ABS: Anti lock Braking System is fitted to most modern vehicles and is fitted to stop the wheels from locking, therefore preventing the vehicle from skidding. Whenever a fault develops with the system it will put a light on the dash which will remain on while driving. When the light is on the ABS is turned off and reverts to conventional braking. An ABS light remaining on WILL fail the MOT.

AC: Alternating Current is when electricity starts travelling in one direction then it changes and goes the other way.

Alarm: Not to be confused with an immobiliser. An alarm protects the car from intruders by sounding when somebody attempts to enter the vehicle. An alarm will not prevent a vehicle from starting.

ALB: Anti Lock Brakes is the name that some manufacturers call ABS

Alternator: generates electricity to charge the cars battery. Generators create an AC voltage which is not suitable for storing in a battery. An alternator not only produces the electricity cut it rectifies it from AC to DC.

ASC: Anti Slip Control is a combination of traction control and ABS.

ASR: Acceleration Slip Regulation fitted to Mercedes – see traction control

BHP: Break Horse Power is a measurement of power output. It is intrinsically linked to the vehicles Torque and RPM. A vehicle with a high BHP will have a high torque at a high RPM. A vehicle can have a high torque but if it cannot sustain it to a high RPM then the BHP will be lower.

Binnacle: The part of the dash which houses the speedometer, odometer, warning lights and rev counter.

BSI: Body systems integration (or interface) or Built-in systems interface – the CAN gateway. Fitted to Citroen and Peugeot this forms part of the fuse box and is the centre for all communications throughout the vehicle. They have many common faults often when a fault occurs the system will go into economy mode and the car will not start.

BCM: Body control module – the CAN gateway. Fitted to Land Rovers and Range Rovers, it is the centre for many of the cars communication and controls the central locking.

BCU: Body Control Unit - the CAN gateway. Fitted to Fiat and Alfa Romeo’s and is the centre for all communications between modules on the car.

CAN: Controller area network. This is a system fitted to most modern cars and is a way to minimise the wiring on the car. Digital signals are sent around the car through a network of twisted pairs of wires via a CAN gateway. This is a complex system to explain but in simple terms if you switch on a light switch it will send a digital signal all around the car, but ultimately to the CAN gateway. The CAN gateway will then interpret this signal and convert it to a signal that the lights will understand. It will then send the new signal all around the car until it reaches the lights which know to switch on. Removing ANY module from the CAN system can upset the entire network and cause un-related faults. Can wires must NEVER be cut and joined, and when diagnosing faults the entire network must be treated as a whole.

CCM: Convenience Control Module. Fitted to VAG vehicles this is the CAN gateway and controls all the convenience features including central locking. It is found in the passenger footwell and suffers with water damage when the passenger door leeks. Southern Auto Problem Solutions are able to repair your damaged unit or code a new or used unit.

CIM: CAN Interface Module or Column Interface Module. Fitted to Vauxhall and Opel cars this is the CAN gateway. It forms part of the steering column switches including the indicator and light switches.

CDI: Has two meanings depending if we are talking about cars or motorcycles. On cars it stands for Common rail Direct Injection (see TDI). On motorcycles it stands for Capacitive Discharge Ignition. It is simply another name for electronic ignition.

Chiptuning: is altering the software in a chip or EEPROM to maximise the performance and / or fuel economy of an engine.

CPH: Made by Texton this unit is fitted to PSA group vehicles along with Fiat and Lancia. It is a control module which controls the Immobiliser, alarm and central locking system.

Dash: When we refer to the word dash, we are referring to the Speedo, or clocks – not the entire dash.

Dashboard: See dash

DC: Direct Current is electricity that is provided from a battery. It flows in one direction only from positive to negative according to the textbooks. However electricity is the flow of electrons from one atom to another. Electrons are negatively charged and protons are positively charged. Protons do not move so therefore electricity in fact flows from negative to positive.

DDE: Digital Diesel Electronics, the name given to a diesel engine ECU by BMW.

Decode: To decode has different meanings depending on what module is in question. In the case of ICE we are talking about a PIN code which must be entered if the battery goes flat or is disconnected - in this instance Southern Auto Problem Solutions are able to calculate your PIN code and supply instructions on how to enter the code. In the case of an ECU, decoding is considered to be modifying the software so the car will run completely free of an immobiliser. Southern Auto Problem Solutions will only unlock ECU's after proof of ownership has been given.

