Published in the February 2012 issue of “Die Porsche Kassette”

OMG, R U up 2 speed on your abbrs.?


We live in an abbreviated-crazy culture, and the automotive world, with Porsche in particular, is even worse!

It seems as if every different system has an acronym or an abbreviation and new ones are introduced with every model year, so I decided to try to put together our very own Porschesaurus which includes many of the most used ones.

A

ABD

ABS

AFR

AGM

AIR

ASR

AWS

AX

BARO

BHP

BPS

BOX

C

CAFE

CAI

CARB

CAT

CCA

Cd

CDI

CEL

CL

CLU

DOHC

DOT

dB

DE

DFI

DME

DTC

EACV

ECL

ECM

ECTS

ECU

EDC

EECS

EVAP

F

FCHV

ft.lb.

GT

GTS

GTS

GTR

HBA

HEV

HFC

HP

HVAC

IACV

IAT

IC

IC

ILSAC

in

in. lbs.

ITB

IMS

KESSY

L

lb./ft.

LCD

LED

LSA 

LSD

LWB

MAF

MCD

MIL

MON

MOST

MT

MY

Mxxxx

NHTSA

Nm

O2

OBC

OBD

OEM

OHC

OPC

OS

PAG

PAS

PASM

PCA

PCCB

PCM

PCNA

PDCC

PDE

PDK

PHC

PIWIS

POSIP

PPM

PSDS

PSE

PSM

PST-II

PTM

PTS

PTS

PTV

PWR

RDS

RMS

RON

RoW

RPM

SAE

SC

SAxxxx

SNELL

SRS

TB

TC

TIN

TIP

TPC

TPS

TPS

TPMS

TT

UTQG

V

VDC

VLSD

VTG

VTS

VTS

W

ZDDP

ZEV

Amperes (unit of measure for an electrical current)

Automatic Brake Differential (anti spin control for the drive wheels)

Anti-lock Braking System (this technology  maintains maximum tire traction while braking)

Air-to-Fuel Ratio (also known as Stoichiometric point – 14.7 parts of air to 1 part gasoline by weight)

Absorbed Glass Matt (no maintenance type of battery such as the Optima)

Secondary Air Injection (additional pollution control on cold startup)

Anti- Slip Regulation (prevents excessive slip on the drive wheels)

Auto Weight-Sensing (controls air bag deployment based on passenger’s weight)

Auto Cross (timed competition through a defined course, against the clock)

Barometric Pressure Sensor (self explanatory)

Brake Horse Power (an engine’s horsepower before loss to the secondary systems)

Barometric Pressure Sensor (self explanatory)

Boxer (type of engine with 2 banks facing each other at an angle of 180º, slightly staggered)

Celsius (unit of temperature measurement where water freezes at 0C and boils at 100C)

Corporate Average Fuel Economy (US Regulations aimed at automotive fuel economy)

Cold Air Intake (way to deliver cold –outside- air to an engine to make more power)

California Air Resources Board (California’s Clean air Agency)

Catalytic Converter (automotive system that clean exhaust gasses by chemical reactions)

Cold Cranking Amps (the amount of current a battery can produce at 0ºF / -18ºC)

Coefficient of Drag - also Cx, CoD and Cx (used to quantify the drag or resistance of an object)

Capacitor Discharge Ignition (automotive electronic ignition which replaced inductance coils)

Check Engine Light (self explanatory - same as MIL)

Closed Loop (self explanatory)

Central Locking Unit (unit that controls the locking and alarm systems in a Porsche)

Double Overhead Cam (engine with dual cams in which each operate the intake or exhaust valves)

Department Of Transportation (oversees federal highway, air, rail and other transportation)

Decibels (unit of measure in acoustics, electronics and control theory)

Driver Education (a safe, structured and controlled teaching and learning environment on the track)

Direct Fuel Injection (a system that injects the fuel directly into the combustion chamber)

Digital Motor Electronics (engine Management System built by Bosch for Porsche automobiles)

