Here’s a complete list of car parts and their functions. The list here includes almost everything you can see on a car such as car body, wheels, tires, seats, battery, interior, dashboard, as well as every part under the hood. Each part on a car has name. You should learn the top 10 most important auto parts and components to make things easier when it comes to car maintenance. The list here is sorted from A to Z according to car parts vocabulary word. Let’s begin to learn the ABC!

A

accelerator
accessory belt
airbag
air conditioner
air conditioning – a complete ac system includes A/C cluth, A/C compressor, A/C condenser, A/C hose, A/C kit, A/C relay, A/C valve, A/C expansion valve, A/C low-pressure valve, A/C schrader valve, A/C INNER PLATE, A/C cooler, and A/C evaporator.
air conditioning compressor – a main component to put freon in the AC system for you to stay cool inside the car.
air filter – filter all the unwanted dust and allergens before the air gets into your car.
air intake housing – car parts under hood
air intake manifold – car parts under hood
air vent
alarm and siren
all-wheel drive
alternator – there are alternator bearing, bracket, fan and other alternator parts. It allows your car battery to charge while the engine is running.
anchor
antenna
anti-lock brakes system (ABS)
armrest
auto
automatic transmission
automobile
axle – an important part of any car to keep the wheel rolling.

B

baby car seat
baby seat
back-up lights
battery – this is the main thing/power to turn on your car. There are battery box, cable terminal, cable, control system, plate and tray.
bench seat
bleed nipple
bonnet
brakes – you can’t stop a car without a brake system. this include brake fluid, drum, lining, pad, pedal, piston, pump, roll, rotor, server, shoe, lining, caliper, hose, hydraulic booster, master cylinder, metering valve, vacuum brake booster, and wheel cylinder.
brake backing plate
brake backing pad
brake cooling duct
brake disc
brake light
brake pedal
bucket seat
bumper – there are unexposed bumper and exposed bumper

C

camshaft – car parts under hood with bearing, fastener, follower, locking plate, pushrod and spcer ring
car
carburetor – it mixes air with a fine spray of liquid fuel for combustion.
carpet
catalytic converter – reduce the emissions from your vehicle.
center console (front and rear)
central locking
chassis
chassis control computer
child car seat
chrome trim
clutch – clutch move form gear to gear to keep the driving smoothly.
computer
connecting rod – connecting rod bearing, bolt and washer.
console
cooling system
cowl screen
crank case
crank pulley
crankshaft
cruise control
cylinder
cylinder head
cylinder head gasket

D

dashboard – there are center console and glove compartment
defroster
decklid – a cover allows you to access to the main storage or luggage compartment. Mostly on a station wagon.
diesel engine
differential
dip stick
distributor
distributor cap
door
door contact
door handle
drive belt
drive shaft
driver’s seat

E

emergency brake
emergency lights
emissions
engine – see the labeled diagram of car engine for better understanding.
engine block
engine cradle
engine computer and management system
engine control unit (ECU)
engine fan – to keep air flowing over the radiator to cool down the engine coolant.
exhaust pipe
exhaust system – exhaust clamp and bracket, flange gasket, manifold, pipe, heat shield, heat sleeving and tape, and spacer ring.

F

fan belt
fascia rear and support
fender
filter
floor mat
fog light
four-wheel drive
frame
front clip
fuel
fuel cap
fuel filter
fuel gauge
fuel injector – it gets the gasoline/petrol from the fuel tank into the engine.
fuel pump
fuel pressure regulator
fuel rail
fuel tank
fuse
fuse box

G

gas
gasket
gas pedal
gas gauge
gasoline
gas tank
gauge – ammeter, clinometer, dynamometer, fuel gauge, manometer, hydrometer, odometer (also called milometer/mileometers), speedometer, tachometer (rev counters), temperature gauge, tire pressure gauge, vacuum gauge, voltmeter, water temperature meter.
gearbox
gear shift
gear stick
glove compartment
glowplug
GPS
grab handle
grille
ground strap

H

halogen
hand brake
headlamp
headlight – also called headlamp
headrest – also called armrest monitors
heater
high-beam headlights
hood
horn – or trumpet horn
hubcap
hybrid

I

ignition
ignition coil
ignition magneto
indicator light – also called signal light/lamp
instrument panel
interior light
internal combustion engine

J

jack – a car jack is important because you can’t change your tire without it.

K

key

L

license plate
lights
lock
low-beam headlights
lug bolt
lug nut
LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) system

M

manifold
manual transmission
mat
mirror
mirror monitors
moon roof
motor
mud flap
muffler – the main job is to decrease the amount of noice emitted by the exhaust of an internal combustion engine.

N

navigation system

O

0-ring
odometer
oil
oil filter
oil gasket
oil tank

P

parking brake
parking lights
passenger seat
pedal
pillar and hard trim
piston – parts inside a gasoline engine to handle explosions. It’s also where your car get the horsepower.
piston pin and crank pin
piston pin bush
piston ring and circlip
power brakes
power steering
power window switch

Q

quarter panel

R

radiator – a major part under the hood to keep the car’s engine cool all the time.
radio – see list of car audio brands
rag top
rear-view camera
rear-view mirror
rear window defroster
relay
relay connector
remote lock
reverse light
rims – there are hubcap at the center
rocker
rocker cover
roll cage
roof
roof rack
rotary engine

S

seat – bench seat, bucket seat, children seat, infant seat.
seat belt
seat bracket
seat cover
seat track
shift
shock absorber – an important part to reduce the stress of the bumping and make your ride more pleasant.
side airbags
side mirror
spare tire – nowadays some new cars feature run-flat tires and you don’t see these anymore.
spark plug – very high voltage as it uses an electric spark to ignite fuel in the engine. This is
sparking cable
speaker
speedometer
spoiler – there are front spoiler and rear spoiler
starter – there are starter drive, starter motor, starter solenoid
starter motor
steering column
steering wheel
subwoofer
sunroof
sun visor
supercharger
suspension – come with beam axle, control arm, axle, idler arm, kingpin, panhard rod, pitman arm, rack end, spindle, steering arm, steering box, steering column, steering rack, tie bar, tie rod, and trailing arm.
switches – battery switches, door switch, ignition switch, power window switch, steering column switch, swtich cover, switch panel, thermostat, frame swith and other parts and functions of starter system.

T

tachometer
tailgate
temperature gauge
thermometer
thermostat
throttle body
tire
trailer hitch
transmission – very complicated thing. In a nutshell, it turns the power from engine into movement and transmit it all the way to the four wheels on a car.
trim
trip computer
trunk – also called boot or hatch
turbo charger
turn signal

U

undercarriage
unleaded gas

V

valance
valve
valve cover
valve housing
valve spring
valve pump pulley
vents
visor

W

water neck
water pipe
water pump
water pump gasket
water tank
warning light
welded assembly
wheel
wheel well
window
window regulator
window seal
windshield – also called windscreen
windshield washer motor
windshield wiper

From time to time, we are making the list better and better. There are so many car parts in a car and some parts are definitely missing. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you find any car part is missing from the list above. We will add it in to make the list of car parts a 100% complete one. Last but not least, see also:

• list of car names
• list of car brands
• list of Chinese car brands
• list of electric cars
• list of rear-wheel-drive Toyota cars
• 43 Strange & Funny Car Names