Choose the Real Car Parts
Written by Don Ayres
Last updated · 8 min play time
Use this fuel-injected quiz to test your car knowledge as you separate the real car parts from the posers.
An automobile is an engineering masterpiece with literally thousands of different parts. While many components have normal sounding names, there are a few that sound completely fictional. Can you pick the real car part and not one of the three fake ones?
Quiz written by
Don Ayresreal-car-parts Quiz Questions
26 Questions · 289.9K Plays · 5 Comments
Question 1
What's the name of that sporty fin on the back of many car models?
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ABackwing
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BSpoiler
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CThrust fin
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DRear plane
Spoiler
While you might think of a rear spoiler as an aesthetic enhancement, it can also serve a very real function. The name comes from its ability to "spoil" the unwanted movement of air across the vehicle's rear. Not only does it enhance the car's aerodynamics, but it can also boost fuel efficiency.
Question 2
Which is the real part of your car's anti-roll system?
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AGyrometer
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BVeloscope
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CRotary plane
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DSway bar
Sway bar
Your car's sway bar, which is also known as an anti-sway bar, helps to stabilize your vehicle while driving. Without this important component, you'd be in for a much rougher ride when driving on roads that aren't perfectly straight and flat.
Question 3
Which of these is a real component of your car's drivetrain?
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AFloater
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BDifferential
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CRadial compensator
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DOver-under valve
Differential
The differential is a component on every car, and it helps compensate for the different distances traveled by inner and outer wheels while taking a turn. While all vehicles have them, they're especially important in all-wheel-drive designs as well as four-wheel-drive autos.
Question 4
What's the name for the two posts that stick out of the top of your car's battery?
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APower ports
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BPlugs
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CTerminals
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DStalks
Terminals
Your car's battery is responsible for igniting the engine, but there are plenty of other tasks performed by this power cell. The battery has two terminals on top, positive and negative, and these posts are where you connect it to the car.
Question 5
What component is responsible for distributing coolant throughout your entire engine?
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AWater pump
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BRecirculator
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CArterial drive
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DFlowmaster
Water pump
Your engine produces a lot of heat, and it takes a constant flow of coolant to keep temperatures under control. The water pump takes the freshly cooled liquid from the radiator and drives it through the engine block before the whole cycle starts over again.
Question 6
What's the name of this important part of your engine?
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ATwister pin
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BPiston arm
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CRotary wing
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DCrankshaft
Crankshaft
Your engine's pistons move up and down in a reciprocating motion, and the crankshaft turns that into the rotations needed to make your engine work. In older vehicles, the driver had to manually grab onto a handle and crank the motor to make the car start.
Question 7
What part of your car generates electricity?
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APower plant
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BAlternator
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CGenerator
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DBoiler
Alternator
If your car's battery isn't recharging while you drive, the culprit could be a faulty alternator. This device generates power for your headlights, radio and other electronic devices by using properties of electromagnetism.
Question 8
The single, continuous belt used to drive multiple peripheral devices in an automotive engine, such as an alternator, power steering pump, water pump, air conditioning compressor, air pump, etc., is known as what?
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ASuper band
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BSerpentine belt
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CPeddler
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DPower strip
Serpentine belt
Your car's serpentine belt is one of the unsung heroes of the entire engine, as everything would grind to a halt if it broke. This long, continuous strip of rubber gives life to important components such as the alternator, power steering pump and air conditioning compressor.
Question 9
The heavy revolving wheel that is used to increase the machine's momentum and provide greater stability, or a reserve of available power during interruptions in the delivery of power to the machine, is known as what?
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AFlywheel
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BRotary cap
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CPlate
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DSpindleizer
Flywheel
The flywheel is a heavy disc that uses inertia to keep the engine running smoothly. Without this important component, the power coming from the crankshaft would be uneven and your engine would run roughly.
Question 10
Which term do British people use to identify a car's hood?
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ASlipcover
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BRocker
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CFlat panel
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DBonnet
Bonnet
While Americans refer to the door covering the engine as a hood, British English speakers call the same auto part a bonnet. Both words have their origin in fashion, as they're terms for a piece of cloth that covers the top of the head, just like the hood provides a cover for the car's delicate mechanics.
Question 11
Which of these is the technical name for the display panel that contains the speedometer and other gauges?
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AInstrument cluster
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BInformation window
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CData panel
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DReadout pane
Instrument cluster
Your car's instrument cluster is your one-stop shop for information about your vehicle's performance. In this space, you'll find the speedometer, odometer and other important gauges. Some high-end models even recreate these instruments digitally on a small display screen.
Question 12
If you have a diesel engine, this component helps you start the engine in cold temperatures.
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AEngine torch
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BGlowplug
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CSparker
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DHeat vaporizer
Glowplug
Diesel engines can be notoriously hard to start in colder temperatures, mostly due to the heavy-duty components in the combustion chamber. A glowplug is a small, metal rod with a heating element at the end that directly ignites the first spray of fuel to kickstart the engine.
Question 13
These components might have a funny name, but your engine wouldn't work properly without them.
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ATappets
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BRingers
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CSuper springs
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DShearing grids
Tappets
The tappet sits at the end of each of your engine's push rods, and helps keep everything in alignment. When these components start to wear out due to poor maintenance, the engine makes a noise and is called "tappety".
