If you are truly a responsible car owner, there are certain tasks that you simply won’t fail to accomplish. For starters, you will make sure that your car always has enough fuel in the tank for all your trips. You will also give it a regular washing so that it always looks clean and pristine wherever it goes. More importantly, you will also take note of your car’s service schedule and make sure that you bring it into your chosen mechanic as scheduled.

Typically, when a car owner takes good care of his or her vehicle, problems are few and rare. However, keeping a car in good condition can become quite a challenge over time. This is especially true when you drive your car around town every single day.

Updated April 2023: On the average, there are about 30,000 parts that make up a complete car. Now, that's a lot of parts for anyone to memorize - not even a car mechanic. Therefore, you shouldn't get too hard on yourself for being unfamiliar with several weird car terms and lingos emanating from your car repair professional.

If that is the case, you might find your mechanic looking at your car and giving certain feedbacks that you don’t seem to understand. Don’t worry, you are not alone. In fact, common folks seem to have some difficulty in understanding mechanic lingo. After all, there are simply certain terms that are not easy to decipher, especially if you don’t spend hours around all sorts of cars and car issues all the time.

Fortunately for you, we have found a way to help you understand your favorite car mechanic just a little bit better. In fact, here is a list of secret phrases that every mechanic tends to use along with what they mean exactly. Check them out and learn something new.

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19 Let Me Get The Dipstick

Let me get a dipstick
My Summer Car

Especially if there are any suspicious regarding your car’s oil levels, there is a good chance that mechanic would check out your car using the dipstick. In the automotive world, this refers to a graduated rod that's used to indicate depth, as in the case of your car’s oil. Using a dipstick, the mechanic can check your car’s current oil levels along with the oil’s current condition. By checking the mark that the oil managed to reach on the dipstick, a mechanic can determine if the oil level in the car is too low or too high. On the other hand, he or she can also check if the oil is already showing signs of age or if there are signs of a coolant leak causing contamination.

18 Master/Slave Cylinder

Master Slave Cylinder
More350Power Channel via YouTube

According to a blog from the National Automotive Parts Association, the master cylinder refers to a hydraulic pump. Basically, it's designed to convert force into hydraulic pressure.

Moreover, the master cylinder controls the slave cylinder, which is on the other end of the car’s hydraulic system.

Meanwhile, according to the website Do It Yourself, a slave cylinder is a part that gets shortened or lengthened in response to a demand from another part. The shortening or lengthening action would then push another cylinder or balance the fluid pressure from one position to another. This is how the slave cylinder can affect moving parts in the vehicle, such as the brakes and clutch.

17 You Have Good Rubber

Car Tire
PumpTalk

When a mechanic complements you on your rubber, he or she simply means that you have tires in good shape. According to Goodyear, there are several ways that you can maintain good rubber in your car. First, you need to regularly check your tire pressure. Typically, tires will lose pressure at a rate of 1 pound per square inch per month. That means you will regularly need to properly inflate your tires again to the right pressure so that they will last longer. At the same time, rotating tires is also a good way to keep them in good condition. Ideally, you should get this done every six months or every 6,000 to 7,500 miles.

16 The Tracking Is Out

A car tire
SuperStreetOnline

When your mechanic tells you that the tracking is out on your car, he or she is referring to the tires and saying that they are currently out of alignment. According to Bridgestone, having proper tire alignment is essential as it can “help your tires perform properly and help them last longer.” A properly aligned tire can also improve the handling of your car and keep it from pulling in one direction while you are driving around.

At the same time, with proper alignment, you can keep your car from “vibrating strangely” while speeding. Typically, you would know that the tracking on your car is out if there is uneven tread wear or your steering wheel isn't aligned while you're driving straight.

15 The Wheels Need Balancing

Wheel
TyreLand

During your trip to the mechanic, you might hear that the wheels on your car need balancing. Typically, you should do this every time you get new tires, and then periodically. This is to avoid vibration in the car while driving. Moreover, having balanced wheels also helps your tires last longer.

Wheel balancing is not exactly as simple as it sounds. There are some essentials steps you need to take when balancing your wheels, but with a skill mechanic, the process is a breeze. The mechanic takes the wheel to the machine that does the balancing. This machine spins the wheel, sending the unbalanced weight to the outer edge. To even things out, the mechanic adds weight on the opposite side of the overweight edge. The process gets repeated on all wheels, and it's done.

