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 Three Types of Manual Gearboxes, Explained The three types of manual gearboxes are sliding-mesh, constant-mesh, and synchromesh. These categories describe how gears engage and synchronize during shifts, shaping everything from shift feel and durability to where each design is used today—from classic cars to motorcycles and heavy trucks. What “type” means in manual transmissions …
Brake Warning Light On: Is It Safe to Drive? If the red brake warning light is illuminated while you’re driving, do not continue—pull over safely, check that the parking brake is fully released, and arrange for assistance if the light persists. If only the amber ABS light is on, the car’s standard brakes should still …
Is Biomass Worse Than Fossil Fuels? It depends: some forms of biomass can be as bad as—or worse than—fossil fuels for decades, while others clearly cut emissions and pollution. The outcome hinges on what is burned (waste and residues vs. whole trees or energy crops), how it’s produced and transported, how efficiently it’s used, and …
What Happens When the Oxygen Sensor Is Bad A bad oxygen (O2) sensor—or upstream air-fuel (A/F) ratio sensor in many modern cars—causes incorrect fueling, poorer fuel economy and performance, higher emissions, and can damage the catalytic converter over time; the check engine light usually comes on, and while the car often still runs, it may …
Why They’re Called “Suicide Doors” They’re called “suicide doors” because rear-hinged car doors were historically more dangerous: if unlatched or opened while the vehicle was moving, the airstream could yank the door wide open and, in the worst cases, pull occupants out—especially in the era before seatbelts and modern latches. The term, born from those …
Symptoms of a Bad Rack-and-Pinion Steering Common symptoms of a failing rack-and-pinion steering include loose or wandering steering, clunks or knocks when turning, heavy or uneven steering effort, power-steering fluid leaks, uneven tire wear, and the steering wheel not returning to center. These signs point to wear in the rack, its internal seals, or the …
40 Basic Parts of a Car Engine, Explained A typical modern four-stroke internal combustion car engine comprises 40 core parts that cover structure, air-fuel handling, ignition, valvetrain, timing, lubrication, and cooling—key examples include the engine block, pistons, crankshaft, camshaft(s), valves, manifolds, injectors, oil pump, and water pump. Below, we detail each component and how these …
Why your car makes a loud screeching noise when reversing Most of the time, a loud screech when reversing comes from the brakes—typically pad wear indicators, light surface rust on rotors, glazed pads/rotors, or a bent dust shield touching the rotor. Less commonly, a dragging parking brake, worn drum-brake hardware, a slipping serpentine belt under …
Does Your Car Need Coolant? How to Check and What to Watch For If the coolant level in your car’s expansion reservoir is below the “MIN” line when the engine is cold—or if you see overheating warnings, weak cabin heat, or a sweet-smelling leak—your car likely needs coolant attention. Checking the translucent reservoir, watching your …
Who was the first engine? It depends on what “engine” you mean: the earliest described engine-like device is Hero of Alexandria’s aeolipile (1st century CE); the first practical steam engine is Thomas Newcomen’s atmospheric engine (1712), refined decisively by James Watt; the first commercially successful internal combustion engine is Étienne Lenoir’s (1860), followed by Nikolaus …
How Much Is NASCAR Worth Today? NASCAR is privately held and does not disclose an official valuation, but based on recent media-rights deals, prior sale discussions, and market signals, most informed estimates place its enterprise value in 2025 in the range of roughly $6 billion to $8 billion. That range reflects the uplift from a …
Popular cars you may want to avoid in 2025—and why Several high-selling models have red flags in specific years or trims due to reliability problems, recalls, crash-test gaps, theft/insurance risk, or steep depreciation. Examples frequently cited by safety agencies, owner surveys, and recall data include: Ford Explorer (2020–2022), Jeep Wrangler (2018–2024), Nissan models with early …
Are weight distribution hitches worth it? Usually yes for medium-to-large travel trailers and heavy loads: a weight distribution (WD) hitch can significantly improve stability, steering, and braking when tongue weight is around 400–500 lb or more, or when the trailer approaches half the tow vehicle’s weight. They’re not always necessary for very light trailers, and …
How to Tell If a Car Is Fairly Priced A car is fairly priced if its out‑the‑door total aligns with recent local market prices for the same year, make, model, trim, options, mileage, and condition, after accounting for fees, incentives, and financing. In practice, that means triangulating multiple pricing guides and VIN‑specific comps, verifying history …
Distilling Ethanol from Water: What’s Legal, What’s Safe, and How It Works You can separate ethanol from water by distillation, which exploits their different volatilities, but attempting to do so outside a licensed, properly equipped facility is often illegal and can be dangerous. Below is a high-level explanation of the science, the legal landscape in …
