Random Car Part Generator

One press draws one car part with the system it belongs to and what it does.

Brake drumBrakes. A drum that turns with the wheel. Brake shoes press outward against the inside of it.

Next step Draw a whole car Give the car a name

How it works

Need random car parts for a quiz, a drawing or a shop class warm-up? Press the button for one real part, with the system it belongs to and a line on what it does.

Read the full guide

Pick a system

After your first press, a list under the button reads Any system. Choose Engine, Fuel and exhaust, Cooling and heating, Transmission and drivetrain, Brakes, Suspension and steering, Electrical, Body and interior, or Wheels and tires, and each press draws from that system only.

Combustion or electric

A card ends with Combustion cars only when the part exists because of an engine, such as a piston or a muffler, and with Electric and hybrid cars only for parts such as the traction motor. A hybrid has parts of both kinds.

Two names for one part

Where British and American English differ, the card gives both: hood and bonnet, muffler and silencer, fender and wing, tire and tyre.

Tips

Drawing practice? Body and interior holds the hood, the fender, the grille and the doors.

Questions and answers

What are the main parts of a car?

This list sorts them into nine systems: engine, fuel and exhaust, cooling and heating, transmission and drivetrain, brakes, suspension and steering, electrical, body and interior, and wheels and tires. Every card names its system first.

Does it include electric car parts?

Yes. The traction battery pack, traction motor, power electronics controller, onboard charger, charge port and DC/DC converter are on the list, each marked Electric and hybrid cars only.

Are car brands or prices on the list?

No. The list holds parts only, with no maker, model, trade name or price, and it gives no repair advice.

Where do the facts come from?

We wrote each line and checked it on October 1, 2026 against the part's Wikipedia article. Each part is also named in a US Army manual, Principles of Automotive Vehicles (TM 9-8000, 1985), or, for the electric parts, on a US Department of Energy page.

All 148 car parts

Engine 29

Air filter (air cleaner) Engine. Keeps dust and grit out of the air the engine breathes. Combustion cars only.
Camshaft Engine. A shaft with egg-shaped lobes that open the valves at the right moments. Combustion cars only.
Connecting rod Engine. Links a piston to the crankshaft. Combustion cars only.
Crankshaft Engine. Turns the up-and-down motion of the pistons into rotation. Combustion cars only.
Cylinder head Engine. Bolts onto the top of the block and closes the top of each cylinder. Combustion cars only.
Dipstick Engine. A marked rod pulled out of the engine to read the oil level. Combustion cars only.
Engine block (cylinder block) Engine. The main casting of the engine, which holds the cylinders. Combustion cars only.
Flywheel Engine. A heavy wheel on the crankshaft that smooths out the pushes of the pistons. Combustion cars only.
Glow plug Engine. A small heater that helps a cold diesel engine start. Combustion cars only.
Head gasket Engine. A seal squeezed between the engine block and the cylinder head. Combustion cars only.
Intake manifold (inlet manifold) Engine. Branching pipes that share out the incoming air among the cylinders. Combustion cars only.

Show all 148 car parts (137 more)

Engine, continued

Main bearings Engine. The bearings in the block that the crankshaft turns in. Combustion cars only.
Oil filter Engine. Takes dirt out of the engine oil as it goes around. Combustion cars only.
Oil pan (sump) Engine. The reservoir at the bottom of the engine where the oil collects. Combustion cars only.
Oil pump Engine. Sends oil under pressure to the bearings, pistons and camshaft. Combustion cars only.
Piston Engine. Moves up and down in its cylinder, pushed by the burning gas. Combustion cars only.
Piston rings Engine. Split metal rings around the piston that seal it against the cylinder wall. Combustion cars only.
Pushrod Engine. A thin rod that carries the camshaft's lift up to a rocker arm. Combustion cars only.
Rocker arm Engine. A small pivoting lever that passes the push of the camshaft on to a valve. Combustion cars only.
Spark plug (sparking plug) Engine. Makes the spark that lights the air and fuel in a gasoline engine. Combustion cars only.
Supercharger Engine. A compressor driven by the engine that packs more air into the cylinders. Combustion cars only.
Throttle Engine. A valve that sets how much air the engine gets. The accelerator moves it. Combustion cars only.
Timing belt (cambelt) Engine. A toothed belt that keeps the camshaft in step with the crankshaft. Combustion cars only.
Turbocharger Engine. Uses the exhaust to spin a compressor that packs more air into the engine. Combustion cars only.
Valve cover (rocker cover) Engine. The lid on the cylinder head that covers the rocker arms and keeps the oil in. Combustion cars only.
Valve lifter (tappet) Engine. Rides on a cam lobe and turns its spin into the push that opens a valve. Combustion cars only.
Valves Engine. Let the air and fuel into a cylinder and the burned gas out. Combustion cars only.
Vibration damper (harmonic balancer) Engine. A device on the crankshaft that soaks up its twisting vibration. Combustion cars only.
Wrist pin (gudgeon pin) Engine. The pin that joins a piston to its connecting rod. Combustion cars only.