DME: Digital Motor Electronics, the name given to a petrol engine ECU by BMW.

DTC: Diagnostic Trouble Code. A code which is stored by a control module which can be read out by a code reader to aid with the diagnosis of the system.

Dyno: See dynamometer

Dynamometer: A tool to measure the BHP and torque output of a cars engine.

ECM: Engine control module – see ECU.

ECU: Engine Control Unit or Electronic Control Unit. Often known as a black box or computer it is fitted to all cars with electronic fuel injection, and all petrol cars built after 1992. There are many common faults with various ECU’s from various cars, however they are not as problematic as people think and often garages and individuals misdiagnose a MIL light on as a faulty ECU.

EDC: Electronic diesel control.

EPROM: Erasable programmable read only memory - . This is commonly known as a “chip” or “micro chip” and is programmed with software which will control anything electronic on the vehicle. EPROM’s are erased using ultra violet light.

EEPROM: Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory. This is commonly known as a “chip” or “micro chip” and is programmed with software which will control anything electronic on the vehicle. Much the same as an EPROM only it can be erased electronically.

EFI: Electronic Fuel Injection. When the fuel is injected into an engine and is controlled electronically by an ECU.

EGR: Exhaust Gas Recurculation valve. This an emmission control device which primeraly is used to reduce NOX emmissions which cause acid rain. It works by putting a small ammount of exhaust gas back into the intake side of the engine.

EKA: Emergency Key Access code. This is a code which can be entered via a series of key turns in the driver’s door to unlock the alarm and immobiliser on Rover group vehicles.

Emissions: is the gasses emitted from the exhaust. On pre 1992 petrol vehicles, all that is important for an MOT was the CO (carbon monoxide) and HC – unburned fuel. If either was too high then the car would fail the MOT. Now however all petrol vehicles must pass tests for CO (carbon monoxide), HC (unburned fuel), O2 (oxygen) – or lambda and CO2 (carbon dioxide). These readings however are not only important for MOT purposes, Southern Auto Problem Solutions are able to interpret the emissions results for diagnostic purposes and start to get an idea of what might be wrong with the car. On a diesel vehicle only the particulates are important for the MOT. This is what you often see as black smoke coming from “smelly old diesels”.

EMS: Engine Management System

EOBD: European On Board Diagnostics. This is a system introduced to all petrol vehicles in 2000 and diesel vehicles in 2004. This is a European standard system for allowing a computer to talk to a car and diagnose emissions related faults so that garages only need 1 tool to diagnose all vehicles emissions faults.

ESP: Electronic Stability Program. This takes ABS and traction control to the next level. By accurately applying and releasing the brakes ESP helps to prevent oversteer and understeer when cornering.

EWS: the name given to immobiliser by BMW

EZS: the name given to immobiliser by Mercedes Benz

HFM: Hot Film (air mass) Meter. See MAF

HISS: Honda Ignition Security System – immobiliser fitted to Honda motorcycles.

ICE: In Car Entertainment. Radio's, Cd players, MP3 players, DVD players, TV screens etc.

IKE: instrument cluster electronics. The name given to the binnacle by BMW

Immo: abbreviation of immobiliser

Immobiliser: A system which prevents a vehicle from starting. This may be in the form of an after market immobiliser installed by an auto electrician after the vehicle was built, or a factory immobiliser which is an integral part of the vehicle. Naturally an aftermarket immobiliser can easily be removed by reversing the installation procedure whereas a factory immobiliser is far more secure. Unlike an alarm, an immobiliser does not make a sound to deter intruders or notify surrounding people that an unauthorised entry has been made.

Immobizer: American spelling of immobiliser

MAF: Mass Air Flow sensor meters the quantity of air entering the engine so the ECU can calculate how much fuel to inject – more air needs more fuel. This is a very common fault on many cars.

MAP: Manifold absolute pressure sensor. A sensor which measures the pressure/vacuum in the intake manifold. Feeds the ECU with information as to how the car is being driven.

MEMS: Modular Engine Management System - fitted to Rover group vehicles.

MIL: Malfunction indicator lamp. This is the light on the dash which warns when there is a fault with the engine management system. Often it is a picture of an engine with or without a bolt of lightning (similar to Southern Auto Problem Solutions emblem) or a picture of an engine with a K symbol inside. Other vehicles might have a picture of a spanner. Some Renaults say SERV when there is a fault when there is a fault – which should not be confused with some cars which have a display to tell you when a service is due.

