Automotive Acronyms

Putting together a list of related acronyms for our FAQs. Starting with these, anyone have any to add?

AB = Air Box (Air Cleaner)
ABS = Anti-Lock Braking System
AF = Air Filter
AFR = Air/Fuel Ratio
ALDL = Assembly Line Data Link
ASSY = Assembly
ATDC = After Top Dead Center
AWD = All Wheel Drive
BBV = Boost Bypass Valve
BCM = Blower Control Module, or Body Control Module
BCS = Boost Control Solenoid
BDC = Bottom Dead Center
BOV = Blow Off Valve (see also POV)
BRP = Battery Rundown Protection
BTDC = Before Top Dead Center
CAI = Cold Air Intake
CC = Carbon Canister, or Climate Control
CCP = Carbon Can Purge (solenoid)
CHMSL = Center High-Mount Stop Lamp (3rd brake lamp)
CKP = Crankshaft Position
CKPS = Crankshaft Position Sensor
CO = Carbon Monoxide
CO2 = Carbon Dioxide
CPS = Camshaft Position Sensor, or Camshaft Position Sensor
D = Drive
DD = Daily Driver
DP = Downpipe (exhaust)
DHP = Digital Horsepower
DLC = Data Link Connector
DOHC = Dual Overhead Cam
DTC = Diagnostic Trouble Code
ECT = Engine Coolant Temperature
ECC = Electronic Climate Control
EFI = Electronic Fuel Injection
EGR = Exhaust Gas Recirculation
ELC = Electronic Leveling Control
ESC = Electronic Spark Control
FI = Forced Induction, or Fuel Injection
FPR = Fuel Pressure Regulator
FSM = Factory Service Manual
FWI = Fender Well Intake
FWD = Front Wheel Drive
HC = Hydrocarbons
HE = Heat Exchanger
HO2S = Heated Oxygen Sensor
HP = Horsepower, or Horsepower (HP) Tuners
HU = Head Unit
IAC = Idle Air Control
IAT = Intake Air Temperature
IC = Intercooler
IFR = Injector Flow Rate
IPW = Injector Pulse Width
KR = Knock Retard
KS = Knock Sensor
LCM = Lighting Control Module
LIM = Lower Intake Manifold
LTFT = Long Term Fuel Trim
MAFF = Mass Air Flow Frequency
MAF = Mass Air Flow
MAP = Manifold Absolute Pressure (Vacuum/Boost)
MC = Master Cylinder
MFG = Manufacturer
MFI = Multi-port Fuel Injection
MIL = Multifunction Indicator Lamp (called SES lamp on a Riviera)
MPG = Miles Per Gallon
MPH = Miles Per Hour
MPS = Modular Pulley System
MS = Multi-Switch
MSM = Memory Seat/Mirrors
N = Neutral
NA = Naturally Aspirated
N2O = Nitrous Oxide
NVH = Noise, Vibration, & Harshness
NOS = New Old Stock
NOx = Nitrogen Oxide
O2 = Oxygen (sensor)
OAT = Outside Air Temperature
OBDI = On Board Diagnostics 1 ('95)
OBDII = On Board Diagnostics 2 ('96-up)
OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer
OD = Overdrive
ODM = Output Driver Module
OHC = Overhead Cam
OHV = Overhead Valve
R = Reverse
RR = Roller Rockers
PCM = Powertrain Control Module
PCS = Pressure Control Solenoid
PCV = Positive Crankcase Ventilation
PEM = Ported Exhaust Manifold
PLOG = Power log or P-Log (exhaust)
POV = Pop Off Valve (see also BOV)
PSI = Pounds per Square Inch
PWM = Pulse Width Modulation
RAP = Retained Accessory Power
RFA = Remote Function Actuator
RPM = Revolutions Per Minute
RWD = Rear Wheel Drive
SC = Supercharger/Supercharged
SES = Service Engine Soon
SIDI = Spark Ignition Direct Injection
SMPI = Sequential Multi-port Fuel Injection
SS = Stainless Steel or Super Sport
STFT = Short Term Fuel Trim
TB = Throttle Body
TBI =Throttle Body Injection
TC = Traction Control
TCC = Torque Converter Clutch
TDC = Top Dead Center
TOG = The Other Guys (headers)
TP = Transmission Pan
TPS = Throttle Position Sensor
TSB = Technical Service Bulletin
UIM = Upper Intake Manifold (NA engines)
VATS = Vehicle Anti-Theft System
VE = Volumetric Efficiency
WOT = Wide Open Throttle
ZZP = ZZ Performance

Stole this from Contour.org, so all credit for this list I post goes to them, but I am sure they won't mind if we borrow some...

ABS Anti-Lock Braking System.
ATX Automatic Transaxle.
BTW By The Way
CEL Check Engine Light.
Contique A term invented on the Contour-L mail list to describe Contours and Mystiques simultaneously.
DMD Dual Mode Dampener. Standard equipment on 2001+ V6 Mondeos. Does a better job of dampening destructive crankshaft harmonics on the Duratec V6.
E0 A CEG-generated term to indicate the original 98 SVT.
E1 A Ford term to indicated the 1998 mid-year revised SVT. Also called the 98.5 SVT by the CEG. It is thought E1 stands for Evolution 1.
EEC The Engine Computer.
EGR Exhaust Gas Recirculation (valve).
HTH Hope That Helps
IAC Idle Air Control (valve).
IAT Intake Air Temperature (sensor).
IMRC Intake Manifold Runner Control (vacuum acutated valve on 1995/electronic cable control on 1996+).
KKM Kurtz Kustomz Motorsports - manufacturer and carrier of aftermarket Contique parts. Often used to refer to their Tru-Rev induction system.
MAF Mass Air Flow (sensor).
MTX Manual Transaxle.
PCM Powertrain Control Module (EEC).
PCV Positive Crankcase Ventilation (valve).
TB Throttle Body.
TC Traction Control.
TH Throttle Hang (see FAQ problems section).
TTT To The Top, used to put a message back to the top of the forum when no one has replied in a while.
WOT Wide Open Throttle.

what is IIRC

if i remember correctly

thanks

what is imo?