Diagnostic Trouble Code (diagnostic Error Code used by the On-Board Diagnostic (OBD-II) System)

Electronic Air Control Valve (also known as the Idle Control Valve)

Engine Coolant Level (self explanatory)

Engine Control Module (same as ECU)

Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor (self explanatory)

Electronic Control Unit (same as ECM)

Engine Drag Control (prevents all driven wheels from locking up when the vehicle is overrunning)

Evaporative Emission Control System (traps and stores evaporative emissions from the gas tank)

EVAPorative emission system (same as above)

Fahrenheit (unit of temperature measurement where water freezes at 32ºF and boils at 212ºF)

Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle (a vehicle that combines electric and fuel-driven mechanisms)

Foot-Pound (a unit of measure of torque – rotational force)

Gran Turismo (Grand Tourer – performance car designed for long distance driving)

Gran Turismo Sport (as above, but a 4 door saloon)

Gran Turismo Spyder (as above, but a 2 door Spyder)

Gran Turismo Racing (as the Porsche GT-3 R)

Hydraulic Brake Assist (assists the driver in an emergency or panic-braking situation)

Hybrid Electric Vehicle (a vehicle that uses two types of power, one of them being electric)

High Flow Cats (catalytic converter with freer flowing cells, generally for racing)

HorsePower (unit of measure for power, generally for engines)

Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (self explanatory)

Idle Air Control Valve (air valve in the throttle body which controls the engine’s idle speed)

Intake Air Temperature (temperature of the air as it flows into the engine – colder means more power)

Ignition Control (the system responsible for igniting the air/fuel mixture in the engine)

Inter Cooler (mechanical device used to cool a fluid, generally air on an engine’s turbocharger)

International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee (Motor Oil standards)

Inches (unit of measure for length)

Inch Pounds (unit of measure for torque)

Individual Throttle Bodies (individual – one-per-cylinder – throttle body stacks)

Intermediate Shaft (engine shaft which turns the timing chains on Porsche engines)

Keyless Entry, Start and exit System (self explanatory)

Liter (Litre) (unit of measuring displacement in an engine and unit of liquid measurement)

Pound Feet (unit of measuring torque)

Liquid Crystal Display (flat panel display that uses light modulating properties of liquid crystal)

Light Emitting Diode (a semiconductor light source)

Lightweight, Stable, Agile (sub-frame-mounted rear suspension)

Limited-Slip Differential (differential that can alleviate wheel spin while cornering)

Long Wheelbase (vehicle with a longer distance between front and rear wheel than a comparison model)

Mass Air-Flow (sensor that determines the amount of air being fed into the engine)

Magnetic Chip Detector (sensor that can detect ferrous metal chips in an engine’s oil)

Malfunction Indicator Lamp (self explanatory - same as CEL)

Motor Octane Number (Gasoline Grade) (type of octane-rating for gasoline grades)

Media Orientated Systems Transport bus (automotive high-speed multimedia network technology)

Manual Transmission (a.k.a. manual gearbox or standard transmission)

Model Year (model availability date – traditionally begins with the 4th quarter of the preceding year in USA)

Motorcycle (yyyy) (Helmet Safety Standard) (nomenclature to identify motorcycle helmet safety)

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (directs highway safety and consumer programs)

Newton-Meter (unit of measuring torque)

Oxygen (self explanatory)

On-Board Computer (offers information to driver regarding vehicle parameters, consumption, etc.)

