Car Parts That Start With Each Letter: 187 Parts From A to Z

Since their introduction in the early 20th century, cars have become integral to human life.

They take us to and from work, around town on errands, and on fascinating road trips near and far.

There are estimated to be over a billion vehicles on the road today — and we’re expected to reach two billion by 2040!^[1]

Cars are as complex as they are numerous. The average car actually contains over 30,000 individual parts,^[2] all of which have to work together to get us where we need to go!

Below, we list the common car parts that start with each letter, from A to Z.

Scroll past the list for tips on finding out more about car parts and how they work.

A

1. Airbag
2. Alternator:
   turns mechanical energy into electrical energy
3. Antenna
4. Axle
5. Air filter
6. Anti-lock braking system:
   helps prevent the wheels from locking up or skidding
7. Airbag sensors
8. Armrest
9. Air conditioning system
10. Air duct
11. Accelerator
12. Air vent
13. Alarm
14. Axle shaft:
    load-bearing parts that transfer rotational force from the transmission to the wheels and axles

B

1. Battery
2. Brake pads
3. Brake lines
4. Bumper
5. Brake light
6. Ball joints:
   connect the control arms to the steering knuckles
7. Bucket seat
8. Bearings
9. Brake drum
10. Backup camera
11. Brake pump
12. Bench seat
13. Blower motor:
    fan that pushes air through the dashboard vents
14. Brake pedal
15. Battery cable
16. Brake shoe

C

1. Caliper:
   houses the brake pads and pistons
2. Camshaft:
   rotating shafts that activate the intake and exhaust valves for engine cylinders
3. Carburetor:
   mixes air with fuel in the engine
4. Coolant hose
5. Chassis
6. Combination valve:
   valve in the brake system that helps balance braking
7. Clutch assembly
8. Cooling fan
9. Catalytic converter:
   controls emissions from the engine
10. Crankshaft:
    rotates inside the engine to help it run smoothly
11. Compressor:
    pumps refrigerant into the condenser to power the air conditioning
12. Cabin filter:
    removes pollutants like pollen and dust from the interior of the car
13. Control arm
14. Cylinder head:
    houses elements like intake and exhaust valves at the top of the engine block
15. Condenser
16. Cooling system
17. Control arm bushings:
    sits between the control arm and the car’s frame

D

1. Door handle
2. Drive belt
3. Dipstick
4. Door latch
5. Distributor:
   routes current from the ignition coil to the spark plugs
6. Driveshaft
7. Door seal
8. Dashcam
9. Distributor cap:
   protects the distributor and holds the contacts for the rotor and spark plug wires
10. Differential assembly:
    allows the wheels to turn and rotate at different speeds

E

1. Engine
2. Exhaust manifold:
   collects the engine cylinders’ exhaust gases into one pipe
3. Engine fan
4. Evaporator core:
   absorbs heat and removes humidity from the air
5. Exhaust pipes
6. Expansion valve:
   attaches to the evaporator to reduce pressure
7. Engine block:
   engine casing that contains the cylinders and other components

F

1. Fender
2. Fuel tank
3. Fan belt
4. Fuel cap
5. Fuse box
6. Fuel gauge
7. Fan blade
8. Flywheel:
   thick, heavy disc that balances the engine and connects it with the transmission
9. Fuel filter
10. Fuel injector nozzle
11. Fog lamp
12. Fuel pump
13. Fuel pressure regulator

G

1. Grill
2. Gearbox:
   set of transmission gears with casing
3. Gasket
4. Glowplug:
   heats the incoming fuel and air in a diesel engine
5. Gear pump
6. Gear shift
7. GPS

H

1. Hood
2. Hinges:
   found on the doors, hood, trunk, and fuel door
3. Headlights
4. Hubcap
5. Handbrake
6. Headlamp
7. Heater core

I

1. Ignition coil
2. Interior light
3. Inverter:
   electrical transformer
4. Intake manifold:
   moves fuel and air through the engine
5. Ignition switch

J

1. Jack point:
   reinforced metal under the car where you can safely place jacks when lifting the car

K

1. Keyless entry system
2. Knock sensor:
   engine sensor that detects vibrations and sends messages to the engine control computer to adjust the engine timing
3. Kickdown switch:
   electric shift that can downshift the transmission
4. Kingpin bushings:
   lubricated bushings that fit the spindles of the car’s axle

