Auto Repair Shop Jargon
Unless you consider yourself a car expert, you may find yourself feeling a bit lost when having car conversations with your mechanic. Listening to them talk can be a confusing experience if you aren’t all that knowledgeable about the inside of your car. Hopefully, this list of common auto repair terms will give you the confidence to help your next conversation with your mechanic go a bit more seamlessly:
- Aftermarket Parts – This term applies to parts which are not made by the original manufacturer. The best aftermarket parts will usually meet or exceed the quality of the original parts in your vehicle.
- ABS – As per our last blog, this stands for anti-lock braking system, which keeps your car from skidding by releasing and applying the brakes as needed.
- Hesitation – Refers to the lack of response which occurs when you first accelerate.
- Cam Belt – The cam belt is a belt that connects many of your engine components together. These belts, also known as timing belts, should be replaced every 100,000 kilometres on average.
- Pull – Pulling is a sign you need a wheel alignment. Pulling occurs when your steering wheel is turning to the left or right on its own while you attempt to steer straight ahead.
- OEM – OEM parts are those created by the original manufacturer. OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer.
- Oversquare – Describes an engine with its cylinders having a greater bore diameter than its stroke length.
- Kickdown – Describes the downshift in an automatic transmission which occurs when the throttle is depressed.
- The Big End (Is Gone) – A big end refers to a large bearing in your car’s engine. If it’s gone, that means that the bearing has worn out and needs to be replaced immediately. You can tell if it’s worn out by listening for a loud knocking from the engine if you accelerate.
- Grease Monkey – This term is just slang for a mechanic.
- ASE – The common abbreviation for the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, which issues certifications to professionals in the automotive service industry.
- LOF – An abbreviation of “lube, oil, filter.” Similarly, LOFR is an abbreviation of “lube, oil, filter, rotation.”
- TPMS – Stands for tire pressure monitoring system. This is the system which tells you when your tire pressure is low.
- Play – If you have excessive “play” in a part (typically suspension and steering parts), there is movement when there should be none. You may notice play in your steering wheel when there is a movement of the steering wheel before the wheels actually start to turn.