Related: These Are The Best Off-Road Tires For Your Toyota 4Runner

14 We Need To Access The CAN Bus

MIATA-ND-MX5-LS-V8
Hotrod

When the mechanic is talking about the CAN bus on your vehicle, he or she is referring to a certain electronic system. Notably, this electronic system allows smooth operation of internal communications network that interconnects components inside your car without the need for a host computer. Hence, if your mechanic would need to access your car’s CAN bus, this could mean that he or she is looking to identify a specific problem in your car. To do this, a mechanic may opt to use a diagnostic software system to access the car’s CAN-bus.

13 You Can Get A Stroker Kit

stroker kit
Come Racing

According to Jalopnik, a stroker kit refers to an aftermarket kit that can increase the stroke on your vehicle. That means it's something you can modify your car with if you are looking to get more torque from the engine.

Typically, a stroker kit will increase the engine’s displacement by lengthening the stroke of its crankshaft while also enlarging the bore size of its pistons. Also, a stroker kit can readily boost the car’s power by around 30 to 40 percent. It’s no wonder that it’s quite a popular option if you are looking to race with your car.

12 Blowing A Seal

Head_gasket_on_block
Collard/Wikimedia Commons

Blowing a seal is literally blowing your engine's gasket. On cars, gaskets are seals used to line the surfaces of two parts of an engine block, both to keep them in place and to prevent oil leak. Mainly made of rubber, gaskets get manufactured in several shapes and sizes that fit their purpose. The properties of good gaskets include good flexibility, low density, and high tensile strength. Notably, there are easy and effective ways to check your vehicle for blown gasket, and when you discover one, it's best to just take the car to the mechanic.

11 The Brakes Are Soft Or Spongy

Feet on the break pedal
GrimmerMotors

When your mechanic tells you that your brakes have become soft or spongy, it means that your car brakes no longer feel firm when you press it down. Soft or spongy brakes can make your driving unsafe since you are no longer sure if your car can engage the brakes in time to avoid a possible collision on the road.

There are several reasons why your car may suffer from soft brakes. This can include a damaged brake line, air in the brake line, a worn out master cylinder, problems with the wheel cylinders, and problems with the disc brake calipers.

Related: Porsche Cayenne Project: How To Replace The Front Brake Pads

10 You’re Blowing A Tranny

Blown Tranny
Car From Japan

Blowing a tranny means that you are actively ruining your car’s transmission. According to Transmission Repair Guy, there are several ways that you can end up causing your transmission serious damage. First is if you allow your car to run low on its transmission fluid. This is a big problem, especially when it comes to automatic transmissions, since transmission fluid is used to lubricate several parts of the car. On the other hand, it is also possible that you used the wrong type of transmission fluid for your car. Another reason could be that you simply allowed your transmission to overheat.

9 You Will Need To Re-Gas

Gas refill
AdvanceAutoparts

Sure, every car owner knows that you need to constantly keep your car fueled up to keep it running. But when a mechanic tells you that you need to re-gas, he or she isn't referring to this at all.

Instead, the mechanic is referring to the pressurized refrigerant gas that cools air in the A/C system. This refrigerant gas eventually loses pressure over time. And when there is relatively low pressure, the air-conditioning system is not able to run efficiently. Over time, that could also mean a costlier repair. Fortunately for you, re-gassing is a "simple and low-cost procedure." So, if you think your car needs to re-gas, talk to your mechanic right away.

8 The Shaft Needs Lubing

Car Shaft
FixitSam Channel via YouTube

When your mechanic tells you that your car’s shaft requires lubing, he or she is referring to your driveshaft. According to the website Your Mechanic, driveshafts typically come in different designs, depending on the use of the vehicle that it's built for.

Moreover, these shafts have several lubrication points and there are the “articulating joint systems” that allow the drive shaft to make the necessary bend.

There are different instructions towards lubricating the driveshaft, depending on the type of joint that you're working on. Although it is possible to go online and check for DIY instructions to do this, it may be best to take your car to a mechanic and leave the work to the professionals.

