"The largest combined auto insurance quotes, car insurance quote dictionary, plus car glossary online"

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B-Pillar
Vertical metal roof support between front and rear side windows on the side of the vehicle.

Backbone Chassis
Frame incorporating a tubular or box section running down the car's centre, with outriggers to carry the suspension and other components.

Backfire
Explosive sound from the exhaust system caused by detonation of unburned fuel mixture in the exhaust gas.

Back Flushing
Cleaning the radiator and other cooling components by forcing water under pressure in the reverse direction to normal flow.

Back Glare
Poor visibility caused when fog reflects the headlight beams back at the driver.

Backlight
Same as rear window.

Back Pressure
Increased pressure in the exhaust system that hampers the free flow of the exhaust gases.

Backrest
Back cushion of a fixed or adjustable passenger seat.

Badge-Engineering
Practice of selling virtually identical cars under two or more brand names.

Baffle
Term relating to a sound system in which the speaker is mounted on a flat board, such as a rear parcel shelf. Also applies to a plate inside the muffler to break up flow of exhaust gases and reduce the noise.


Bailey Channel
Vertical u-shaped metal channel in which a door window slides when raised or lowered.

B.A.L.
Abbreviation for blood alcohol level.

Balance Due
The amount currently due, minus previous payments, plus cash advances and purchases.

Balancer Shaft
Additional shaft with eccentric masses to oppose out-of-balance forces created by reciprocating motion.

Balancing
Process of ensuring that the forces and moments of a rotating mechanical component (or combination of parts) are in a state of equilibrium.

Ball-And-Socket
Same as ball joint.

Ball-And-Trunnion Joint
Universal joint with a mechanism to vary its effective length as it rotates.

Ball Joint Suspension
Independent front suspension in which the wheel axle is attached to the upper and lower control arms via ball joints.

Ball Load
That exerted on a tow ball when a trailer is attached.

Banjo Axle
Rigid back axle casing. The propeller shaft goes from the gearbox to the banjo casing which houses and differential and the drive shafts that go from it to the road wheels.

Banjo Connection
Device to connect a fuel line or oil line to a hydraulic component.

Bank Angle
That formed between two cylinder banks of a vee-engine.

Bank Rate
The amount the bank charges the consumer, expressed as a percentage.

Bar
Metric unit of atmospheric pressure, with one bar equal to 100 kilopascals.

Barrel
Carburettor air-duct in which the throttle or butterfly valve is located. It can also refer to a detachable cylinder casting.

Barrel Throttle
Airflow control member in a carburettor, being a cut-away cylinder rotated by the linkage.

Barrier Testing
Same as crash testing.

Base-Coat
A coat of paint acting as the base for other layers to be applied.

Base Price
The price of a vehicle without options but including standard equipment, factory warranty, and freight or destination charge.

Basic Rate
The rate from which discounts or additions are calculated.

Battery Coil Ignition
System in which current from the battery is transformed into high-tension electricity in a coil to fire the spark plugs.

Battery Condition Meter
Instrument showing the battery's voltage output and current condition.

Battery Polarity
Term denoting whether the positive or negative terminal of a battery is connected to earth.

Baulk Ring
One located in the synchromesh system, between a gear and a rotating transmission component, to ensure they engage easily during gear-shifting.

Beam
Structural member supporting two components. It often has an i-shaped cross-section to combine stiffness with minimum weight.

Beam Axle
Forged or tubular steel beam carrying two free-wheeling wheels.

Bearing
Low-friction device for supporting a moving part such as a rotating shaft.

Beater
(Slang) A car for everyday transportation. Usually not in perfect condition.

Beaver Panel
Body panel located below the rear bumper or boot opening.

Beaver Tail
Body panel below the boot opening.

Bed-In
Means of gently wearing off high spots in new components so as to avoid excessive heat.

Bell Housing
Metal casting or similar component between an engine and gearbox. It houses the flywheel and clutch (or torque converter assembly).

Belly Pan
Body panel covering the underside of the car's chassis.

Belt
Reinforced band, made from rubberised fabric, to drive a component. Also refers to a reinforcing band of textile or steel running around a tyre's circumference.

Beltline
A horizontal line, usually imaginary but sometimes indicated by a feature in the body design, just below the window openings on a car or truck body.

Belted Radial Tyre
One in which plies run parallel to each other and radially from the tyre bead, with additional bands or belts running circumferentially around the tyre under the tread.

Belt Force Limiter
Device that acts with an airbag and seat belt tensioner to reduce potential chest injuries.

Beltline
Line established by the upper edge of the main body at the bottom of the window opening.

Belt Tensioner
Seat belt system that automatically tightens the belt during an impact.

Bench Seat
Full-width seat that takes two or three people on the same cushion.

Bench Seats
Over one full-length seat that can usually seat two or three people.

Bending Moment
Algebraic sum of all forces resulting from an applied load at a distance from the point of measurement.

Bendix Drive
System of self-engagement for the starter motor drive.