Misfire: A misfire is when the engine runs but not on all of the cylinders. Fords and Fiats in particular suffer with a misfire on two cylinders meaning the engine is only running on 2 cylinders. This fault is often caused by the coils but tends to spike the ECU requiring the ECU to be repaired. You will noice the engine shaking as it runs and will have lost power when you have a misfire.

NATS: Nissan Anti Theft System – the name given to the immobiliser system fitted to Nissan vehicles.

OBDII: On Board Diagnostics system 2. This is similar to EOBD only is used outside of Europe.

Odometer: The display that shows how many miles (or kilometres) a vehicle has done this can be in the form of either a digital LCD display or analogue numbered discs which turn to display the correct distance travelled.

Oversteer: Usually inherent in rear wheel drive cars. This is where when cornering the rear of the car is attempting to travel faster than the front causing the back end to slide out which would eventually end in the car facing the opposite direction top the way it was going.

PDC: Park Distance Control – a BMW acronym for parking distance sensors.

PATS: Passive Anti Theft System – immobiliser system fitted to Fords.

PSA: Peugeot Société Anonyme. Comprising of Citroen, Peugeot and Talbot.

RPM: Revolutions per minute. This is the amount of times that the engine turns in one minute.

SAM: Signal Acquisition Module – the CAN gateway. Fitted to Mercedes motor cars it is the centre for all communications in the car.

SCK: Secret Key Code. The code needed to program new keys, dashes, immobiliser boxes, kessy modules, ECU’s to VAG cars. Southern Auto Problem Solutions are able to calculate these codes so you can do your own programming, or so we can program parts to your car.

SKC: See SCK

Speedo: see speedometer

Speedometer: tells the driver how fast the vehicle is travelling. There are several common faults with speedometers from various makes and models of vehicle. Southern Auto Problem Solutions are able to repair many faults and are able to offer a legitimate digital mileage correction service (please note Southern Auto Problem Solutions do not “clock motors”).

SRS: Supplementary Restraint System. Comprising of airbags and seatbelt pretensioners. When there is a fault with this system a light will come on the dash and will not go out. When the light is on the SRS system is completely inactive and will not go off under any circumstances – even during an accident. An SRS light remaining on IS NOT an MOT failure; however airbags save lives and Southern Auto Problem Solutions DOES NOT recommend under any circumstances that you ignore an SRS light.

TDI: Turbo Direct Injection. This is a diesel engine which is turbo charged and the fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber. TDI engines tend to have a good all round power with good torque low down the RPM range and a high BHP.

Torque: is a direct measure of an engines power. It is generally measured in lf/ft (pound feet) which expresses in simple terms the amount of force in pounds to stop the engine from rotating from a 1 foot radius. Imagine having a bicycle with a wheel that is 1 foot from the centre to the rim. If you lift the wheel off the ground and turn the pedals you can spin the wheel really fast. Now if you pin a 1 pound weight to the rim of the wheel it will become harder to make the wheel go round so fast. If you keep pinning weights to the rim of the wheel there will come a point when you can no longer turn the pedals, so in turn the wheel does not turn. The amount of weight you have around the outside of that wheel is the maximum torque (in lb/ft) that you can exert on the pedals.

Traction control: is fitted to lots of vehicles new and old, it helps to stop the vehicles wheels from spinning during acceleration.

Transponder: An abbreviation of “transmitter and responder” it is a little chip inside a key from a car with an immobiliser. This stores the immobiliser information which it transmits to the car via an antenna around the ignition barrel.

UCH: Renaults CAN gateway – the centre for all communications in the car.

Understeer: is most likely to occur in front wheel drive cars. This is where the car does not want to steer around the corner and tries to continue straight on causing a wider corner to be taken than the driver would have intended

VAG: Volkswagen Audi Group (Volkswagen Audi Geselschaft) comprising of Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Skoda, Lamborghini, Bugatti and a percentage of Porsche.

Virginise: When new modules are bought they are in a virgin state meaning they have not been coded or programmed to the vehicle. With many modules they are a 1 code only. Once they have been coded to a vehicle they cannot be programmed to another. When Southern Auto Problem Solutions virginise a module it will be put in to a like new state ready to be programmed.

ZKE: Body control module – the CAN gateway. Fitted to BMW’s, it is the centre for many of the vehicles communication and controls the central locking.