{"id":149199,"date":"2023-10-20T08:34:24","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T12:34:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/car-parts-in-english\/"},"modified":"2025-02-28T14:30:56","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T19:30:56","slug":"car-parts-in-english","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/english\/car-parts-in-english\/","title":{"rendered":"120+ Car Parts in English"},"content":{"rendered":"

English is spoken in more than 70 countries around the world<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Simply land in your English-speaking country of choice and choose from one of many car rental companies at the airport and go adventuring!<\/p>\n

But what happens if something goes wrong and you need help?<\/p>\n

Check out this ultimate guide to more than 120 car parts, car-related vocabulary and driving verbs in English, and you’ll be cruising confidently on the open road in no time.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Exterior (Outside) of the Car<\/h2>\n

\"car<\/a><\/p>\n

1. Headlights\u00a0<\/h3>\n

These are the lights at the front of the car that let you see where you’re going. There are two of them; one on the driver’s side and one on the passenger’s side.<\/p>\n

When most cars are started, the\u00a0running lights<\/em>\u00a0(low brightness safety lights on the front of the car) are automatically turned on. Headlights can be turned on at night or when it’s a little dark out, such as during a storm.<\/p>\n

2. Taillights\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

These are the lights at the back of the car that let drivers behind you know when you’re\u00a0braking<\/em> (stopping). There are also two of these; one on each side of the car.<\/p>\n

3. Signal lights \/ Blinkers \/ Turn Signals\u00a0<\/h3>\n

These are the lights at the front and back of the car that let drivers know which way you’re going to turn. There are two sets; one on the right side for turning right, and one on the left side for turning left.<\/p>\n

4. Emergency Lights \/ Hazard Lights\u00a0<\/h3>\n

These lights use the same light bulbs as the signal lights. In an emergency<\/em> (when something bad suddenly happens), the emergency lights can be switched on to let other drivers know there’s a problem and to give you space.<\/p>\n

5. Bumper\u00a0<\/h3>\n

This is a piece of metal that goes across the whole front of the car. It’s there to minimize<\/em> (lessen) damage if the car hits something head-on.<\/p>\n

6. Exhaust Pipe \/ Tailpipe\u00a0<\/h3>\n

This is where exhaust<\/em> (burned fuel) from the engine exits the car while it’s running.<\/p>\n

7. Side View Mirrors\u00a0<\/h3>\n

These are small mirrors on either side of the car beside the front windows that allow the driver to better see around the car while driving.<\/p>\n

8. Rearview Mirror\u00a0\u00a0<\/h3>\n

This is the mirror at the top of the windshield <\/em>(see definition below)\u00a0that allows the driver to see behind them while driving without having to turn and look back.<\/p>\n

9. Windshield \/ Windscreen\u00a0<\/h3>\n

This is the giant pane of glass at the front of the car.<\/p>\n

10. Windshield Wipers \/ Windscreen Wipers\u00a0<\/h3>\n

These are the blades that remove water from or clean dirt off the windshield. They can be turned on when it’s raining, or they can be used with windshield wiper fluid<\/em> (liquid that can be bought to clean the windshield).<\/p>\n

11. Engine\u00a0<\/h3>\n

This is the central part of the car. An engine is a machine with multiple parts that makes the car work.<\/p>\n

12. Trunk \/ Boot\u00a0<\/h3>\n

This is the compartment<\/em> (the closed space) in the back of the car that can be used for storage. Sometimes a spare<\/em> (extra) tire can be found here. In many parts of the world, the trunk is also called the boot.<\/em><\/p>\n

13. Hood \/ Bonnet\u00a0<\/h3>\n

This is the front of the car where the engine and other car machinery can be found. There’s a lever<\/em> (a rod) in the car to lift the hood\u00a0<\/em>(open the hood of the car) to allow access to what’s underneath.<\/p>\n

14. Fender\u00a0<\/h3>\n

This is the area around the car’s wheels that keeps it protected and from getting debris<\/em> (garbage, rocks or rubble) inside the wheel well. This is sometimes called the mudguard<\/em>.<\/p>\n

15. Sunroof\u00a0<\/h3>\n

Not all cars have a sunroof. This is a small window on the roof of the car that allows the driver and passengers to look up at the sky or let the sunshine in.<\/p>\n

16. Rims\u00a0<\/h3>\n

These are the outer shells of the wheel, often placed over the bolts that hold the wheels to the car. Not all cars have them, and they can be very decorative. These are sometimes called hubcaps<\/em>.<\/p>\n

17. Fuel Tank\u00a0<\/h3>\n

This is the place where the gasoline goes. There’s a small hatch<\/em> (door) on the side of the car that leads to where you put the nozzle in to fill the car with gas.<\/p>\n

Interior (Inside) of the Car<\/h2>\n

\"car<\/a><\/p>\n

18. Steering Wheel\u00a0<\/h3>\n

This is the part in front of the driver’s seat that allows the driver to control the direction of the car.<\/p>\n

19. Battery\u00a0<\/h3>\n

This is the object that powers all the car’s electronic features and the motor. It can be found under the hood of the car.<\/p>\n

20. Radio\u00a0<\/h3>\n

Powered by the battery, the radio allows the driver to listen to music or news while driving. The settings for this can be found in the car’s dashboard<\/em> (the front inside of the car that the driver can access) to the right of the steering wheel.<\/p>\n

21. Stick Shift \/ Gear Shift\u00a0<\/h3>\n

If the car is manual, that means that the driver must change the car into different gears<\/em> (adjust the engine depending on speed). For this, the driver can use the stick shift.<\/p>\n

For automatic cars, the car changes into different gears on its own. In these cars, the stick shift is used to put the car in the drive<\/em>, reverse<\/em>, neutral<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0park<\/em>.<\/p>\n

22. Speedometer\u00a0<\/h3>\n

This gauge<\/em> (dial) is on the dashboard and allows the driver to see how fast they’re going.<\/p>\n

23. Ignition\u00a0<\/h3>\n

This is the place beside the steering wheel where the car key can turn on the car. When the car key is put into the ignition and turned, the battery and engine turn on.<\/p>\n

24. Air Bag\u00a0<\/h3>\n

If the car gets into an accident, rapidly (very fast) inflating sacs (bags) of air pop out of the steering wheel and front interior<\/em> (inside) of the car to stop the driver and passengers from being thrown further forward and seriously hurting themselves.<\/p>\n

25. Fuse Box\u00a0<\/h3>\n

Underneath the dashboard (typically under the steering wheel), there’s a panel that can be removed to expose the fuse box. This is where the control board of the electrical system is located.<\/p>\n

26. Brake\u00a0<\/h3>\n

This is the pedal to the left side that stops the car when in motion.<\/p>\n

27. Accelerator\u00a0<\/h3>\n

The accelerator is the pedal to the right side that makes the car move. The harder you press, the faster the car accelerates<\/em> (moves forward).<\/p>\n

28. Radiator\u00a0<\/h3>\n

Underneath the hood, there’s a water tank called the radiator. It’s responsible for cooling the engine, so the car doesn’t overheat (get too hot).<\/p>\n

29. Fuel Injector\u00a0<\/h3>\n

Under the hood of the car, this piece of machinery delivers the gas into the engine so that the car can use that fuel to move.<\/p>\n

Additional Car-related Vocabulary in English<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n