Fuel and exhaust 14

Carburetor (carburettor) Fuel and exhaust. Mixes fuel into the air on its way to the cylinders. Combustion cars only.
Catalytic converter Fuel and exhaust. Changes poisonous gases in the exhaust into less harmful ones. Combustion cars only.
Choke Fuel and exhaust. A carburetor flap that cuts the air for a richer mix on a cold start. Combustion cars only.
Diesel injection pump Fuel and exhaust. Pumps fuel at high pressure to the injectors of a diesel engine. Combustion cars only.
EGR valve Fuel and exhaust. Sends some exhaust back into the cylinders to cut nitrogen oxides. Combustion cars only.
Exhaust manifold Fuel and exhaust. Gathers the exhaust gas from all the cylinders into one pipe. Combustion cars only.
Fuel filter Fuel and exhaust. Screens dirt and rust out of the fuel before it reaches the engine. Combustion cars only.
Fuel injector Fuel and exhaust. A valve with a fine nozzle that sprays fuel into the engine. Combustion cars only.
Fuel line Fuel and exhaust. A hose or pipe that carries fuel from one part of the car to another. Combustion cars only.
Fuel pump Fuel and exhaust. Moves fuel from the tank to the engine. Combustion cars only.
Fuel tank Fuel and exhaust. Holds the car's gasoline or diesel. Combustion cars only.
Muffler (silencer) Fuel and exhaust. Quiets the noise of the exhaust. Combustion cars only.
PCV valve Fuel and exhaust. Lets gases that leak past the pistons be drawn back in and burned. Combustion cars only.
Tailpipe Fuel and exhaust. The last length of exhaust pipe, where the gas leaves the car. Combustion cars only.

Cooling and heating 8

Coolant overflow tank (expansion tank) Cooling and heating. Takes in coolant that swells out of the radiator as it heats, then gives it back.
Cooling fan Cooling and heating. Pulls air through the radiator when the car is moving too slowly to do it.
Heater core Cooling and heating. A small radiator behind the dashboard that warms the cabin with coolant heat.
Oil cooler Cooling and heating. A small radiator that takes heat out of the engine oil. Combustion cars only.
Radiator Cooling and heating. Passes the heat of the engine coolant to the air flowing through its fins.
Radiator cap Cooling and heating. A sprung cap that holds the cooling system under pressure.
Thermostat Cooling and heating. A valve that opens to send coolant to the radiator once the engine warms up.
Water pump (coolant pump) Cooling and heating. Keeps the coolant moving around the engine and through the radiator.

Transmission and drivetrain 14

Axle Transmission and drivetrain. A shaft or beam that the wheels turn on. A live axle also drives them.
Axle shaft (half shaft) Transmission and drivetrain. Carries power from the differential out to one driven wheel.
Clutch Transmission and drivetrain. Joins the engine to the transmission and parts them for a gear shift.
CV joint (constant-velocity joint) Transmission and drivetrain. Passes power through a changing angle at a steady speed.
Differential Transmission and drivetrain. Gears that let the two driven wheels turn at different speeds in a corner.
Driveshaft (propeller shaft) Transmission and drivetrain. A turning shaft that carries power from the transmission toward the wheels.
Gearshift (gear lever) Transmission and drivetrain. The lever the driver moves to choose a gear.
Planetary gear set Transmission and drivetrain. Gears that circle a central sun gear inside a ring gear.
Release bearing (throwout bearing) Transmission and drivetrain. Pushes on the clutch springs to free the clutch when the pedal goes down.
Synchronizer (synchromesh) Transmission and drivetrain. Brings two gears to the same speed before they lock together.
Torque converter Transmission and drivetrain. A fluid coupling between the engine and an automatic transmission.
Transfer case Transmission and drivetrain. Splits the power between the front and rear axles of a four-wheel-drive car.
Transmission (gearbox) Transmission and drivetrain. Gears that let the engine spin fast while the wheels turn slowly.
Universal joint Transmission and drivetrain. A joint that lets two shafts meeting at an angle turn together.

