A fast-drying pyroxylin paint often used to finish automobile bodies.

A windshield consisting of a thin layer of rubbery plastic sandwiched between two sheets of glass. When struck by the head in an accident, it bows out without puncturing, and the plastic holds the glass to prevent it from splintering.

A suspension link that is aligned to resist sideways motions in a wheel.

A suspension link that is aligned to resist longitudinal motions in a wheel; it is mounted to the chassis behind the wheel.

A number of slightly curved, flexible steel plates of varying lengths, mounted one atop the other. The plates are attached at the ends to the underbody. The curved shape of the plates allows them to flex and absorb bumps. Made of spring steel or various composite materials that deflects by bending when forces act upon it . Leaf springs are used primarily in suspensions. The ends are attached to the chassis, and the middle is fixed to the axle. Also called semi-elliptic springs.

A leakdown test is used to find excessive wear in an engine. When a technician performs a leakdown test on your vehicle, each cylinder is tested to see how well it holds pressure. If a cylinder is unable to hold pressure, your technician can pinpoint what component of the cylinder (piston rings, valves, etc) has a problem that is causing a pressure loss.

A lean fuel mixture has too much air, a rich mixture has too much fuel.

A contract granting the use of a vehicle for a specified period of time in return for a set fee. Leases may be classified as open ended or closed ended.

Liability insurance is coverage only for damage that you inflict on other people or their possessions. It does not cover theft or damage to your vehicle.

A vertical force directed upward, produced by the airflow around a moving object: such as a car body.

A handling characteristic that causes the rear tires to lose some of their cornering grip when the throttle is released during hard cornering.

Vehicle weighing less than 14,000 lbs.

Passenger cars and light trucks.

Auxiliary lights that extend the reach of standard headlights. Driving lights have a narrower beam than headlights.

Auxiliary lights that provide a wider beam pattern than standard headlights. Foglights are usually mounted lower than headlights to illuminate below fog and reduce reflected glare.

Lights that provide brighter, longer lasting illumination than standard incandescent lights. Halogen bulbs are filled with a gas such as iodine. This gas reduces the gradual evaporation of the tungsten filament and increases its life.

A special type of headlight that uses a spherical reflector to tightly control the light beam. Projector beams are relatively expensive compared to standard headlights.

A differential that reduces speed differences between wheels. An LSD improves traction by preventing a slipping wheel from receiving all the engine power. The differential uses cone or disc clutches to lock the two separate axle shafts. This forces both driving wheels to transmit the same drive torque regardless of the traction available. It still allows differential action under normal driving conditions but improves traction in mud and snow. Limited slip ensures that some torque is always distributed to both wheels, even when one is on very slippery pavement. Many high-performance vehicles have LSDs.

A closed, chauffeur-driven automobile in which the driver is separated from the passengers by a glass partition.

The path through a corner that best accommodates a late braking point, a high cornering speed, and the fastest-possible exit speed out of a corner.