97rivsc wrote:

what is imo?

In My Opinion

I got a question that's been on my mind for quite a while:

People use LOL, all the time. I thought it meant Laugh out Loud. Am I naive or is that correct.
If that is correct then I don't understand how it's being used all the time. Most of the time I see LOL it just doesn't fit the sentence, circumstance or whatever.
Also, I was brought up to believe that FTW meant F...K The World, but I guess not anymore because of the way I see that acronym being used.??????
Just curious and off topic.

Rick, common internet slang on car and gaming forums - FTW is "For The Win"

ROTFLMAO

I do see LOL used out of place a lot, but as far as I know (AFAIK) it still means laugh out loud. Maybe some people just laugh a lot?

LOL is commonly placed at the beginning or end of a sentence when the person means to say that what they are saying (or what was previously said) makes them laugh.

FTW is almost the complete opposite of F_ the World, meaning the subject being referred to is great, awesome, or "For the Win".

Quote :

AA wrote: Putting together a list of related acronyms for our FAQs. Starting with these, anyone have any to add?

This is a great idea! We should put it as a sticky at the top of the Welcome or Board News section...

My 30 cent's worth:

AB - Air Box (Air Cleaner)
AF - Air Filter
AKA - Also Known As
ASSY - Assembly
BCM - Body Control Module, AKA "MALL" in the FSM... (Interior lamps, chimes, door lock features & BRP)
BRP - Battery Rundown Protection
CC - Carbon Canister
CCP - Carbon Can Purge (solenoid)
CO - Carbon Monoxide
C02 - Carbon Dioxide
CPS - CAMshaft Position Sensor
DP - Downpipe (exhaust)
ECC - Electronic Climate Control
ESC - Electronic Spark Control
ESC Counts - Number of knocks 'heard' by the KS
FI - I think this is much more commonly used as Fuel Injection, not Forced Induction...
HC - Hydrocarbons
HO2S - Heated Oxygen Sensor
IC - Intercooler
InHg - Inches of Mercury (manifold pressure)
KS - Knock Sensor
LCM - is actually Lamp Control Module (Exterior lamps/Twilight Sentinel)
MSM - Memory Seat/Mirrors
NOx - Nitrogen Oxide
ODM - Output Driver Module (AKA Quad Drivers, on Series I)
PWM - Pulse Width Modulation/Modulated
RAP - Retained Accessory Power
RFA - Remote Function Actuator
SES - Service Engine Soon lamp. Also referred to as Check Engine or MIL, Malfunction Indicator Lamp
SMPI - Sequential Multiport Fuel Injection
UIM - Upper Intake Manifold

TLA - Three Letter Acronym!

FOHA- "f.....g over heating again?"
how many times have i said that to my self

or; NMFECMA -"not my f.....g ecm again!"

TMFSS - That Mother F....n Stripped Screw

Quote :

This is a great idea! We should put it as a sticky at the top of the Welcome or Board News section...

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll add some of them in. This has been stickied in the Information/Reference section since early '07.

Here's a couple more AA


OAT Outside Air Temperature
PCS Pressure Control Solenoid
MAP Manifold Absolute Pressure (Vacuum)
TPS Throttle Position Sensor

Thanks, those are great!

I remember one that drove me nuts: PLOG

TBI
"Throttle Body Injection"

FUBAR
"F'd Up Beyond All Recognition"

Eldo wrote:

I remember one that drove me nuts: PLOG

ZZP Powerlog, improved front manifold (when it doesnt crack )

Thanks Matt!
( I gave you a green + )


Can't believe I forgot this one,

TSB - Technical Service Bulletin

Good one! Added.

Thanks Aaron.

I also realized that my original idea of extending the SES listing was a bit wordy... How about adding a separate line for

MIL - Malfunction Indicator Lamp (same as SES lamp) ?

I will add MIL. I wasn't going to, as SES is the correct term relative to our cars, but technically SES is a type of MIL. Another type of MIL would be CEL, which doesn't apply to the Riviera. For obvious reasons, I don't want people using MIL, CEL, and SES interchangeably in the tech forums.

I may add some other 'foreign' acronyms in the future, but I started the list for referencing specifically the Riviera. For example, I did not include ECU, because we don't want people using that term in place of PCM. ECU is for the Honda folks!

I agree, we don't want to add too much clutter. I just suggested it because it's a common synonym that I've seen others use on the board. Hell, because I've been around since the beginning of all this computerization, I still call 'em all Check Engine lights myself... and the plug under the dash, the ALDL instead of the DLC.

Oops, there's another one! DLC = Data Link Connector

I still use ALDL and so do the Techs that I know.
Guess it is like Eldo said, our age or when we learned this stuff.
I can never remember what DLC stands for, I need to be reminded??? Again Age Related.

Hell, what's ALDL mean again, DUH..........

J/K, I think.

MFG = Manufacturer (always did in my neighborhood) and in the manufacturing world that I worked in.