Parts of a Car

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Accelerator: The foot pedal that makes the car go faster.

Aerial: (US: Antenna) Helps you pick up radio waves so you can listen to the radio.

Battery: Usually near the motor, this provides a supply of energy to the car, especially when the motor isn't running. Sometimes if you leave your lights on when the motor is off, the battery keeps them on and then becomes flat (stops working) which makes it difficult to start your car again.

Boot: The enclosed space usually at the back of a car where you can put your bags etc. It is called the Trunk in the United States.

Bonnet: The metal lid at the front of the car that covers the motor. It is called the Hood in United States.

Brake: The foot pedal you use when you want to make the car go slower or stop it from moving.

Brake light: The red light at the back of the car that indicates the the brake is being used and that the car is slowing down. They shine brighter than the normal tail lights / rear lights.

Bumper: The bar at the front and back of the car the helps protects the car when it is hit. It is sometimes called the Fender in United States.

Clutch: The foot pedal that you use when you want to change gears.

Dashboard: The part in front of the driver that has the controls like the Temperature gauge, Fuel gauge and the Speedometer.

Door: The way you enter and leave the car. Some cars have two doors but most have four doors.

Exhaust (Pipe): The pipe that takes the waste gases from the motor and lets them go into the air.

Fan belt: The belt that keeps a fan moving that helps keep the motor cool.

Fender: The bar at the front and back of the car the helps protects the car when it is hit. It is called the Bumper in Britain.

Fuel gauge: (US: Gas Gauge) A part of the dashboard that lets you know how much gasoline / petrol there is in the petrol tank. It usually has the letters F for Full and E for Empty.

Handbrake: You usually put the handbrake on when you park your car so that it doesn't move by itself later (especially down hills). It is usually situated between the driver's seat and the passenger's seat.

Headlight: The lights you turn on so that you can see the road ahead in the dark when you are driving.

Headrest: The top part of the seat where you can rest your head.

Hood: The metal lid at the front of the car that covers the motor. It is called the Bonnet Britain.

Horn: Usually found on the steering wheel, when you press the horn, it makes a sound that other people (in other cars) can hear.

Hubcap: The metal covering of the middle part of a wheel.

Indicators: (US: Turn Signals) The lights that let others know in which direction a car is turning.

Ignition: You put the key here to start the car.

Number plate: (US: License Plate) The unique identification numbers and letters for each car. There is usually a number plate at the front and back of the car.

Radiator: Cools the water of the motor.

Rear lights: (US: Tail lights) the red lights at the rear part of a car that come on when your front lights are on (usually at night or in dim conditions). These shine less brightly than brake likes.

Rearview Mirror: The small mirror attached to the middle of your windscreen so that you can see what is behind your car while you are driving.

Roof-rack: The metal frame on top of a car that is used to support the weight of things you put on top of the roof of the car.

Seatbelt: The belt that is connected to the seat and you place across your body to help protect you in an accident.

Speedometer: A part of the dashboard that lets the driver know how fast the car is moving.

Steering wheel: The round instrument that the driver uses to make the car go in a certain direction.

Temperature gauge: A part of the dashboard that lets you know the temperature of the engine. If the engine is too hot, it can be damaged.

Trunk: The enclosed space usually at the back of a car where you can put your bags etc. It is called the Boot in Britain.

Tyre: (US - Tire) The round rubber part of the wheel.

Wheel: The round parts that connect the car to the road and help the car move.

Windscreen: (US: Windshield) The big window at the front of the car that the driver looks through as he/she drives.

Windscreen wiper: (US: Windshield wipers) Clears the rain from the windscreen so that you can see through it.

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