Bezel
Crimped rim or ring securing a glass face to an instrument dial or one securing an instrument or switchgear to the dash panel.

Big End
Larger end of the piston connecting rod. It is attached to the crankshaft throw journal.

Big End Bearing
One located in the big end of the connecting rod.

Bio-Diesel
Fuel made from rapeseed, also known as canola and rme.

Binnacle
Box-like housing containing instruments or controls that projects from the instrument panel towards the driver.

Bio Fuels
Those produced from organically grown crops.

Black Body Radiator
Scientific device that completely absorbs incident light or thermal radiation and, when heated, emits the maximum light that a body can radiate.

Black Box
Electronic control device.

Black Ice
Slippery film of ice or oil on the road surface.

Blade Fuse
Electric fuse with the connections provided by two metal tongues.

Blanket Insurance
A property-liability insurance that covers more than one piece of property.

Bleeding
Paint discolouration caused by an existing layer of paint under a new topcoat. Word also refers to the act of removing air or impurities from a hydraulic system or fuel line.

Bleed Nipple
Small component resembling a screw with a tapered end. It is threaded into a matching hole and temporarily opened when bleeding a hydraulic system.

Blending
Spray paint technique for effecting spot repairs and colour matching without leaving telltale lines.

Blending Clear
Translucent paint used by spray painters when making spot repairs.

Blood Alcohol Level
Alcohol in the blood, measured in grams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

Bloom
Undesirable, whitish deposit that appears on a painted surface after respraying.

Blow-By
Leaking of gas pressure past the piston sealing rings.

Blown Engine
One with a supercharger or turbocharger.

Blow-Off Valve
One-way safety valve that permits gas or fluid to escape to the atmosphere if the pressure exceeds a certain value.

Blowout
Failure of a tyre, allowing the compressed air to escape very rapidly.

Bodily Injury Liability
Any liability that may result from the injury or death of another person.

Body Filler
Chemical or metallic compound to fill small imperfections in the surface of a body panel during refinishing.

Body Roll
Tendency of a vehicle body to tilt about its roll axis when cornering.

Body Shell
Car's main body/chassis structure including the floor, frame, door pillars, scuttle, turret, rear deck, quarter panels, beaver tail and possibly the underframe.

Body Sill
Panel below the door openings.

Body Style
The type of exterior shell or shape to a vehicle (sedan, coupe, truck, etc.).

Body Wide Line
The widest feature line on a car's body.

Body Wide Moulding
Decorative or protective moulding in the vicinity of the body wide line.

Bonded Lining
Friction lining attached to the brake shoes by an adhesive.

Bonded Windscreen
One rigidly attached to the body shell by an adhesive instead of being mounted in a flexible rubber channel.

Bonnet
Body panel covering the engine compartment.

Boost
Pressure at which a supercharger or turbocharger forces air into an engine.

Booster
Power device that multiplies the physical pressure a driver ned exert when operating the brake pedal or steering wheel.

Booster Gauge
Instrument to show boost pressure.

Booster Seat
Supplementary cushion on a seat, to enable a child to see out of the window, incorporating a seat belt mechanism. 

This child-safety seat is designed for children who are too large for a baby seat, but not big enough to sit safely in the vehicle's seats.

Boot
Enclosed luggage compartment. Also a sleeve made from leather or rubber that covers a component and retains grease.

Boot Access Armrest
Folding rear seat armrest which, when down, allows long cargo items to project from the boot into the passenger area.

Bore
Reference to an entire engine cylinder or its diameter. Diameter of an individual engine cylinder.

Borg Warner Trophy
Victory in the Indianapolis 500 secures this, the most coveted trophy in Indy Car racing.

Bore and Stroke
Dimensions giving the bore and stroke of a cylinder. Bore/stroke ratio is a fundamental characteristic of an engine's design.

Bore Pitch
The spacing between adjacent cylinders.

Boss
Extension to a component, or strengthened portion of same, to accept a pin or shaft.

Bottle Jack
Lifting device in which one or more threaded shafts work through a boss in a cylinder to raise the car.

Bottom Dead Centre
The angular position of the crankshaft when the piston is at the very bottom of its working stroke.

Bottom End
An engine's complete crankshaft and main bearing assembly.

Bowden Cable
Flexible steel cable comprising a flexible outer casing with a slim wire cable passing through it.

Bowser
Australian slang for a service station petrol pump, derived from an early brand name.

Boxer Engine
One with two diametrically opposed cylinder banks.  The cylinders are opposite (180 degrees apart) from each other. Also called flat engines, these are relatively flat compared to In-line or V engines.


B-Pillar
Car body's upright post, located between the side doors in a four-door body or at the rear of the front doors in a two-door.

B-Post
Same as b-pillar.

Brake
Device for slowing a car or component by converting mechanical energy to heat.

Brake Assist
System to reduce the stopping distance during emergency braking by rapidly generating maximum boost pressure.

