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If you are like many other everyday drivers, you know how to care for your vehicle’s tires and when to change the brakes. However, you’re a little bit fuzzy on how to maintain the car parts that make up its interior. This makes performing maintenance on your own a bit difficult. If you’d like to rectify that moving forward, use this list to familiarize yourself with some essential components and how they make your car work.

What Are Car Parts Every Driver Should Know?

1. Battery

The battery produces electricity that makes the radio, air conditioner, headlights, and engine starter work. So, if the battery is dead, you aren’t going anywhere. While this usually isn’t a problem because the car part will naturally recharge once the vehicle has been started, over time the materials inside the battery degrade and will no longer be able to do this.

2. Radiator

car partsWhen you open the hood, the radiator should be near the engine. Its primary role is to prevent the engine from overheating and does this by pumping in liquid coolant to absorb the heat and carry it back over the radiator where it is cooled. If the radiator is damaged or the coolant tank is too low, the engine could start to billow smoke, and you’ll notice the temperature gauge on the dashboard steadily rising to unsafe levels.

3. Transmission

The basic function of a transmission is to connect power from the engine to the wheels to ensure they are able to move at the right speed. As the car changes gears, the transmission and engine briefly disconnect as the vehicle moves into a new gear. In an automatic vehicle, a torque converter is required to sense when the vehicle is moving faster or slower and whether the gears should be higher or lower. Transmission fluid is also required and should be changed regularly to keep the transmission lubricated and cool; otherwise, the gears will start to grind against one another and could damage the transmission, which is one of the most expensive car parts to replace.

 

Becoming more familiar with the inner workings of your vehicle will ensure the car parts get the most out of life. However, if yours do eventually fail, it’s good to know you can turn to High Point Auto Salvage for replacements. Since 1985, they have provided the Triad Area in North Carolina with a large volume of used, new, and remanufactured auto parts. Find what you are looking for by quickly searching their online inventory or submitting a form request today. You can also call them at (336) 889-9062 to speak with one of their parts experts.

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