L

1. Lug bolt
2. Lug nut
3. Light sensor:
   detects light to turn automatic lights on or off
4. Leveling kit

M

1. Motor
2. Muffler
3. Mudflap
4. Mirrors
5. Mass airflow sensor:
   determines the mass flow rate of air entering the engine
6. Master cylinder

N

1. Navigation system
2. Neutral safety switch:
   prevents automatic transmission vehicles from starting unless in the “Park” or “Neutral” position
3. Negative battery terminal

O

1. Odometer
2. Oil filter
3. Oil pump
4. Oil gasket
5. Oil pressure gauge
6. O2 sensors:
   measures the proportion of oxygen in the fuel

P

1. Power door lock
2. Piston
3. Power steering assembly
4. Propeller shaft:
   transmits power from the engine to the wheels
5. Positive battery terminal

Q

1. Quarter panel:
   body panel between the rear door and the trunk

R

1. Rims
2. Rotors
3. Radiator
4. Roof rack
5. Radio
6. Radiator hoses
7. Rain guards
8. Rearview mirror

S

1. Suspension springs
2. Spoiler
3. Starter
4. Spark plug
5. Suspension
6. Shock absorber
7. Sunroof
8. Steering column
9. Speaker
10. Seatbelt
11. Steering wheel
12. Strut
13. Speedometer
14. Side mirrors
15. Steering knuckle:
    located behind the front wheels; connects the wheel hub to the suspension
16. Spindle
17. Steering shaft
18. Subwoofer
19. Seatbelt buckle

T

1. Tire
2. Turn signal control
3. Tire pressure gauge
4. Tail light
5. Transmission
6. Timing belt/chain:
   connects the camshaft and crankshaft in the engine
7. Trunk
8. Tie rods
9. Trailer hitch
10. Tonneau cover:
    fabric or aluminum that covers the bed of a pickup truck or the seats in a convertible
11. Tuner
12. Thermostat

U

1. Upper radiator hose
2. Universal joint

V

1. Valve cover
2. Valve housing
3. Vacuum booster:
   enhances the performance of brakes
4. Valve spring
5. Vents
6. Visors

W

1. Windshield
2. Window motor:
   allows you to use a switch to open and close the vehicle’s windows
3. Water pump:
   part of the vehicle’s cooling system
4. Wheel bearings:
   connect wheels to axles
5. Wheel well
6. Window
7. Windshield wiper
8. Window seal
9. Window crank:
   hand crank that allows you to roll a car window up and down on a car without power windows
10. Wheel
11. Wind deflectors:
    attaches to the hood, sunroof, or windows to redirect wind

X

1. Xenon headlights:
   headlight bulbs that last longer than halogen but not as long as LED bulbs

Y

1. Yoke:
   part of the driveshaft

Z

1. Z-bar:
   sway bar used on some older vehicles

Understanding a Vehicle’s Parts

While some car parts are found in the large majority of vehicles on the road today, each vehicle model has its own design peculiarities, features, and technologies.

Crankshafts, for example, were once actual cranks that the driver would turn to start the engine, while today, they’re small, internal components of the motor.^[3]

You can gain a better understanding of the different car parts and how they work by researching your own vehicle or a favorite vehicle model.

Gather information using the following steps:

• Check the owner’s manual. It might seem like an obvious place to start, but the owner’s manual will be packed with helpful information — not just the types of parts you can find in your car (or any vehicle you choose to research) but where they’re located and how to troubleshoot them. The manual will include detailed diagrams with every part labeled, and even if you need to search for more information than you can find in the manual, you’ll at least have a basic idea of how the part operates.
• Consult with auto parts dealers. The growth of online retail has made it easier than ever for you to understand which parts work for a particular car. Stores like NAPA Auto Parts and AutoZone allow you to add basic details about a vehicle (year, make, model, engine, or even the VIN) and find all the parts relevant to that particular make and model.
• Keep customizations in mind. Upgrades and modifications can enhance the look and performance of a vehicle, and they also expand the types and varieties of parts to explore. For example, suspension modifications like lift kits can help you understand different types of springs and how to balance the front height of the vehicle with the rear height.