19 Basic Car Parts You REALLY Should Know To Make Your Life Easier

How familiar are you with each of these?

Battery

So you want to turn your car on? Obviously, this is the big boy you’re going to need to get everything going.

Axle

Another important part of any car. How are you going to keep the fun rolling without these?

Brakes

Having trusty brakes is essential to driving a safe car. When you start to hear those things squeak at red lights, it might be time to head into the shop and get some new ones.

Pistons

These are best when they’re pumping smoothly and quickly. Built to handle all those gasoline explosions, these are where your car gets its horses.

Fuel Injector

The successor to the carburetor, this little thing gets the gas from the fuel tank into the engine.

Radiator

The radiator is part of the system that keeps your car’s engine from overheating. Here, the engine coolant has time to give off heat into the air before it goes back into the engine to pick up…more heat.

AC Compressor

If you want to stay cool during those hot summer days, this is one of the components you’ll have to have. The compressor puts the freon in the air conditioning system under high pressure and pushes it further down the line.

Clutch

For the uninitiated, the clutch is the part of the car that is moved from gear to gear. While you can only see the pedal at work while you’re driving, these plates are out of sight and working hard to keep you driving smoothly.

Engine Fan

While the radiator does a pretty good job of keeping things cool, it can use some help. Fans like this one exist to keep air flowing over the radiator, facilitating the cool down of the engine coolant.

Spare Tire

Ok, ok, this isn’t technically a necessary car part. Regardless, it’s still very important to have one of these with you at all times. Just because you have one, though, doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. You still have to be able to use…

Car Jack

…a car jack. A true rite of passage for any driver is changing the first tire. It’s not the most fun thing to do, but it’s a like skill that anyone who plans to be on the road should have.

Shock Absorbers

You’re not going to notice these guys unless you’re driving down a poorly maintained street or going off-roading. Making your ride more pleasant, they also help to reduce the stress of the daily bumping and wearing on your car.

Transmission

Here’s where the power turns into movement. The transmission takes the energy generated in the engine and transmits it to the connected wheels.

Spark Plug

The spark plug is what you use to get the car started. It uses an electric spark to ignite fuel in the engine’s ignition chamber.

Air Filter

It’s the summer. Your AC is working fine, and you’re cruising along, cool as can be, but you’re also coughing and sneezing. That’s probably because you need a clean air filter. These filters help remove dust and other allergens that make it harder to breathe before the air gets into your car.

Muffler

Here’s a PSA for everyone: don’t be that guy driving down the street at 3 AM making all kinds of ruckus. Instead, make sure your muffler is doing its job: keeping a lid on your car’s noise.

Catalytic Converter

The catalytic converter helps reduce emissions from your vehicle, and it’s one of the things being tested when you go to get your emissions inspected.

Alternator

This neat piece of technology is what allows your car battery to charge while the engine is running. Science, am I right?

Pressure Gauge

This last thing is another item that isn’t really a car part, but it’s still pretty useful in terms of keeping your car in tip-top shape. Not only will properly inflated tires help prevent flats, but they’ll also help keep your gas consumption down, saving you some hard earned cash in the process.