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]

ESP: Electronic Stability Program

ETIS: online Technical Information and Services website from Ford, also known as "FordEtis"

FFV: Flexi-Fuel Vehicle - e.g., Mk4 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.