Auto Repair & Car Parts Dictionary

The Parking Brake, also known as the emergency brake, is designed to keep the car motionless when it is parked. This is particularly important for manual transmission vehicles.

Parking Lights, the two lights located on the sides of the front grille and sometimes rear and side panels of the car, were originally designed to offer illumination on cars “parked” along side a dark road, so that other drivers could see them. In most cars, the switch that turns on the headlights also turns on the parking lights. Today, these lights are handy for when you need some degree of illumination but don’t need the full power of your car’s headlight lamps.

PCV stands for Positive Crankcase Ventilation. Unburned fuel vapors, other combustion by-products, and moisture are contained in the crankcase until they can be filtered and redistributed back into the intake manifold to be reburned by the engine. The main components of this system include a valve, hoses, and an air filter. The PCV valve restricts the amount of air that's siphoned from the crankcase into the intake manifold. The PCV filter introduces clean air through a hose to the engine.

A Pinion is a small gear located in the drivetrain of the car, which moves the larger gear that turns the steering wheel. Pinion gears are also used in rear differentials.

A Piston Ring is a ring that fits into a groove on the exterior of the piston. This ring serves to seal the combustion chamber so that gasses can’t escape, transfer heat from the piston to the cylinder, and regulate oil consumption. Unless you are putting undue stress on your engine, the piston ring usually lasts the lifetime of your car.

Power Steering minimizes the amount of effort it takes to turn your steering wheel. Nearly all newer model cars have power steering.

Power Steering Fluid is a hydraulic fluid used by the pump in your power steering system. It should be checked regularly to make sure there is enough pressure in the pump to support the rack and pinion.

There are generally two hoses in the power steering system; one that takes hydraulic fluid from the pump to the rack, and another that takes fluid from the rack back to the pump. As with any hoses, cracks and leaks can develop over time, thereby compromising your power steering and components.

The Purge Valve releases fuel vapors from the canister into the intake. When the valve is faulty, your emissions system will not work properly and this will cause stress on the engine.