Automotive Terms and Abbreviations

A
A/F or AFR – Air / Fuel Ratio
AAA American Automobile Association
AAC – Aux. Air Cut Valve (See IAC)
ABS: Anti-lock Brake System
ACL- Air cleaner
AFM- Air Flow Meter (See MAF)
AFPR: Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator
APP – Accelerator Pedal Position (sensor)
ASCD – Automatic Speed Control Device
AT or A/T – Automatic Transmission
ATDC : After top dead center
ATF – Automatic Transmission Fluid
ATTESA Advanced Total Traction Engineering System for All
ATTESA ETS Advanced Total Traction Engineering System for All with Electronic Torque Split
B
BA – Brake Assist
BA/FTS – Battery/Fluid Temperature Sensor
BARO- Barometric pressure
BAROS-BCDD- Barometric pressure sensor-BCDD
BMC: Brake Master Cylinder
BTDC: Before Top Dead Center
C
CAC- Charge air cooler
CAI – Cold Air Intake
CAN – Controller Area Network
CARB California Air Resources Board
CARB- Carburetor
CAS: Cam/Crank Angle Sensor
CEL – Check Engine Light
CFI system- Continuous fuel injection system
CHTS- Cylinder Head Temperature sensor
CKP- Crankshaft position
CKPS- Crankshaft position sensor
CKS: Crank Angle Sensor
CL- Closed loop
CMC: Clutch Master Cylinder
CMP- Camshaft position
CMPS- Camshaft position sensor
CO – Carbon Monoxide
CPP switch- Clutch pedal position switch
CTOX system- Continuous trap oxidizer system
CTP switch- Closed throttle position switch
CVT – Continuously Variable Transmission
CVVT Continuously Variable Valve Timing
D
DFI system- Direct fuel injection system
DI system- Distributor ignition system
DLC- Data link connector
DLC for CONSULT- Data link connector for CONSULT-II
DOHC – Dual Overhead Cams
DOT Department of Transportation
DRL – Daytime Running Lights
DTC – Diagnostic Trouble Code
DTC- Diagnostic trouble code
DTM- Diagnostic test mode
DTM I- Diagnostic test mode I
DTM II- Diagnostic test mode II
DTM selector- Diagnostic test mode selector
E
E85 – Blend of gasoline that is 85% Ethanol, 15% Gasoline
EBFD – Electronic Brake Force Distribution (usually part of a stability control system)
EC- Engine control
ECCS – Electronic-Conetrated Engine Control System
ECM- Engine control module
ECS – Electronic Stability Control
ECT- Engine coolant temperature
ECT: Engine Coolant Temperature sensor
ECTS – Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor
ECTS- Engine coolant temperature sensor
EEPROM- Electrically erasable programmable read only memory
EFE system- Early fuel evaporation system
EFE-mixture heater- Early fuel evaporation-mixture heater
EGR valve- Exhaust gas recirculation valve
EGR: Exhaust Gas Recirculation
EGT: Exhaust Gas Temperature sensor (used most often with EGR to determine function)
EI- system- Electronic ignition system
EM- Engine modification
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
EPROM- Erasable programmable read only memory
EV Electric Vehicle
EVAP (EVP) – Evaporative Emissions System
EVAP canister- Evaporative emission canister
EVAP system- Evaporative emission system
F
FIC: Fast Idle Cam- Throttle Body Mounted Assembly to raise the engine RPM during warmup.It operates by using a wax filled compartment which gets flow of coolant.As the Coolant warms, it melts the wax and the wax expands.This expanding then lowers the engine RPM to normal.
FLCA-front lower control arm
FMIC – Front Mount Intercooler
FMU – Fuel Management Unit – See RRFPR
FP- Fuel Pump
FPCU/FPCM: Fuel Pump Control Unit/Module-Controls fuel pump voltage by variable ground.
FPR- Fuel Pressure Regulator- Maintains fuel rail pressure by a vaccum diaphram.
FSM – Factory Service Manual
FSTB – Front Strut Tower Brace
FUCA – Front Upper Control Arm
G
GVW – Gross Vehicle Weight
H
HC – Hydrocarbon
HEV Hybrid Electric Vehicle
HICAS High Capacity Actively Controlled Suspension
HID – High Intensity Discharge
HLA – Hydraulic Lash Adjustor – Oil pressurized roller cam follower adjuster. A modern version of the old valve lifter which used push rods unit.
