$4,000+, with typical parts at: compressor $800–$2,500, condenser $400–$1,200, evaporator $900–$2,500, expansion valve/orifice $200–$500, and receiver-drier/accumulator $150–$400. Running the AC adds about …
What Qualifies for a Lemon Law Claim in Illinois In Illinois, a vehicle qualifies as a lemon if a new, personal-use passenger vehicle (generally under 8,000 pounds GVWR) has a warranty-covered defect that substantially impairs its use, value, or safety and the defect isn’t fixed after a reasonable number of attempts—typically four tries for the …
Which side of the road does Japan drive on? Japan drives on the left side of the road, and most vehicles have the steering wheel on the right. This convention is mandated nationwide and reflected in everything from road design and signage to public transport operations. While the rule is uniform across the country today, …
How Much Horsepower Can a Turbo Add? In broad terms, a well-matched turbocharger can increase horsepower by about 20–40% on a healthy stock engine at conservative boost, 50–100% with higher boost and supporting upgrades, and 100–200% or more on a built engine designed for forced induction. The exact gain depends on boost pressure, fuel quality, …
Understanding the Throttle Control System The throttle control system is the mechanism that regulates how much power an engine (or motor) delivers in response to a driver or pilot’s input—typically via a pedal, lever, or control interface. In modern vehicles and aircraft, this is predominantly electronic (“drive-by-wire” or “throttle-by-wire”), translating pedal or lever position into …
What a Car’s Clutch Does and Why It Matters The clutch in a car connects and disconnects the engine from the transmission so you can start, stop, and change gears smoothly without stalling or damaging components. In practical terms, it lets you control how much engine power reaches the wheels, enabling precise take-offs, shifts, and …
How many countries drive on the left? About 75 jurisdictions worldwide—roughly 54 sovereign countries plus a number of territories and dependencies—drive on the left as of 2025, encompassing around 35% of the world’s population. The exact count varies by whether you include non-sovereign territories (such as Hong Kong, Macau, and British Overseas Territories), but “about …
Can people roll back digital odometers? Yes—digital odometers can be rolled back or otherwise falsified, though doing so is illegal in most places and increasingly difficult to hide on modern vehicles. Fraudsters use specialized electronic tools, instrument-cluster reprogramming, control-module swaps, or “mileage blockers” to manipulate displayed mileage, but newer cars cross-check distance in multiple modules …
Do Tires Expire If Not Used? Yes. Tires age and can become unsafe even if they’re never mounted or driven. Rubber compounds oxidize over time, and most major manufacturers advise professional inspections after about five years and replacement at around 6–10 years from the date of manufacture—regardless of tread depth or whether the tire has …
The world’s longest road train The world’s longest road train recognized by Guinness World Records was assembled and driven in Clifton, Queensland, Australia, on 18 February 2006: a Mack Titan prime mover piloted by John Atkinson towed 112 semi‑trailers for a total length of 1,474.3 meters (4,836 feet). This remains the benchmark record acknowledged by …
Components of a 4WD (Four-Wheel-Drive) System A 4WD system is built around the transmission, transfer case, front and rear differentials, driveshafts, axles/half-shafts, wheel-end hubs, and the control/actuation hardware (mechanical or electronic) that engages them; modern systems also integrate sensors, control modules, and traction/brake-based torque management. While layouts vary by vehicle, these are the essential parts …
What a Camshaft Does in an Engine A camshaft times and actuates an engine’s intake and exhaust valves, opening and closing them at precise moments so the cylinders can breathe and expel gases efficiently; it converts the crankshaft’s rotation into the linear motion that moves valves via lobes, followers, and springs, all synchronized by a …
Parts of Rear Drum Brakes Rear drum brakes typically consist of the brake drum, two brake shoes (primary and secondary) with friction linings, a wheel cylinder, a backing plate, return and hold‑down springs, a self‑adjuster mechanism (star wheel, screw, and lever or cable), an anchor pin, and parking‑brake components (lever and strut). Depending on the …
How to Tell if a Car Has Direct Injection You can tell a car has direct injection by checking the owner’s manual or build sheet for terms like “Gasoline Direct Injection” (GDI), FSI/TFSI/TSI, SIDI, DFI, or D-4/D-4S; visually confirming a cam-driven high-pressure fuel pump on the cylinder head feeding a rigid metal fuel rail with …
Are Speed Limiters Mandatory in the United States? No—speed limiters are not universally mandatory in the U.S. There is no federal requirement for passenger cars, and while federal regulators have proposed requiring speed limiters on certain heavy commercial vehicles, no final rule is in effect as of late 2024. Some fleets voluntarily use limiters or …
What Size Socket Fits an Oil Drain Plug? There isn’t a single universal size: most passenger vehicles use a metric socket between 13 mm and 19 mm for the oil drain plug, with 14 mm and 17 mm being the most common; on older U.S. vehicles you may find SAE sizes like 1/2″, 9/16″, or …
What size socket wrench for a car battery Most cars use a 10 mm socket for top‑post battery terminal clamps, while many GM-style side‑post batteries use an 8 mm (5/16 in) socket; battery hold‑down brackets are commonly 10 mm or 13 mm. In practice, having 8 mm, 10 mm, and 13 mm sockets covers the …
What Is a CO2 Sensor in a Car? A car’s CO2 sensor is a cabin air-quality component that measures the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in parts per million (ppm) to manage ventilation and help keep occupants alert and comfortable; it is not used to control the engine or exhaust emissions. Growing numbers of late‑model …
How Much Does It Cost to Fix Power Steering in 2025? Expect to pay anywhere from about $150 to over $2,500 to fix power steering, depending on the fault and vehicle type. Minor fixes like a fluid service or hose replacement typically run $80–$600, pump replacements are $350–$900, electric power steering (EPS) motor or module …
What a Car Cost in 1896 In 1896, a new automobile typically cost about $1,000 to $1,500 in the United States—roughly $35,000 to $55,000 in 2024 dollars—while some European light cars sold for the equivalent of a few hundred U.S. dollars and bespoke or higher-powered models could exceed $2,000. Pricing varied widely because cars were …
Which stroke is also referred to as the combustion stroke? The power stroke—also known as the expansion or working stroke—is the phase referred to as the combustion stroke, because this is when the ignited air-fuel mixture rapidly burns and expands, forcing the piston downward and producing the engine’s useful work. In both gasoline and diesel …
How much HP will a supercharger add to a 5.7 Hemi? On a stock 5.7 Hemi, a quality intercooled supercharger kit running about 6–8 psi on 91–93 octane typically adds roughly 100–200 horsepower at the wheels (about 520–620 hp at the crank). With E85 fuel and supporting upgrades, gains of 220–300 whp are possible, though …
What Part of a Car Turns the Wheels? The steering system turns the wheels left and right, while the drivetrain turns them rotationally to move the car. In everyday terms, the steering wheel and its linkages change direction, and the engine or motor—through the transmission, differential, and axle shafts—spins the wheels. Understanding both systems clarifies …
Can You Fix a Transmission Clutch? Yes—many clutch issues can be fixed, but what “fix” means depends on the transmission. On manual transmissions, repairs range from bleeding hydraulics to full clutch kit replacement; dual‑clutch (DCT) units often need software adaptations or clutch pack replacement; conventional automatics use internal clutch packs that require a professional rebuild. …