Free online courseHow a Car works

Course Description

Build a clear, practical understanding of how a car works by connecting the systems you see in the shop to the engineering principles behind them. This free online course is designed for anyone who wants to strengthen professional skills in automotive repair, whether you are starting out, changing careers, or simply aiming to speak with confidence about what happens under the hood.

You will explore how an automobile is put together, beginning with the vehicle’s basic structure and overall layout. From there, you’ll connect major chassis elements to real-world performance, including how frame construction, cross members, suspension, wheels, and tyres contribute to stability, comfort, and durability. Along the way, you’ll develop the habit of thinking in systems, so a symptom like vibration, poor handling, or unusual wear can be traced back to likely mechanical causes.

The course also clarifies how power is created and delivered. You will review air–fuel mixture requirements, why ratios vary in spark-ignition engines, and how stoichiometric balance is calculated and used in practice. You will then follow the path of power through the transmission and clutch, learning the purpose and working principles of friction clutches and how they support smooth engagement, efficiency, and drivability.

To round out core vehicle operation, you’ll study steering and braking fundamentals, the essentials of lubrication and hydrodynamic film formation, and the ignition system components that make combustion reliable, including spark plugs, battery ignition, ballast resistors, and firing order. Each section is reinforced with short exercises to help you check understanding and remember key concepts. By the end, you’ll have a strong foundation for further technical training and more confident troubleshooting conversations in automotive environments.