A car is more than just an engine. Tom Newton dedicates significant space to the "unsung heroes" of the automobile:
Modern cars use electronic control units (ECUs) to manage engine timing, fuel injection, transmission behavior, stability control, and more. Features include:
Software increasingly defines vehicle behavior and user features.
Let’s address the elephant in the garage: The legality of the PDF.
Tom Newton self-published this book through Vortex Media (later Newton's Garage). Because it remains a copyrighted, in-print title on many platforms, free PDFs floating around the internet are generally pirated copies.
If you find a legitimate copy of the "How Cars Work" PDF, here is the core curriculum you can expect. Newton divides the car into specific mechanical kingdoms:
Stopping and handling are just as important as going. Newton covers hydraulic brakes (master cylinder, brake lines, calipers, pads, rotors) and the power brake booster. For suspension, he describes springs, shock absorbers, struts, and control arms, emphasizing how they absorb bumps and keep tires in contact with the road. Steering systems (rack-and-pinion, power steering pump) give the driver directional control.