On-Board Diagnostics (vehicle’s self-diagnostic and reporting capability – mandated after MY 1996)

Original Equipment Manufacturer (generally refers to a replacement part made by the OEM)

Overhead Cam (camshaft above combustion chambers which drives the valves and or lifters)

Official Porsche Center (Porsche-approved service center, tire and or body shop)

Oxygen Sensor (sensor located pre and or post catalytic converter that measures O2 content in exhaust)

Porsche AG (Porsche Aktiengesellschaft – Porsche Corporation – Porsche Auto Group)

Power Assisted Steering (self explanatory – also known as power steering)

Porsche Active Suspension Management (electronic damping control system)

Porsche Club of America (formed by 139 regions throughout the USA and Canada)

Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (siliconized carbon fiber disc with very high temp capability)

Porsche Communication Management (navigation system with integrated audio)

Porsche Cars of North America (Porsche’s exclusive importer for USA and Canada – based in Atlanta)

Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (active anti roll system on Cayenne vehicles with air suspension)

Porsche Driving Experience (based at Barber Motorsports Park, AL – Porsche performance driving)

Porsche Doppelkupplung (double clutch transmission)

Porsche Hill Control (provides downhill assistance by maintaining constant speed - Cayenne)

Porsche Integrated Workshop Information System (Porsche’s newest system and diagnostic tester)

Porsche Side-Impact Protection (side airbags integrated into the seats)

Parts Per Million (self explanatory)

Porsche Sport Driving School (Porsche performance driving - training by professional instructors)

Porsche Sport Exhaust (exhaust sound varies with driving behavior)

Porsche Stability Management (automatic system that stabilizes vehicle at the limits of dynamic driving)

Porsche System Tester II (diagnostic tester up to MY 2004)

Porsche Traction Management (front/rear axle force is electronically controlled by a multi-plate clutch)

Paint To Sample (Option Code allowing vehicle to be painted to customer’s color sample)

Porsche Travel System (Porsche luggage made to fit particular Porsche vehicles)

Porsche Torque Vectoring (variable torque distribution to rear axle and mechanical LSD)

Power-to-Weight Ratio (measure of a vehicle’s performance based on its power and weight)

Radio (broadcast) Data System (communications protocol for embedding digital info in FM broadcasts)

Rear Main Seal (engine oil seal located at the end of the crankshaft, behind clutch or torque converter)

Research Octane Number (Gasoline Grade) (type of octane-rating for gasoline grades)

Rest of the World (referring to rest-of-the-world, non US- models)

Revolutions Per Minute (unit of measure for engine speed)

Society of Automotive Engineers (resource for vehicle design, manufacturing, operation, maintenance)

Sport Chrono (option that includes Sport Mode and in-dash Chronometer)

Sport Application (yyyy) (nomenclature to identify safety helmet standards for automotive use)

Snell Memorial Foundation (organization that manages US helmet safety standards)

Safety Restraint System (seat belts)

Throttle Body (the valve that regulates the amount of air entering the engine)

Traction Control (self explanatory – generally works in conjunction with the ABS)

Tire Identification Number (DOT mandated tire ID)

Tiptronic (Porsche’s torque converter, automatic transmission with manual upshift / downshift feature)

(or TPM) Tire Pressure Control/Monitoring (electronic systems which monitors tire pressure/temp)

Throttle Position Sensor (monitors the position of the throttle)

Tire Pressure Sensor (sensor used by TPSM)

Tire Pressure Monitoring System (same as TPC)

Twin Turbo (turbocharged engine in which two turbos compress the intake charge)

Uniform Tire Quality Grade Standards (tire standards established by NHTSA)

Volt (unit of measure for an electrical potential)

Volt DC (Volts of Direct Current - battery)

Viscous Limited Slip Differential (LSD which uses variable viscosity fluid)

Variable Turbine Geometry (more efficient turbo with reduced turbo lag)

Vehicle Tracking System (GPS-based system to track a stolen vehicle for recovery)

Vehicle Tracking System (GPS-base

Watt (unit of measure for power)

Zinc DialkyDithioPhosphate (motor oil anti-wear additive)

Zero Emission Vehicle (self explanatory)

Now that U R up 2 speed on them, U can LOL when your BFF makes a funny face at them. YMMV.


To learn more about these acronyms and abbreviations, please visit my website at:www.PedrosGarage.com



Happy Porsche-ing,

Pedro








© 2011 Technolab/PedrosGarage.com