Cars

Today's vocabulary list is about cars. I'm sure most of use use vehicles in our everyday life - even if we're not the ones who drive! The term for car varies from country to country, but we can say in broad strokes that car (or automobile) is calles coche in Spain, carro in Central America, and auto (apocope for automóvil) in South America.

Dashboard (US), Facia (UK) = Tablero
Items located on the dashboard include:

• steering wheel = volante (España, Argentina), timón (Centro y Suramérica)
  
• heating controls = mandos (España) o controles de temperatura
  
• lighting controls = mandos (España) o controles de las luces (o de iluminación)
  
• audio controls = mandos (España) o controles de audio
  
• air conditioner controls = mandos (España) o controles del aire acondicionado
  
• speedometer = velocímetro
  
• fuel gauge = indicador de combustible
• oil gauge = indicador de aceite
• temperature gauge = indicador de temperatura
  
• odometer = cuentakilometros, contador de kilómetros, odómetro
  
• glove box = guantera o guantero
  
• horn= claxon (España), pito (España/informal), bocina (Latinoamérica)
  

Inside Controls

• starter, ignition = arranque
  
• gear shift, gear lever = palanca de cambios, palanca de velocidades
  
• emergency brake, handbrake = freno de emergencia, freno de mano
  
• pedals = pedales
  
  • clutch = (pedal del) embrague
    
  • gas pedal (accelerator) = acelerador
    
  • brake = freno

Lamps / Lights = Luces

• headlamps or headlights = faros (España, Argentina, Ecuador), faroles (Panamá, Costa Rica, México, Puerto Rico), luces (Guatemala) y lámparas delanteras
  
• tail lamps, tail lights (US), rear lights (UK) = ffaros (España, Argentina, Ecuador), faroles (Panamá, Costa Rica, México, Puerto Rico), luces (Guatemala) y lámparas traseras
  
• turn signals (US), indicators (UK) (properly "directional indicators" or "directional signals", also "directionals," "blinkers," or "flashers") = luces direccionales, indicadores, pidevías (aunque esta palabra no aparece registrada en la RAE, es un término utilizado para referirse a este dispositivo)
  
• brake lamps (US), brake lights (UK), stop lamps = luces de freno(s)
  
• hazard flashers or hazard lights = luces de emergencia, intermitentes.

Mirrors = Espejos

• rear-view mirror = (espejo) retrovisor interior
  
• wing mirrors, side-view mirrors = (espejos) retrovisores exteriores/laterales

Windows = Ventanas

• windshield (US), windscreen (UK) = parabrisas
  
• windshield wiper (US), windscreen wiper (UK) = limpiaparabrisas
  
• side windows = ventanas o ventanillas laterales
  
• back window = ventanas o ventanillas traseras

Tires / Tyres = llantas

• hubcap = tapa (de la llanta), tapacubos, plato
  
• run flat tire/tyre, spare tire/tyre, spare wheel, or simply 'the spare' = llanta de repuesto
  
• front-wheel drive = tracción delantera
  
• four-wheel drive = tracción a las cuatro ruedas (España), doble tracción (Latinoamérica)

Other car parts

• number or license plate = placa, matrícula
  
• grill = parrilla
  
• bumper = defensa (Cuba, México, Uruguay), paragolpes (Argentina, Paraguay), parachoques (España), guardachoques (Ecuador)
  
• hood (US), bonnet (UK) = capó
  
• trunk (US), boot (UK) = maletero (España), cajuela (México), baúl (Guatemala, Honduras, Argentina, Colombia y Cuba)
  
• fender (US), wing (UK), mudguard = guardabarros y salvabarros (España), guardafango (Guatemala, Cuba, Honduras), guardalodos (México, Puerto Rico, Ecuador)
  
• mudflap = lodera (Centroamérica)
  
• exhaust, tail pipe = (tubo o caño de) escape
• muffler = silenciador
  
• door = puerta
  
• lock = seguro
  
• airbag = bolsa de aire
  
• seat = asiento
• back seat = asiento trasero
• front seat = asiento delantero
  
• seatbelt = cinturón de seguridad
  
• fuel tank = depósito (España) o tanque (Latinoamérica) de combustible
  
• battery = batería
  
• engine = motor
  
• radiator = radiador
  
• carburetor = carburador
  
• fan = ventilador
• oil pump = bomba de aceite
• shock absorber = amortiguador
  
• jumper cables = cables (de corriente); pinzas para batería
  
• jack = gato

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For more car-related vocabulary, check these other posts:
At the garage/gas station | Driving | Traffic signs | Traffic Laws

Updated article. February 5th, 2007.
If there's another term for a word above - or there's a word that should apply only to certain regions/countries, please let my know in order to improve this list.