Brakes 12

Brake booster (brake servo) Brakes. Uses vacuum to add to the force of the driver's foot on the brake pedal.
Brake caliper Brakes. Clamps the brake pads onto the rotor of a disc brake.
Brake drum Brakes. A drum that turns with the wheel. Brake shoes press outward against the inside of it.
Brake line Brakes. A pipe or hose that carries brake fluid under pressure out to a wheel.
Brake pads Brakes. Blocks of friction material that a caliper presses against the rotor to slow the wheel.
Brake pedal Brakes. The foot pedal that works the brakes.
Brake rotor (brake disc) Brakes. A disc that turns with the wheel and is gripped by the brake pads.
Brake shoes Brakes. Carry the friction lining that presses against the inside of a brake drum.
Master cylinder Brakes. Turns the force of the driver's foot into pressure in the brake fluid.
Parking brake (handbrake) Brakes. Holds the car still while it is parked, usually by a cable to the rear brakes.
Proportioning valve Brakes. Trims the pressure sent to the rear brakes so the rear wheels do not lock before the front ones.
Wheel cylinder Brakes. A small hydraulic cylinder inside a drum brake that pushes the brake shoes apart.

Suspension and steering 19

Ball joint Suspension and steering. A ball in a socket that joins a control arm to the steering knuckle.
Bushing Suspension and steering. A sleeve of rubber between two suspension parts that soaks up vibration.
Coil spring Suspension and steering. A spring wound from steel rod that takes up bumps between wheel and body.
Control arm (wishbone) Suspension and steering. A hinged link between the car's frame and the part that carries the wheel.
Drag link Suspension and steering. A rod that carries the swing of the Pitman arm to the steering arm at a wheel.
Kingpin Suspension and steering. The pivot pin on which a steered wheel turns in older cars and in trucks.
Leaf spring Suspension and steering. A spring made of long, thin strips of steel stacked on top of one another.
Pitman arm Suspension and steering. Swings from the steering box, turning its rotation into a push and pull.
Power steering pump Suspension and steering. Supplies oil under pressure that helps the driver turn the wheels.
Rack and pinion Suspension and steering. A small gear on the steering shaft slides a toothed bar that turns the wheels.
Recirculating-ball steering box Suspension and steering. A steering gear in which a worm gear moves a nut on a stream of ball bearings.
Shock absorber (damper) Suspension and steering. Calms the bouncing of a spring by forcing oil through small holes.
Steering column Suspension and steering. The shaft that joins the steering wheel to the steering gear.
Steering knuckle Suspension and steering. Carries the wheel hub and joins it to the suspension and the steering.
Steering wheel Suspension and steering. The wheel the driver turns to point the front wheels.
Strut Suspension and steering. A shock absorber and a coil spring in one unit that also holds the wheel in line.
Sway bar (anti-roll bar) Suspension and steering. A bar joining the left and right wheels that resists body lean in a corner.
Tie rod (track rod) Suspension and steering. A rod that passes the steering movement on to the steering knuckle at a front wheel.
Torsion bar Suspension and steering. A steel bar that works as a spring by twisting along its length.

Electrical 29

Alternator Electrical. Engine-driven, it charges the battery and runs the electrical system. Combustion cars only.
Backup light (reversing light) Electrical. A white lamp on the back that lights when the car is in reverse.
Battery Electrical. A 12-volt battery that starts a combustion engine and runs the lights and electronics.
Brake light (stop lamp) Electrical. A red lamp on the back that lights when the driver presses the brake pedal.
Charge port Electrical. The socket where outside power plugs in to charge the car. Electric and hybrid cars only.
DC/DC converter Electrical. Steps the traction battery's high voltage down for accessories. Electric and hybrid cars only.
Distributor Electrical. In older engines, passes the coil's current to each spark plug in turn. Combustion cars only.
Engine control unit (ECU) Electrical. A computer that reads the engine's sensors and sets fuel and spark timing. Combustion cars only.
Fuel gauge Electrical. Shows how much fuel is left in the tank. Combustion cars only.
Fuse Electrical. A weak link that burns out to protect a circuit from too much current.
Headlight (headlamp) Electrical. A front lamp that shows the driver the way ahead.
Horn Electrical. Makes a loud sound to warn others that the car is there.
Ignition coil Electrical. Steps battery voltage up to the thousands of volts a spark plug needs. Combustion cars only.
Ignition switch Electrical. The switch, worked by a key or a button, that turns on the car's main electrical systems.
Odometer (mileometer) Electrical. Counts the distance the car has traveled.
Onboard charger Electrical. Turns AC from the charge port into DC for the traction battery. Electric and hybrid cars only.
Power electronics controller Electrical. Manages traction battery power and sets motor speed and torque. Electric and hybrid cars only.
Relay Electrical. A switch worked by a small current that turns a larger current on and off.
Spark plug wires (HT leads) Electrical. Cables that carry high voltage from the distributor to the spark plugs. Combustion cars only.
Speedometer Electrical. A gauge that shows the car's speed.
Starter motor Electrical. An electric motor that turns the engine over to start it. Combustion cars only.
Starter solenoid Electrical. A heavy switch that sends battery current to the starter motor. Combustion cars only.
Tachometer (rev counter) Electrical. A gauge that reads the engine's speed in revolutions per minute.
Taillight Electrical. A red lamp that marks the back of the car.
Traction battery pack Electrical. The large battery that stores the electricity the car drives on. Electric and hybrid cars only.
Traction motor Electrical. The motor that turns the wheels on traction battery power. Electric and hybrid cars only.
Turn signal (indicator) Electrical. A flashing lamp that shows which way the driver means to turn.
Voltage regulator Electrical. Keeps the charging voltage steady so the battery is not overcharged.
Wiring harness Electrical. The bundled wires that carry power and signals around the car.