The Cars Gangsters Drove in the 1930s They favored fast, common, and rugged American sedans and coupes—especially Ford’s 1932–1934 V‑8 models—alongside Chevrolet Sixes, Hudson/Essex Terraplanes, Studebaker straight‑eights, Buicks, and, for top bosses, armored Cadillacs and plush Lincolns/Packards. The choices reflected a balance of speed, reliability, parts availability, and the ability to blend in on crowded …
Is 20% Tongue Weight Too Much? For most bumper‑pull (conventional) trailers, 20% tongue weight is generally too high—aim for 10–15% of the fully loaded trailer weight. For fifth‑wheel and gooseneck trailers, however, around 15–25% (often near 20%) is normal. The right answer depends on trailer type and whether your tow vehicle, hitch, and axles remain …
Explaining How a Car Works to a Kid A simple way to explain it: a car is a machine that turns energy (from gasoline or a battery) into motion, using an engine or electric motor to spin the wheels, with pedals to go and stop, a steering wheel to turn, and computers and sensors helping …
Is Sequential Better Than Manual? What Drivers Need to Know in 2025 It depends on how and where you drive: sequential gearboxes are typically faster and more consistent for racing and motorcycles, while traditional H‑pattern manuals are usually better for everyday road use, cost, comfort, and long-term ownership. This article explains how the two systems …
Who is the greatest race car driver of all time? There is no single, universally accepted “greatest” race car driver; in Formula 1, many analysts point to Lewis Hamilton as the statistical benchmark, while historians often elevate Juan Manuel Fangio for era-dominance, and Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher remain perennial choices. Across other disciplines, Sébastien …
How Much Faster Does NOS Make a Car Go? In most street-performance setups, a 50–150 horsepower nitrous oxide “shot” (often called NOS) typically cuts 0–60 mph by about 0.5–2.0 seconds and drops quarter-mile elapsed time by roughly 0.4–1.5 seconds, with trap speed gains of 4–12 mph. Top speed usually rises far less—about 5–15%—because it scales …
What a 4.10 Gear Ratio Means—and How It Affects Your Vehicle A 4.10:1 gear ratio means the driveshaft (or transmission output) rotates 4.10 times for every single rotation of the axle shafts and wheels. In practical terms, it multiplies torque more than lower-numerical ratios (like 3.55), delivering stronger off-the-line acceleration and better pulling power, but …
The newest car brands: who’s arrived, who’s next, and where they’re launching Most of the newest car brands are EV-first startups or spin-offs launched since 2020, led by Xiaomi (Xiaomi Auto, 2024), BYD’s Yangwang and Fangchengbao (2023), NIO’s Onvo (2024), XPeng’s Mona (2024), Jiyue (Geely/Baidu, 2023), Togg (Turkey, 2023), Omoda and Jaecoo (Chery, 2023), Avatr …
How Much Does It Cost to Fix a Car’s Cooling System? Expect to pay about $150 to $1,200 for common cooling-system repairs such as hoses, thermostats, coolant flushes, or a radiator; bigger jobs like a water pump or heater core typically run $350 to $1,500, and a head-gasket repair can reach $1,500 to $4,500 or …
Can You Jumpstart a Car with a Bad Alternator? Yes—many cars with a failing or dead alternator can be jumpstarted, but they typically run only briefly before stalling again because the battery isn’t being recharged. If you must jumpstart, do it to reach a safe location or repair facility, minimize electrical loads, and plan for …
Is the Voltage Regulator Part of an Alternator? Yes—on most modern passenger vehicles, the voltage regulator is built into the alternator. However, many older cars, some heavy‑duty, marine, motorcycle, and specialty applications still use an external regulator, and a growing number of late‑model vehicles let the engine computer manage alternator output through a “smart” regulator. …
Is Power a Good Company for Windows? Yes—Power Home Remodeling (often branded simply “Power”) is generally a strong choice for replacement windows if you want a turnkey, warranty-backed installation and don’t mind premium pricing. The company is well established, offers Energy Star–rated options, and is known for service and warranties, though its lengthy, sales-forward consultations …
Is it safe to use a metal wrench on a car battery? Yes, but only with strict precautions. A bare metal wrench can easily short a car battery and cause sparks, burns, or even an explosion if it bridges the positive terminal to the vehicle’s body. Using insulated tools is strongly recommended; if you must …
What Was the Best-Selling Car in 1958? In the United States, the best-selling car in 1958 was the Chevrolet Bel Air (as a model series), with Chevrolet regaining the overall sales lead that year; globally, the Volkswagen Beetle is widely regarded as the highest-volume single model for 1958, reflecting its rapidly expanding worldwide production and …
How to Get a Nebraska Title for Your Car Go to your county treasurer’s motor vehicle office with proof of ownership (assigned title or Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin), a completed title application, odometer disclosure (for applicable model years), a Nebraska VIN inspection if the vehicle was last titled out of state, and payment for title …