Do You Know The Basics Of How Your Car Works?

By: Olivia Cantor
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
Do You Know The Basics Of How Your Car Works?
Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

You're an excellent driver, of course. You never forget to use a turn signal, you always kick the tires of any vehicle before you get in it, you've never swapped lanes without checking your blind spot, and you obey all speed limits and other traffic laws. You give way when you can be polite and it's safe, but you are decisive and assertive because you know that makes you predictable, and that's the best way to ensure that you are a safe companion for other drivers on the road. Yep, you're a motoring delight!

None of that means you know how your car actually works. You turn a key and off it goes. But there are more than 1,000 moving parts in that car. How much do you know about how they all fit together? What affects mileage? How does suspension actually absorb all that shock? What exactly are revs per minute, and when you accelerate, why does the engine make that roaring sound right before it purrs again?

Even if you can fuel up or charge a car, check the oil and water levels, assess the tire pressure and even change that tire when it needs it, there's still a lot to learn. Let's find out whether you're on your way to being a car expert!

Before getting inside a car, what 4 things do you need to check first outside, to see if they’re in tiptop shape?
wheels
Check to see if your 4 wheels don’t have a flat. Check if your spare tire is also in good shape.
antenna
headlight
roof

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Most cars now have this security system installed to deter theft. You need to deactivate it before entering. What’s it called?
car shooter
car dash cam
car rear view
car alarm
A car alarm is standard now for any vehicle. The siren blares and lights flash when the alarm goes off.

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A typical car works due to many subsystems inside of it. Which system are we referring to when we mention the carburetor, the fuel filter, the fuel pump, and the fuel injection?
the ignition system
the air conditioning system
the rotor system
the fuel system
It’s important to keep the windshield clear and clean. It’s hard to see the road if it’s very dirty.

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For your car to work, what kind of chemical process does your engine undergo?
internal combustion
You need to put the key in the starter to get the ignition going. But some starters also have a lock, so you need to know which way your key turns to unlock the steering wheel and ignition system.
explosive device
detonation
precipitation

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To check if your gauges and meters are working properly, what part of your car do you need to light up and check?
tail light
dashboard
Your dashboard shows you all the gauges and meters you need to check prior to moving. Make sure they’re all working properly.
side light
sunroof

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If your windshield appears dirty, what do you do, while inside the car?
call for a car wash emergency
ready your pail and bucket
wish for rain
turn the windshield wipers on
You merely need to turn the windshield wipers on if you want to give your windshield a quick wash. Make sure you spritz it with water or wiper fluid first, though.

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Internal combustion engines usually happen when the car's fuel combines with which element?
sand
water
air
Any kind of internal combustion engine gets powered up due to a simple chemical process. The gasoline or the diesel needs to combine with air, so the combustion would happen.
lightning

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To move, you need to shift the gear stick out of this basic position. Which is it?
upper
neutral
A gear stick is usually put in the neutral position whenever the car stops. So of course it has to go to first gear prior to moving again.
lower
front

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What do you call the device inside the engine cylinders which make motion possible?
gear
ankle
piston
An engine has several cylinders which contain the piston. The up-and-down motion of the pistons is what makes motion possible inside the engine, which then powers up your car to move.
rubber plating

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Before shifting gears, you need to step on which pedal first?
clutch pedal
The clutch pedal helps a lot when shifting gears. But make you you’re stepping on it very well, like against the floor.
accelerator pedal
brake pedal
flight pedal

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Aside from the fuel, what is the second most important liquid that your engine needs to power up?
plasma
oil
The engine oil is the most important fuel needed within the engine system. The engine's moving parts need to be oiled for them to work properly.
mud
freon

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To protect you from accidents, what do you strap on before driving out?
your cap
seatbelt
The seatbelt has proven to save many lives. That’s why it’s important to strap it on.
the headrest
the stowaway tray

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To start the car going, you need to choose a direction using what kind of stick?
popsicle stick
rod stick
gear stick
A gear stick is the lever that makes you shift from one gear to another. But of course this system works in unison with another system.
meter stick

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To have the car going from its parked position, which gear do you put it in?
first gear
The first gear is marked with a numerical number 1 on the head or the side of the gear shift. But drivers eventually memorize where to pull it towards, from memory and experience.
park gear
boost gear
big gear

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Since a car engine works on internal combustion which gets hot, what other kind of liquid does it need to keep the temperature at bay?
petrol
nitrogen
molecules
coolant
Liquid coolant is what usually keeps the temperature at bay inside a car engine. The water pump is the device that distributes the coolant within the engine's cylinders.