Question 14
What part of your steering system attaches to the steering shaft and travels across the rack to turn your wheels?
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ASlider
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BPinion
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CTooth grip
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DAssist module
Pinion
The pinion is a small gear that sits at the end of your steering shaft and travels across a toothed bar known as a rack. The alternative to rack-and-pinion steering is known as a recirculating ball, and it is still in use for many older cars and trucks today.
Question 15
Which genuine part of your transmission sounds like it's out of a science fiction novel?
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AImpulse drive
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BDeflector dish
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CHyperdrive
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DPlanetary gear
Planetary gear
The planetary gear, or planet gear, might sound like it's out of this world, but it's a common component in every transmission. Much like the planets in the solar system, planet gears revolve around a central gear, which is known as the sun.
Question 16
Which component helps determine if your engine is firing normally?
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ATympanic element
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BTriple meter
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CSeismograph
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DKnock sensor
Knock sensor
For optimal operation, your engine requires perfect timing with each ignition. The knock sensor is a small microphone that lives under the hood and detects minute imperfections in the combustion sequence and tells the computer to make changes to correct any issues.
Question 17
The purpose of this part is to reduce engine vibration and in many cases, serve as a pulley for drive belts.
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AHarmonic balancer
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BShock shield
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CAbsorption matting
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DDampening bucket
Harmonic balancer
The crankshaft is responsible for translating the engine's output into the type of motion needed to turn your wheels, but it creates a lot of vibration. The harmonic balancer attaches to the crankshaft and reduces vibrations to make your ride smoother.
Question 18
Which real car part has a role in your car's steering system?
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ACircumnavigator
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BDrag link
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CFetzer valve
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DGraviton
Drag link
Your steering wheel turns in a different way than your car's actual wheels, and it takes an entire steering assembly to pull off the appropriate maneuver. The drag link is responsible for changing the spinning motion of your steering wheel into the side-to-side motion used by your wheels.
Question 19
Can you choose which is a real component of the carburetor?
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AFloat chamber
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BRamstad junction
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CFlagulator
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DPickup
Float chamber
The float chamber automatically regulates the supply of fuel into the carburetor. The liquid inside the chamber allows a float to life, which regulates the fluid intake.
Question 20
Which part of your car closes up the top of your engine's combustion chamber?
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APlunger
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BCylinder head
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CConveyor
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DRinglet
Cylinder head
The cylinder head of your car closes in the top of the cylinders of your cylinder block and forms the combustion chamber. It is sealed by a head gasket and also provides some space for exhaust to escape.
Question 21
What is the technical name for the strap above the car door you hold on to when the driver takes a tight turn?
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AHang strap
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BClamper
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CGrab handle
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DC-clip
Grab handle
While you might use them for hanging dry cleaning or holding on for dear life during a tight turn, your car's grab handles have a very important purpose. For people who have mobility issues, this small bar protruding from the ceiling can make it much easier to enter and exit the vehicle.
Question 22
This part of your seat belt system keeps you safe while you're driving.
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AToe-knuckle
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BZ-Clamp
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CWhistler
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DRetractor
Retractor
When you pull your seat belt across your body, the retractor is the component that pulls it back in tightly after you've buckled. This piece is also responsible for retracting the entire seat belt when you unbuckle, and it holds it in place to keep you from flying out of your seat during an accident.
Question 23
Which device lets your car know the slope of a hill you are on?
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APlaner
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BLeveling
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CInclinometer
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DSloper
Inclinometer
Clinometers, which are also known as inclinometers, can be used for a wide range of applications, including automotive safety. When the device detects a change in pitch for your vehicle, you'll see a warning light show up on your display panel so you can make the necessary adjustments.
Question 24
Which of these engine components is real?
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AGranchin valve
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BAccelerometizor
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CGudgeon pin
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DInterference filter
Gudgeon pin
The gudgeon pin, which is also known as a wrist pin, connects your engine's piston to the connecting rod. As the piston moves up and down, the gudgeon helps to create a pivot point for smooth operation.
Question 25
You step over this each time you enter and exit the vehcile. What's the name of the panel that connects the front and rear of the vehicle?
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ABooster
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BStepper
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CRocker
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DSlider
Rocker
While some vehicles have accessories to make them more prominent, every car or truck has rocker panels, which run between the front and rear wheel wells on both sides of the car. These panels are one of the few items that connect the front and back of the automobile.
Question 26
What's the technical name for the part of your seat belt that stretches across your chest and lap?
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AChain
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BBelting
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CSash
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DWebbing
Webbing
The "belt" part of your seat belt is actually referred to as webbing because it's woven together out of high-strength polyester. The webbing coils around a spindle with teeth that catch on the retractor when it's pulled too fast.
Comments (5)
We want to hear your feedback! Share your scores and discuss the quiz, but keep it civil.
great quizz love the answers some people give they have no clue about auto parts lol
Some of these questions are very confusing, the names of the parts are not the same on my side of the pond
I don't know wha kind of car they had in this but the 2 I missed are parts that even an ASE certified mechanic wouldn't recognize from the name given.
Loved it. 26/26!
Good Quiz! Thanks