Unlock Shop Secrets
Speak The Lingo: Proper Car Terms
Knowing how to “talk the talk” with your automotive service technician will go a long way toward a positive, productive working relationship. The first thing to remember is that you’re both actually very compatible — you love your car and he (or she) loves working on them. Here are some suggestions when meeting with your automotive service professional.Learn Some Common Automotive Terminology
Certain symptoms can indicate major or minor problems with your vehicle. A few basic car terms from our “Service Translator” will help you identify what may be going wrong with your vehicle, and help your technician to better understand what problems you’ve been experiencing and get at the root of the problem faster — after all, you’ll be speaking his language.
Automotive Dictionary
Service Translator*
Brakes
| Service Term | Symptom/Description |
|---|---|
| Brake Fade | Stopping distance seems to increase, causing longer braking distance, similar to braking at high speeds. |
| Low brake pedal | Brake pedal must be pushed unusually far to engage brakes. |
| Brake pedal pulsation | Brake pedal fluctuates while brakes are applied. |
| Grabs | Vehicle has a tendency to move right or left when brakes are applied; brakes engage suddenly when applying steady pressure to brake pedal. |
Engine
| Service Term | Symptom/Description |
|---|---|
| Cuts out | Temporary complete loss of power. Engine quits at regular intervals. May occur repeatedly or intermittently, usually under heavy acceleration. |
| Detonation | Mild to severe pings, usually worse under acceleration. Sounds like popcorn popping. |
| Dieseling | Engine runs after ignition switch is turned off. Runs unevenly and may make knocking noises. |
| Hesitation | Momentary lack of response as accelerator is pressed. Can occur at any speed. Usually most severed when starting from complete stop. May cause engine to stall. |
| Miss | Pulsation or jerking that changes with engine speed. Exhaust has a steady spitting sound at idle or low speed. Not normally felt above 30 mph. |
| Rough idle | Engine runs unevenly at idle. Car may also shake. |
| Sluggish | Engine delivers limited power under load or at high speed. Won’t accelerate as fast as normal. Loses speed going up hills. Vehicle has less speed than normal. |
| Spongy | Little or no increase in speed when accelerator is pushed down. Continuing to push pedal down will eventually give an increase in speed. |
| Surge | Vehicle speeds up and slows down with no change on accelerator pedal. Can occur at any speed. |
Steering & Handling
| Service Term | Symptom/Description |
|---|---|
| Bottoming | Suspension moves to extreme end of travel and hits compression bumpers. Feels like a heavy thud. |
| Excessive play | Steering wheel must be turned unusually far before vehicle responds. |
| Hard steering | Vehicle difficult to steer, especially during parking situations or when first started. |
| Pulls | Vehicle moves to one side when steering wheel is released. |
| Shimmy | Rapid side-to-side motion of both front wheels felt in steering wheel. |
| Sway/pitching | Mushy or spongy ride; vehicle takes a long time to recover from bumps in the road. |
| Vibration | Vehicle shakes. |
| Wanders | Vehicle meanders, requiring frequent steering adjustments to maintain direction. |
Odors & Stains
| Service Term | Symptom/Description |
|---|---|
| Antifreeze or coolant Leak | Sweet odor, usually accompanied by steam from under the hood. |
| Axle leaks | Black stains with heavy, thick consistency. |
| Burning oil | Thick, heavy odor, sometimes accompanied by smoke from under the hood or from the exhaust. |
| Coolant streaks | Yellow, green, pink, or orange stains that are lighter and thinner than oil. |
| Crankcase, oil, power-steering fluid leaks | Brownish stains. |
| Electrical short | Acrid odor, like burned toast. |
| Emission | Contiguous, heavy sulfur odor like rotten eggs. |
| Overheating | Hot, metallic odor usually accompanied by antifreeze/coolant odor. |
| Transmission oil leaks | Reddish stains. |
Remember that Respect is a Two-Way Street
Your technician isn’t just some guy who likes to fiddle under the hood. Cars today are engineering marvels with digital dashboards, high-tech sensors, timing belts, electronic computers and more. It takes a highly skilled, trained professional to properly service these systems. Respect his years of expertise — and your questions and concerns should be respected in return.
Ask Questions When You Don’t Understand
If you’re confused or unclear about a repair, don’t pretend to understand. Take every opportunity to learn more about your car and its inner workings. Ask your technician for clarification in easy-to-understand terms and, if possible, have him physically show you what’s wrong. This actually shows that you care about your car and value his expert opinion.
If You Need a Second Opinion …
Don’t challenge your technician’s diagnosis in front of him or his co-workers. This will put everyone in the shop on the defensive. If you truly mistrust the recommendations, simply get a receipt for the work completed and bring your car to another shop for a second opinion.
*Reprinted with permission. GM Parts and Goodwrench.
You've Come A Long Way, Baby!
- A 1950s Chevrolet brochure on power steering reads, "Relax in traffic! Traffic holds no terrors for even the frailest lady." *
- In 1955, Chrysler introduced the Dodge La Femme in an effort to attract more women to the automotive market, with the headline on the marketing brochure proclaiming, "By Special Appointment to Her Majesty … the American Woman." The car featured a two-tone exterior of Sapphire White & Heather Rose — the interior was outfitted in "LaFemme Only" rosebud cloth fabric and white bolsters. Special seat backs contained spots to store a supplied rain cape, hat and umbrella, as well as a pink calfskin purse. These special purses contained a color-coordinated set of accessories: face powder compact, lipstick case, cigarette case, comb, cigarette lighter and change purse. Dodge produced models in 1956, but dropped the La Femme in 1957 and did not revisit the concept.**