Brake Balance
Proportion of the retardation effort shared between the front and rear brakes.

Brake Boil
Condition in which brake fluid overheats to the point of vaporisation.

Brake Booster
Device to mechanically increase the braking effort and reduce the required pedal pressure.  System that helps reduce the force the driver must exert against the brake pedal. May be hydraulic or electric.

Brake Caliper
A hydraulic (liquid-pressured) piston assembly that holds disc-brake pads.

Brake Cam
Mechanism to expand the shoes of a drum brake system when braking.

Brake Cylinder
That part of the braking system that transfers the hydraulic pressure from the master cylinder to a brake shoe.
 

Brake Disc
Braking system component comprising a revolving metal disc that spins with the wheel and which can be slowed by squeezing two or more stationary friction pads against it.

Brake Dive
Tendency of a vehicle's front to dip when the brakes are applied.

Brake Drag
Condition in which the friction lining of one or more brakes rubs against its counterpart without pedal pressure being applied.

Brake Drum
One of a set of four cylindrical cast iron or pressed steel drums housing friction-lined shoes to slow down the rotation of the wheels.  The large circular surface that the brake shoe presses against to stop the vehicle.

Brake Drum Glaze
Condition in which the brake lining surface becomes hard and shiny, due to heat.

Brake Fade
Severe reduction in braking efficiency brought about by overheating of the drums/discs and linings.

Brake Fluid
Working fluid in a hydraulic system to transfers the pedal pressure from the master cylinder to the brake cylinders or the clutch slave cylinder.

Brake Grab
Excessive and abrupt reaction felt from one or more brakes when the foot pedal is applied.

Brake Horsepower
Outmoded measure of the power developed by an engine, as recorded on a dynamometer and stated in brake horsepower, or bhp.

Brake Lining
Friction material attached to the shoes in a drum brake system.

Brake Lock-Up
Situation in which one or more road wheels stop rotating under braking and slide, due to lack of grip on the road surface.

Brake Master Cylinder
Alternative term for master cylinder.

Brake Pad
Segment of friction material attached to each side of a brake caliper which clamps against the rotating disc when the pedal is pressed.  Used in a disc system, it is a replaceable piece of backing plate and additional friction lining.

Brake Pad Wear Indicator
Visual or audible warning that worn brake pads need replacing.

Brake Proportioning Valve
One that limits the hydraulic pressure that can be applied to a set of brakes, reducing the possibility of brake lock-up.

Brake Pull
Occurs when the vehicle pulls suddenly to the left or right as the brake pedal is depressed. It indicates the brakes may be out of adjustment.  Uneven reaction that causes the car to deviate from the straight line during braking.

Brake Reaction Time
Interval that exists between the moment a driver perceives the need to slow and when the brake pedal is touched.

Brake Rotor
Shiny metal disk that brake pads squeeze to stop the vehicle; hence the name disc brakes.

Brake Shoe
A curved, replaceable piece of friction material used on drum brakes. The wheel cylinder pushes the brake shoes against the brake drum.  One of a pair of curved metal components, lined with friction material, located within a drum brake. The pair is pivoted so the shoe set-up can be expanded by hydraulic pressure to effect braking.


Breathalyser
Device for quickly determining a driver's approximate blood alcohol level.

Breather
Vent that allows any build-up of internal gas pressure in a component to escape.

Broker
A person who represents the insured to solicit or negotiate for contracts. A broker may deal with many agents or companies on behalf of his or her client.

Bucket Seats
Individual driver or passenger seats.

Bronzed Glass
Window tinted a bronze colour to reduce the entry of ultraviolet rays.

Bucket Seat
Individual seat, normally located in the front of the passenger compartment.

Buffing Compound
Water-soluble, abrasive paste used when polishing or cutting back oxidized paint.

Built-in System Interface
Electronic interface able to control an electronic function such as remote door-locking.

Bulkhead
Structural sheet metal partition between two compartments, such as the engine and passenger area.

Bull-Bar
Strong, tubular structure to protect the front sheet metal panels in the event of a collision with an animal.

Bump Steer
Tendency of a vehicle to momentarily steer off-course when a wheel strikes a road bump.

Bump Stop
Rubberised device that limits the extent that the wheel and suspension system can move upwards.

Bumper-to-bumper
A type of warranty that covers the entyre vehicle for a limited amount of time.

Busch Series
Just one level below Winston Cup, some drivers race at both this and Winston Cup level. These races, often run the day before a Winston Cup race, have gained popularity and are now all televised live, nationally.

Butyl
Type of synthetic rubber used in tyres and other components.

Bypass Filter
One that accepts and filters a proportion of the engine oil each time it is circulated through the engine.

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This article was written by Bruce Gow, an Australian search engine marketer who does search engine optimization for websites such as Used Car Prices. He has completed extensive research on used cars in both Australia and the USA, but is NOT a used car dealer.

You can reach him at bruce@searchengine-guy.com.au for all used car or SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) enquires in Australia or the USA.