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Acronyms and Abbreviations
List of most commonly used car-related acronyms and abbreviations.
Initially compiled by markyg, supplemented by Bin_Man, Glenn, logiclee, magic919 and vieplis.
Acronyms and abbreviations
4WD: Four Wheel Drive
ABS: Anti-lock Braking System
AC: Air Conditioning
ACC: Adaptive Cruise Control
AFS: Adaptive Front [Lighting] System
AJB: Auxiliary Junction Box - another name for footwell fuse box
APP: Accelerator Pedal Position [sensor]
ARB: Anti Roll Bar
AWD: All Wheel Drive
AWS: Auxiliary Warning System
BHP: Brake Horse Power (also known as “bhp” or “mechanical horsepower”), a unit of engine power commonly used by UK motoring press, bhp = PS x 0,9864
BPP: Brake Pedal Position [switch]
BT/VC: Bluetooth / Voice Control
CAN: Controller Area Network [vehicle bus]
CAT: Catalytic Converter
CCC: Central Car Configuration
CKP: Crankshaft Position [sensor]
C/L: Central Locking
CMP: Camshaft Position [sensor]
CPP: Clutch Pedal Position [switch]
CV: Constant Velocity [joint]
DAB: Digital Audio Broadcast
DDM: Driver Door Module
DEATC: Dual-zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control
DERV: Diesel Engine Road Vehicle
DOHC: Double Overhead Camshaft
DoT: Department of Transport
DPF: Diesel Particulate Filter
DRL: Daytime Running Lamps
EATC: Electronic Automatic Temperature Control
EBA: Emergency Brake Assist
EBD: Electronic Brake [force] Distribution
ECT: Engine Coolant Temperature [sensor]
ECU: Engine Control Unit - another name for PCM
EFI: Electronic Fuel Injection
EGR: Exhaust Gas Recirculation
EHPAS: Electro-Hydraulic Power-Assisted Steering
EJB: Engine Junction Box - another name for engine compartment fuse box
E/M: Electric Mirrors
EOP: Engine Oil Pressure [switch]
EPB: Electr[on]ic Parking Brake
ESP: Electronic Stability Program
ETIS: online Technical Information and Services website from Ford, also known as "FordEtis"
FFV: Flexi-Fuel Vehicle - e.g., Mk4 Mondeo 2.0 Duratec-HE running on petrol and/or ethanol E85
FWD: Front Wheel Drive
GEM: Generic Electronic Module - serves as a gateway between HS CAN and MS CAN
GPS: Global Positioning System
HCU: Hydraulic Control Unit - controls the ABS
HEGO : Heated Exhaust Gas Oxygen [sensor] - another name for a Lambda sensor
HID: High Intensity Discharge
HLA: Hill Launch Assist
HMI: Human-Machine Interface
HS CAN: High-Speed Controller Area Network [vehicle bus]
IACV: Idle Air Control Valve
IAT: Intake Air Temperature [sensor]
ICV: Idle Control Valve
IDS: Intelligent Diagnostic System
IMRC: Intake Manifold Runner Control
IPC: Instrument Panel Controls
IVDC: Interactive Vehicle Dynamic Control
KPH: Kilometres Per Hour (also known as “km/h”)
KS: Knock Sensor
LIM: Lower Inlet Manifold
LIN: Local Interconnect Network [vehicle bus]
LHD: Left Hand Drive [vehicle] – vehicle for use in countries with right-hand traffic in which traffic keeps to the right side of the road (mainland Europe and elsewhere); the steering wheel is placed on the left side of the vehicle
LPG: Liquified Petroleum Gas
MAF: Mass Air Flow [sensor]
MIL: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
MM CAN: Multimedia Controller Area Network [vehicle bus]
MOT: Ministry Of Transport (annual statutory test for cars and motorcycles)
MPG: Miles Per Gallon
MPH: Miles Per Hour
MS CAN: Mid-Speed Controller Area Network [vehicle bus]
Nm: Newton Metres
N/S: Near Side (Left Hand side of car)
N/S/F: Near Side Front
N/S/R: Near Side Rear
OBD I / OBD II: OnBoard Diagnostics (Version I or II)
OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer. OEM parts, as opposed to aftermarket, have guaranteed conformity with car manufacturer's standards. OEM parts are made either by OEM Suppliers (e.g., Bosch, Visteon, Aisin etc.) or by car maker's own sub-brand manufacturers (e.g., Ford's "Motorcraft"). According to general concept, OEM parts are: [1] factory-installed as standard components that are also [2] retailed in car maker-branded packaging (e.g., Bosch part in Ford packaging). In common use of term, people tend to add another meaning - [3] OEM Supplier-made parts retailed in OEM Supplier-branded packaging, which is allegedly wrong use of term. [2] may or may not have car manufacturer's name on the part body. [3] may be exact equivalent of [1] and [2].
O/S: Off Side (Right Hand side of car)
O/S/F: Off Side Front
O/S/R: Off Side Rear
PAD: Passenger Air bag Deactivation [switch] – part of SRS
PAS: Power Assisted Steering
PATS: Passive Anti-Theft System
PCM: Powertrain Control Module - another name for ECU
PCV: Positive Crankcase Ventilation [valve]
PS: Pferdestärke (German for "horse power", also known as “metric horsepower”), a unit of engine power commonly used in Europe, South America and Japan, especially by the automotive and motorcycle industry, PS = bhp x 1,0139
PSP: Power Steering Pressure [switch]
PWM: Pulse-Width Modulation
RCM: Restraints Control Module – part of SRS
RFT: Run-Flat Tyre
RHD: Right Hand Drive [vehicle] – vehicle for use in countries with left-hand traffic in which traffic keeps to the left side of the road (AU, IRL, NZ, UK and elsewhere); the steering wheel is placed on the right side of the vehicle
RJB: Rear Junction Box - another name for rear fuse box
RSAP: Rallye Sport Appearance Pack
RWD: Rear Wheel Drive
SATC: Semi Automatic Temperature Control
SFI: Sequential Fuel Injection
SRS: Supplemental Restraint System – system covering air bags + safety belts + sensors
S/S: Stainless Steel
TCM: Transmission Control Module
TCS: Traction Control System
TDC: Top Dead Center
TDCi: Turbocharged Diesel Common-Rail Injection
TDdi: Turbocharged Diesel Direct Injection
Ti-VCT: Twin independent Variable Camshaft Timing
TPMS: Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
TPS: Throttle Position Sensor
TSB: Technical Service Bulletin
UIM: Upper Inlet Manifold
V5: Vehicle Registration Document
VCT: Variable Camshaft Timing
VDS: Vehicle Dynamic Suspension
VED: Vehicle Excise Duty
VIC: Vehicle Identification Check
VIN: Vehicle Identification Number
VSS: Vehicle Speed Sensor
VVT: Variable Valve Timing
WHP: Wheel Horse Power
Abbreviations of colours in wiring diagrams
BK: Black
BN: Brown
BU: Blue
GN: Green
GY: Gray
LG: Light green
NA: Natural (transparent?)
OG: Orange
PK: Pink
RD: Red
SR: Silver
VT: Violet
WH: White
YE: Yellow
In case of two-colour wires, 1st is the dominant base colour and 2nd is the colour of thin stripes along sides of the wire. For instance, “BK/WH” is a black wire with thin white stripe, meanwhile “WH/BK” is a white wire with thin black stripe.