These Are The Best Videos That Explain How Cars Work

For anyone thinking about charging an EV at home, This Old House has an explainer that helps EV owners choose the right home charger for them. From charging time to adaptors, this video covers just about everything.

While going is a pretty important aspect of a vehicle, stopping if up there also up there. This explainer from Donut Media goes into everything, from master cylinders to calipers, to the difference between discs and drums. It’s short but it covers everything.

If you’ve been in a situation where you lost control of a car but miraculously it’s like it righted itself and you regained control, you can partly thank electronic stability control. This explainer by none other than Bosch shows how ESP works from the moment of overcorrection to the regaining of control.

It took me years to learn what four-wheel-drive settings like 4HI and 4LO did. I was amazed once I found out. Too bad I didn’t have explainers like this one from DONSLIFE. Not only does he show you when and how to use these settings, he does it in real time in inclement weather.

Choosing tires for you vehicle can be a bit overwhelming if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Luckily, with the age of the internet, we have explainers like this one by 1A Auto. If you’ve ever wanted to know about things like how to check a tires age, tire pressure and tire safety, this is the video for you.

If you’re lucky enough to not have bad knees and can still drive a manual, The Topher had a great explainer on heel and toe shifting, one of the pillars of advanced performance driving. If you happen to drive a vehicle like the Nissan Z or Hyundai Elantra N that have manual transmissions with rev matching, you’re in luck as this video teaches heel and toeing with rev matching as well.

Since its introduction in the late 1940s, the McPherson Strut suspension has become the most widely used suspension design. It’s used by nearly every automaker on the planet. This explainer from CARinfo3d shows how the suspension system works during driving. It’s good, though you’ll have to get pass the awkward sounding AI narration.

Racing is not just about driving fast, its also about driving well. The Straight Pipes has an explainer on how to drive faster on the track using the help of race driver Mark Wilkins and a Hyundai Veloster N.

With so many automakers moving to turbocharged engines, some may be wondering what the benefits of them are or how they work. Who better to explain how they work than Garrett, one of the worlds leading turbocharger manufacturers. Its short (just over a minute long) and to the point.

Not everyone is making a jump from gas engines to EVs. Many buyers are still interested in hybrids and plug-in hybrids. If you’re on the fence about which to buy, Car Help Corner has an explainer that compares the two powertrain types, delving into details like how much money you’ll save annually depending on which you choose.

The Continuously Variable Transmission, or CVT, is the bane of existence for many automotive enthusiasts. Yet more than a few automakers still use them, sometimes in nearly every model they sell. Subaru, one of the automakers who has used this transmission for years, has an explainer on how these transmissions work. It’s detailed, but it won’t win any fans for the transmission.

Summer is coming up, and if you live in a part of the country that sees scorching temps, you definitely want to make sure you car’s a/c is in working condition. Rustbelt Mechanic has a great explainer that goes into how an a/c works and how to diagnose when its not working properly.

With the advent of EVs, more and more drivers are getting acquainted with one pedal driving. Simply put, its driving an EV with just the accelerator pedal and allowing the car to slow and brake itself using regenerative braking. It definitely requires time to get used to it, but the battery charge benefits are enormous. There are more than a few explainers from automakers on Youtube on how to use this feature though. From Cadillac to Polestar, there’s a video out there no matter what EV you drive.

Knowing exactly what wheels move a car and how they do it is one of the more basic aspects of knowing how a car works. Fitment Industries has a great explainer on the differences between drive systems as well as the pros and cons for those who may think one is better than the other.

If you’re one of those people who doesn’t know how to change a tire, you should be ashamed of yourself.

Just kidding; don’t be embarrassed because you’re not alone. While its one of the most repairs you can perform on a vehicle, it’s also a fundamental skill that everyone should learn. Depending on the situation, it can literally save your life. Cars.com has a great step by step explainer that quickly goes into everything from proper jack placement (very important) to loosening of the lug nuts.