Control for the gearbox that is manually activated by the driver to govern the actions of the gearbox.
gearbox
Unit changing the ratio between the rotation speed of the engine and that of the wheels in the forward gears, or reversing the rotation in the reverse gear.
clutch
Mechanism disengaging and reengaging the engine and the gearbox in order to change gears.
brake pedal
Lever that the operator presses with the foot to activate the brake system.
brake booster
Mechanism amplifying the force exerted by the driver on the brake pedal.
hand brake
Lever in the passenger compartment that is connected to the rear wheels; the driver manually activates it to stop the vehicle or in case of emergency.
braking circuit
System of tubes containing a fluid that activates the brakes when they come under pressure from the pedal.
disc brake
Braking mechanism comprising a disc attached to the wheel, whose rotation is slowed down when the brake pads exert friction on it.
Tubes connecting the tank with the engine and supplying it with fuel by means of a pump.
axle shaft
Transversal axle transmitting the rotation from a differential to a wheel.
differential
Gear system located between the two wheels, allowing them to rotate at different speeds and compensating for the difference in distance that they travel when the car turns.
drive shaft
Axle transmitting the rotation of the transmission to the differential.
suspension arm
Unit joining the suspension components to the vehicle’s body.
shock absorber
Telescopic cylinder, pneumatic or hydraulic, reducing the spring’s oscillations.
coil spring
Elastic metal shank wound up in a spiral, supporting the weight of the vehicle and absorbing the shocks caused by any unevenness in the road.
tail pipe
Conduit expelling the combustion gases from the muffler to the ambient air.
exhaust pipe
Tubular conduit carrying the combustion gases from the catalytic converter to the muffler.
muffler
Compartmentalized chamber in which the escaping gases expand, thus reducing the noise from the engine.
catalytic converter
Chamber in which toxic substances contained in the escaping gases are broken down to make them less toxic.
gas supply system
Set of components supplying the fuel to the engine.
Set of components transmitting the motion produced by the motor to the wheels.
suspension system
Set of components that joins the wheels to the vehicle’s body while reducing shocks caused by the road’s unevenness and improving the hold on the road.
braking system
Set of components that reduce the vehicle’s speed, eventually to a halt, and keep it in place while parked.
steering system
Set of components that direct the front wheels to guide the vehicle as it moves.
gasoline engine
Engine in which a mixture of air and gasoline is compressed and ignited to produce an explosion whose energy is converted into mechanical energy.
