Vehicle CodeInstallment 2

The Car

Understanding the way a car works allows us to drive more easily. A well-maintained car is safer, pollutes less, and is less likely to break down. It is useful, therefore, to understand a bit about the car.

Description and Functioning

A car is made of:

1. A chassis on which are fixed parts/components of the bodywork/coachwork (doors, fenders, bumpers).
2. An engine.
3. A transmission system (clutch, gearbox, etc.)
4. Wheels.
5. Other equipment.

The Chassis

The chassis is the skeleton of the car. It carries all the instruments of the car. It is planned to be bent at certain places and to resist at certain other points, in order to protect the occupants of the car in case of impact/crash.

The Engine

It sets the car in motion. It uses fuel - gasoline, diesel, LPG, or electricity. The engine is usually in front of the car, but it can also be in the middle or at the back of the car. When one accelerates, the engine goes faster. To be more specific, you have induction, compression, internal combustion, and exhaust.

The Transmission System

The transmission links the engine to the wheels. The clutch is used to stop the link between the engine and the gearbox, and to link them again progressively. Briefly, the clutch is made of two plates: one is immovably attached to the engine, the other is immovably attached to the wheels through the gearbox. When one presses down the clutch pedal/disengages the clutch, the plates move away, the engine runs in neutral, and it doesn't pull the wheels. One presses down the clutch pedal to change gears, and to avoid stalling at a stop.
When one starts to engage the clutch, the two plates move closer. As soon as they touch, the rotating movement of the engine plate transmits progressively to the other plate. It is the slipping position. When one totally engages the clutch, the two plates are stuck together by a strong spring. They turn at the same speed and pull the driving wheels. This is the engaging-the-clutch position.

The Gearbox

The gearbox is made of gearwheels of different sizes. The gearbox allows, according to the selected gear, to increase the speed more or less , or to reverse the movement with the reverse gear.
For the same speed of rotating movement of the engine, the wheels turn slowly in first gear, a little bit faster in second gear, and even faster in third gear, and so on.
When changing the gear, one de-clutches so that the gearwheels are not pulled by the engine. Gearwheels can be changed without being damaged. In neutral, no gear is selected. The engine runs in neutral whatever the position of the clutch pedal. Some gearboxes are automatic. (Automatics are not very common in France. Peugeot doesn't even make automatics. You must take your driving exam in a car that is not automatic, unless you can make a case for some disability that causes you to require an automatic.)

The Wheels

The ones which receive the movement from the transmission are the driving wheels.

The driving wheels are in front for the front-wheel drive vehicles, at the back for rear-wheel drive vehicles, and in front and back for the four-wheel drive vehicles.

The tires are the link between the car and the road. They transmit the accelerations, the braking, and the changing of trajectory. The quality and condition of your tires are important for determining your safety.

The structure of the tire:

The radial-ply tire is the highest performing and most commonly used. These tires have "radial" written on them.

The structure of the tires of a vehicle must be the same for all four wheels.

The tread patterns are different according to the brands. They are used to drain off the water when one drives on wet roads. At great speeds and with worn out tread patterns, a thin layer of water slips between the road and the tire, which loses its grip. This is called aquaplaning. The driver has no control of his vehicle when it aquaplanes.

At 90 km/h, the tire must drain off five liters of water per second.

Warning devices are used to control/check the wearing-away of the tires. They are thick layers of gum 1.6 mm high, placed at the bottom of the grooves. These devices are usually mentioned on the side of the tire with the letters "TWI". It is forbidden to drive with tires whose surface is at the same level as the warning devices. It is better to put new tires at the back of the car.

A tire which is torn/cut/gashed on the side, must be changed immediately to avoid bursting.

On the same axle, the tires must be the same brand and the same tire.

In the case of a puncture, it is allowable to drive temporarily on a tire of a different structure or type.

Driving with under-inflated tires is very dangerous. It worsens the road-holding, causes the sides of the tires and the edges of the tread to wear away quickly. It can also cause the tires to overheat, which can lead to bursting.