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The gear stick usually has 5 basic positions to determine how fast you can go. What’s the other term for these 5 positions?
knots
decibel
speed
A basic shift pattern has 5 speed indicators on it. They’re technically numbered 1 to 5, with the highest being the fastest.
miles

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This secondary stopping system needs to be released so the car will fully move. What’s it called?
parachute
handbrake
The handbrake should be located to the right of the driver if it’s a left hand drive. Or better yet, it’s in the middle of the car seats in front.
sunroof
hook attachments

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Which system are we referring to when we mention terms like the disk, the drum, the master cylinder, the power booster, and of course the anti-lock?
the accelerator system
the braking system
The braking system should be another important system to check before departing. Terms under this system would mention the the master cylinder, the disk, the drum brake, the anti-lock brake and the power booster.
the cooling system
the manual transmission system

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This is what you manipulate with your hands if you want your car to go wherever you want to go.
steering wheel
The steering wheel controls the tires system of the car. Wherever direction the wheel is steered to, the car should follow.
axle
roof
bumper

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How will you know if you have enough fuel for a trip?
rock the car
feel the trunk with your palm
check the fuel gauge needle
The fuel gauge needle should point towards Empty or Full, or somewhere, depending on your fuel. If it’s in the middle, it’s still safe to move.
knock on the tank

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What do you call the overall system that supports the car battery which makes it possible for the electricity of the engine to work?
cooling system
braking system
charging system
The charging system of a car provides the much needed charge of the car battery. This makes the engine work well, and makes your car run smoothly without a glitch.
ignition system

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To alert other cars if you’re going left or right, what do you use?
your hands
telepathy
smoke from the exhaust
turn signals
Turn signals indicate which direction your car will be turning next. It’s important to signal first before turning.

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If it’s night, what do you do to see the road up ahead?
put on glasses
turn on the headlights
The headlights are designed to cast a long line of light in front of your car. There’s an option to put it on high beam or low beam.
drink coffee
open your eyes

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If you want to check how fast you’re going, what do you do?
check the speedometer
The speedometer should tell you how fast you’re going. Make sure you don’t speed beyond the limit.
put one finger outside the window
roll down the windows
see your gas consumption

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The car's charging system is usually made up of these three items. What are they?
the water shooter, oil pump, gas chamber
the axle, rod, and wheel
the left, right, and overhead light
the alternator, the regulator, and the wiring
The charging system of a car is pretty much universal when it comes to its parts. It usually has an alternator, a regulator, plus an interconnecting wiring that makes things work inside the engine.

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If the headlights can’t cut it, what other lighting system can you turn on to see through thick layers of hazy stuff?
flashlights
fog lights
Fog lights are usually installed very near the headlights. People who drive through foggy weather certainly need this.
siren lights
flood lights

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In case one of your tires get a flat, what do you do?
call 911
park on the curb
use the spare tire
You need to learn how to use the spare tire in case you get a flat. You should therefore learn how to change tires.
step on it more

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When we mention the catalytic converter, the air pump, and the oxygen sensor, what system in the car are we referring to?
the emission system
A car's emission system is also important to understand since this involves the end products of the chemistry that happens inside the engine. You should know that this entails understanding what the catalytic converter, the air pump, and the oxygen sensor does.
the gear system
the window system
the sound system

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To avoid flat tires in general, what do you need to do?
water down the engine
jump start to second gear
install a system lock down
check the tire pressure
You can buy a simple tire pressure gauge to check if your tires are properly aired before moving your car. Or you can go to a gas station and maybe they can help with that.

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If your car’s electricity falters, what do you need to have checked?
the tires
the fuel level
the oil
its battery
The battery might already be spent if your car electricity falters. Make sure it’s also working well prior to going on long trips.

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After the tire pressure, what other important thing do you need to check with your wheels to see if they're working properly?
the color
the wheel alignment
It's important to check the wheel alignment of your car. If each wheel is not properly aligned, it will be hard to maneuver at all.
the brand
the shiny mags

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To see what’s happening behind you as you drive, what mirror do you check?
compact mirror
side view mirror
rearview mirror
The rear view mirror should be wide enough to see the back of your car, and even beyond it a bit. Some people have camera playback systems installed here to monitor from the camera installed at the back of the car.
sunroof mirror

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When we mention the compressor, the condenser, and the evaporator, what system inside a car are we referring to?
the air conditioning system
A car's air conditioning system will involve parts such as the compressor, the condenser, and the evaporator. Depending on which type of car you have, other parts may vary,
the braking system
the gear system
the honking system

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If you don’t know the directions of where you’re going, what kind of device can you install and power on to help?
antenna
GPS navigation device
A GPS navigation device is an electronic mapping system that can track your exact location and help you to navigate your next move. It talks, too!
spoilers
fender

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If you want to video record your trip, especially the road up ahead, what can you do?
call a filmmaker friend
install a dash cam
These days, even an ordinary motorist can buy a dash cam and install it inside their cars. It’s an added safety feature for when there are accidents on the road.
buy a bluetooth for your smartphone
it's not advisable to record while driving

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