I don't know about you, but when it comes to cars I have a hard time understanding what every component does for the car as a whole. As I tried to find a blanket response to the many components I came across repairpal.com/blog. As I was searching through this amazing blog, I found the best explanation written by Natalie Josef. who work as an editor and writer for RepairPals. I couldn't think of a better way. I was going to try and paraphrase her amazing blog article but I couldn't do it justice. Below you will find a copy of the blog written by Natalie Josef, from RepairPal Blog.
I would like to thank her for writing such an amazing article that helped even me a person who doesn't understand cars. I hope this helps grasp the concepts of inter workings as well as the importance of regular maintenance."I don’t know about you, but I love analogies. Will any of us ever forget when Forrest Gump told us that “life is like a box of chocolates … you never know what you are going to get”? Probably not, because it captures the essence of life so perfectly.
Analogies and metaphors help us describe indescribable things. For those of us who have never even really looked under the hood of a car, much less know what to make of all of those mechanical parts, vehicle systems are nearly impossible to understand.
But what if I told you that your vehicle’s cooling system was like the body’s circulatory system? If you have a fever, you don’t feel well, right? Well, in order to function properly, your vehicle’s engine needs to run at the right temperature, too. So if your engine is running too hot, a sensor goes off and coolant is released to cool the engine off. When you have a fever, a sensor goes off—our own thermostat, the hypothalamus—and then our body responds by sweating and other means of cooling off.
Makes a lot more sense, now, doesn’t it?
Audra Fordin, whose runs Great Bear Auto, which has been open since 1933, covering four generations of her family in Flushing, New York, has come up with a brilliant way to understand vehicles systems—she compares them to bodily systems. Check it out. I bet you’ll understand more about cars by the time you get to the bottom of the list.
Circulatory System = Cooling System
Like the cooling system of the car. If you have a fever, you’re not feeling well. In order to run properly, your car’s engine needs to be at the right temperature.
Digestive System = Fuel
Fuel/gas is like food for your body. Your body uses the food for energy. The engine breaks down the fuel to optimize it and run its body, the engine.
Endocrine System = Computers
Computers in your car are like the endocrine system. Hormones are chemicals that control your body functions. Glands (thyroid, pituitary, penal, pancreas, ovaries ...) are comparable to the ECM, PCM, OBDII, transmission computer, window computer, and HVAC controls.
Immune System = Gauges and Dash Lights
The gauges and dash lights in your car are like the immune system in your body. They let you know when your car needs a checkup.
Lymphatic System = Speed Sensors, etc.
Sensors measure vehicle and engine speed and how your car is running. Like the lymphatic system, sensors help defend the body.
Muscular System = Engine Torque
Engine torque (strength) is similar to your legs pumping the pedals on a bicycle.
Nervous System = Electrical System
The electrical system of your car is like the nervous system in your body. A pinched nerve in the body is like a broken wire in your car—it causes the system or vehicle to behave erratically and unpredictably.
Respiratory System = Air Induction
The air induction of your car is like your respiratory system. If there is something wrong, your engine will have trouble taking in air, causing your car to choke, which is similar to an asthmatic gasping for air.
Skeletal System = Car Frame
The frame of your car is the skeletal system of your body and the key is flexibility. If an injured foot is causing you to limp, that compromises your ability to walk. The same holds true for your car’s body. If it’s out of alignment, the car’s ability to take a shock is compromised.
Urinary System = Exhaust System
The exhaust system is like the urinary system of your body. If you cannot properly eliminate waste, you will become sick. Your car does the same job by safely removing waste from the exhaust system."