That is why the pressure of the tires must be checked regularly (at least once a month, even if the car doesn't run often).

Other equipment.

Suspension - The suspension is used to maintain/keep the tires in contact with the ground and to provide stability particularly in turns and with braking. The suspension links the springs and the shock absorbers. The springs press/compress and lose their tension to "absorb" the unevenness of the ground.

Shock absorbers, while absorbing, prevent bounces/rebounds which would result from the action of the springs.

Every single car has:

A footbrake - the main brake, which is a pedal and which brakes the four wheels.

A handbrake - emergency and parking brake. When one brakes, a mechanism pushes the brake fluid, which transmits the pressure to a device/mechanism located by the wheels.

Drum brakes - the fluid presses on the pistons, which push the brake and shoes. The brake bi rings rub inside the drum.

Disk brakes - the fluid presses on the pistons, which push the brake pads. The pads grip the disk. Caution - if one brakes too hard and jams on the brakes, the braking distance increases and the driver can't control his/her car anymore.

You should check the level of the brake fluid regularly.

Reminder:

Suspension = spring + shock absorbers

Jammed wheels = bad braking

Brake fluid needs to be checked regularly.

Lights

The car has a light device and a signposting device to see and to be seen.

In front, compulsory:

Two Headlamps/headlights - white light up to at least 100 m. Uses: to light dark roads at night.

Two dipped headlights/lowbeams - white light for at least 30 m without dazzling the eyes of oncoming drivers. Uses: to replace the headlights at night when passing or following someone, or when encountering a car coming from the opposite direction, or to use inside city limits or when the road is lit with street lights. You can also use these lights to make yourself visible in bad weather (rain, fog, or snow).

Two sidelights - white light visible at 150 m. Uses: to park on a dark road, or to drive inside city limits with street lights at night.

Two flashing lights/turn lights - orange color. Uses: to inform others of any intended lane change or direction change.

Two front fog lights - white or yellow lights that spread and are turned down to the ground. Uses: to add to the low-beam lights during hard rain, fog, or snow (in these cases, they can be left on when passing another car.) to add to the headlights, particularly on narrow or winding roads out of town (in that case, they must be turned off when passing someone)

Supplementary Headlights - long-range white or yellow. Uses: the same as the headlights.

Lights at the Rear of the Car, Compulsory

Two red lights - visible at 150 m. Uses: to drive on the roadway at night, or if there is bad visibility (such as with bad weather). They turn on at the same time as the sidelights, the headlights, the low-lights or the fog lights.

Two reflectors - red lights visible 100 m away when lit by the headlights of another car.

Two flashing lights - orange color. Uses: to inform others of any intended lane change or direction change. They work with the front flashing lights.

Three stop/brake lights - (only two before 1996) red and more powerful than the other red lights, but without being blinding to others. Uses: to inform the cars behind of any slowing down, tailback, or hold-up. The stop lights turn on as soon as one touches the brake pedal.

One or two back fog lights - red, but more powerful than the red lights (optional for cars put on the market before October 1, 1990). If the car has only one fog light, it must be on the left side. Uses: to be visible in fog or heavy snow.

One or two reversing lights - white lights turned down to the ground. In general, these lights turn on automatically when someone reverses or puts the car in reverse.

Emergency brakes/Distress Signals - both flashing lights turn on and flash together. Uses: to inform/signal breakdown on the roadway (when the car is stopped or moving unusually slowly). To inform others of a sudden slowdown - the cars coming up at the rear of the slowdown use them, but turn them off once there are other cars flashing the warning behind them.

Reminder:

Headlights - light up to 100 m away, at least.

Low beams - light up to 30 m at least, without blinding others.

Sidelights and red lights - visible at 150 m minimum.

Reflectors - visible at 100 m minimum.

License plate lights - visible at 20 m minimum.

Installment 3 - Car (Continued)