7 You’ve Got A Drophead

Rolls Royce
Pursuitist

For a lot of people, the term drophead is quite unfamiliar. According to a report from Complex, drophead is a British term that refers to a convertible. Notably, the term is often used by Rolls-Royce, and that’s because the term ‘convertible’ seem too common for their fancy cars.

Today, there is still a sizable market for convertible cars. After all, who can resist driving down a highway with the wind blowing through their hair? Not to mention, today’s convertibles are typically sports cars. That means they are carrying pretty powerful engines with pretty incredible top speed. For these reasons, a drophead is still a good buy, indeed.

6 There’s A Detonation

There’s a detonation
CarFromJapan

In mechanic’s term, a detonation is not a cause for panic. However, it is absolutely a serious problem for your car. According to a report from Complex, a detonation or knock occurs when “leftover fuel/air mixture in an engine's combustion chamber randomly explodes some time after the spark plug has fired.”

While a detonation does not render your car immediately undrivable, it’s best to have the problem checked out right away.

This is because something like this can significantly increase the wear and tear on the car’s engine, thereby reducing its lifespan, and as usual, leaving a problem unchecked is usually a great way to worsen car damage.

5 That Will Buff Right Out

That Will Buff Right Out
Fields Autobody

Here is proof that mechanics and car enthusiasts alike are capable of showing some automotive sarcasm. Imagine this scenario where your car becomes involved in a collision and the damage is serious.

Your bumper has flown off and the entire front fascia of the car is barely recognizable. And then, your car finally makes its way to the mechanic who utters these words.

When mechanics are telling you that the damage would just buff right out, they're trying to make light of the effort and work that it would take to bring your car back to its original pristine condition. And when they tell you this, it’s also safe to say that the repair will end up costing a lot, unless your insurance is covering it, that is.

4 Your Little End Is Gone

Checking a car's engine
Business Insider

When your mechanic is talking about your car’s little end, he or she is referring to the “small bearing that fits in the connecting rod attached to the piston,” according to Halfords Autocentre. If this is “gone,” then it means that the bearing has become worn out and when this happens, you would hear a light knocking type of noise from your engine. However, this little end is rarely the cause of any car problems. Hence, when your mechanic brings this up with you, it is best to ask them to explain what they mean by this diagnosis. And if you find the explanation hard to understand, there’s no harm in taking your car to another mechanic for a second opinion.

Related: Manny Khoshbin Tells Us How Much It Costs To Service His McLaren Speedtail

3 Your Big End Is Gone

Checking a car's enngine
HoffmannWorkcomp

If your car has a little end, you can bet that it has a big end too, at least according to your mechanic. According to Halfords Autocentre, this refers to a “large bearing” or a “semi-circular sleeve of metal inside the engine.”

Once the big end is gone or worn out, you may end up hearing a “loud knocking noise” in the car, especially when you step on the gas.

Even worse, however, is the fact that a damage to the big end can result in further damage to other parts of your car’s engine. Fortunately, a car’s big end rarely gets worn out because they are quite tough. Hence, Halford Centre also explained, “any problem that has led to this diagnosis could actually be caused by a simpler problem.”

2 A, B, And C Pillars

Car pillars
CiteArmored

For a mechanic, he or she sees certain parts of the cars as pillars. As you can guess, it’s much easier to let everyone know which part to work on this way. The A pillar refer to the part of the car that holds either side of its windshield in place. Meanwhile, the B pillar starts from where the passenger-side and driver side windows end as you look back along the length of your car. Finally, the C pillar are the ones holding the sides of the car’s rear window in place. For longer body styles, there may also be a D pillar.

1 You Tried To Bondo Them, Didn’t You?

You tried to bondo them, didn’t you
Instructables

Technically, Bondo refers to a brand name of auto-repair products that are being sold by 3M. Over time, however, mechanics and car enthusiasts alike have come to treat bondo as a catch-all term.

In fact, a report from Business Insider describes bondo as a term that refers to just about any type of plastic body filler used in automotive body repair.

Typically, it's made with talc and mixed in with a cream hardener. What car owners like about this is that it tends to dry faster especially when the weather is hot and dry. The problem, however, is that your bondo work tends to show if it wasn't sanded or sculpted properly.