HLSD – Helical Limited Slip Differential
HP Horsepower, Unit of Measurement for Power Output (746W = 1HP)
HVAC – heating ventilation and air conditioning system
I
IAC – Idle Air Control Valve-Controls engine idle speed by varying the amount of air that enters the plenum by pulsing the valve open and closed.
IAT (Sensor): Intake Air Temperature (Sensor)
IC – Intercooler
IVIS – Infiniti Vehicle Immobilizer Sysem
J
K
KPH Kilometers per Hour
KS – Knock Sensor- Detects detonation by a piezoelectric ceramic material.Sort of acts like a microphone.
L
Lb-ft Pound-foot, Unit of Measurement for Torque
LCA- lower control arm
LEV Low Emissions Vehicle
LPSV – Line Pressure Solenoid Valve
M
MAF – Mass Air Flow sensor- Meaures air flow entering the engine by measuring the voltage required to keep a wire filament at specific temperature.
MAP – Manifold Absolute Pressure
MAP (Sensor): Manifold Absolute Pressure
MAPS – manifold absolute pressure sensor
MBT: Mean Best Torque
MC: Master Cylinder
MIL Malfunction Indicator Lamp (The CORRECT terminology for a CEL)
MON Motor Octane Number
MPFI Multiport Fuel Injection
MPH Miles per Hour
N
N2O Nitrous Oxide (Chemical Formula)
NATS – Nissan Anti-Theft System
NDIS – Nissan Direct Ignition System
NHTSA National Highway Traffic and Safety Association
NMA National Motorists Association
NMAC Nissan Motor Acceptance Coorporation
NNA Nissan North America
NOPI Number One Parts Incorporated
NOS Nitrous Oxide Systems
NOx – Nitrous of Oxides- An emission term, usually caused by an improperly functioning EGR
NTCNA Nissan Technical Center North America
NVH – Noise Vibration and Harshness
NVIS – Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System
O
O/D – Overdrive
O2/Oxy/Oxygen Sensor : Exhaust gas sensor- Measures the oxygen content in exhaust to determine fuel mixture
OBD – On-Board Diagnostics
OBD I – onboard diagnostics generation one:On most vehicles up to 1996 made for the US market some 1995.Each brand has its own proprietary version.
OBD II – onboard diagnostics, second generation:Industry standard after 1996
ORVR – On-Board Refueling Vapor Recovery
OVRCSV – Overrun Clutch Solenoid Valve
P
PCV – positive crankcase ventilation
PNP – Park/Neutral Position (switch)
PS Pferdestarke, Unit of Measurement for Power Output (735.49875W = 1PS)
PT/SEN – Power Train Revolution Sensor
PTU: Power Transistor Unit
PZEV Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle
Q
R
RLCA-rear lower control arm
RON Research Octane Number
RPM- Engine speed
RPM Revolution per Minute
RRFPR – Rising Rate Fuel Pressure Regulator
RRFPR: Rising Rate Fuel Pressure Regulator
RSB – Rear Sway Bar
RSTB – Rear Strut Tower Brace
RUCA – Rear Upper Control Arm
RUCA- rear upper control arm
S
SEMA Specialty Equipment Market Association
SMIC – Side Mount Intercooler
SOHC – Single Overhead Cam
SRS – Supplemental Restraint System
SSV – Shift Solenoid Valve
SULEV Super Ulta Low Emissions Vehicle
T
TB – Throttle Body
TBFI Throttle Body Fuel Injection
TC – Traction Control
TC rod – tension control rod (tension rod)
TCC S/V – Torque Converter Clutch Solenoid Valve
TCU Transmission Control Unit
TDC – Top Dead Center
TDC: Top Dead Center
TPMS – Tire Pressure Monitoring System
TPS – Throttle Position Sensor
TSB – Technical Service Bulletin – Updates to service manual to address issues discovered in the field.
U
UDP – Under Drive Pully
ULEV Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle
V
VDC – Vehicle Dynamic Control
VDC – Vehicle Dynamic Control
VE: Volumetric Efficiency-
VLSD – Viscous Limited Slip Differential
VSS – Vehicle Speed Sensor
VSSMTR – Vehicle Speed Sensor Meter
VTC: Valve Timing Control
VVL Variable Valve Lift
W
WOT – Wide Open Throttle (Pedal to the Metal)
X
Y
Z
ZEV Zero Emissions Vehicle

Contributed by: Wes