Body and interior 12

Accelerator pedal (gas pedal) Body and interior. The pedal that tells the engine or the motor how much power the driver wants.
Bumper Body and interior. A bar across the front or back of the car that takes the knock in a minor collision.
Dashboard (instrument panel) Body and interior. The panel in front of the driver that holds the gauges and controls.
Defroster (demister) Body and interior. Clears mist and frost from the windshield and the back window.
Door Body and interior. A hinged panel that opens to let people in and out of the car.
Fender (wing) Body and interior. The body panel that arches over a wheel and stops it flinging up mud and stones.
Firewall (bulkhead) Body and interior. The wall of the body that separates the engine from the people in the cabin.
Frame (chassis) Body and interior. The main supporting structure of the car, to which the other parts are fastened.
Grille Body and interior. Covers an opening in the front of the car and lets cooling air in.
Hood (bonnet) Body and interior. The hinged cover at the front, which opens to reach the engine of a front-engined car.
Windshield (windscreen) Body and interior. The front window, made of two layers of glass with a sheet of plastic between them.
Windshield wipers (windscreen wipers) Body and interior. Rubber blades on swinging arms that sweep rain off the windshield.

Wheels and tires 11

Hubcap Wheels and tires. A decorative disc that covers the center of a wheel.
Inner tube Wheels and tires. A ring-shaped rubber tube inside some tires that holds the air.
Rim Wheels and tires. The outer edge of the wheel, which holds the tire.
Spare tire Wheels and tires. An extra wheel and tire carried to replace one that goes flat.
Tire (tyre) Wheels and tires. A ring of rubber filled with air that grips the road and cushions the ride.
Tire bead Wheels and tires. The stiff edge of a tire that sits on the wheel rim.
Tread Wheels and tires. The grooved part of the tire that touches the road. The grooves let water escape.
Valve stem Wheels and tires. The valve through which a tire is filled. It shuts by itself to keep the air in.
Wheel bearing Wheels and tires. Steel balls or rollers in a ring, so the wheel spins freely on its axle.
Wheel hub Wheels and tires. The center of the wheel, where it is bolted to the car and turns on its bearings.
Wheel studs Wheels and tires. Threaded bolts fixed in the hub that the wheel slips over.

How this list was compiled: We chose these parts and wrote every line ourselves; nothing is copied. Rule for the list: a part goes on only if its name and the words its line rests on stand in the part's English Wikipedia article, read 2026-10-01 starting from Wikipedia's List of auto parts, and the part is also named in a second source read the same day. For every part but the six electric ones the second source is the US Army technical manual TM 9-8000, Principles of Automotive Vehicles, 25 October 1985 with Change 1 of 14 November 1988, a public domain work read in full text at https://archive.org/details/tm-9-8000-principles-of-automotive-vehicles-1985 (the engine control unit also rests on the Energy Department page for gasoline cars). The six electric parts were checked against the US Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center page https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/how-do-all-electric-cars-work. The check against the manual is a search for the part's name; each line on what a part does was read against its Wikipedia article. Left out because the manual does not name them: intercooler, lug nuts (wheel nuts), rear-view mirror, seat belt, side mirror (wing mirror), sun visor, tailgate, transaxle, trunk (boot), windshield washer. The pressure plate, which the manual does name, has no card of its own. Names in brackets are British or second names that the part's article gives. A card ends with Combustion cars only where the part exists only because of an engine, its fuel or its exhaust, and with Electric and hybrid cars only for the six parts the Energy Department page lists for electric cars; a card with neither makes no claim. A hybrid car has parts of both kinds: the same department's pages on hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars, read the same day, list four of the six and all six beside a gasoline engine. The sorting into nine systems is ours. No maker, model or trade name, no price, no fault finding and no repair advice. Licence: own work