F
Factory-installed
Vehicle equipment that is installed by the manufacturer (in contrast to equipment that may be installed by the dealer or the owner).
Factory tuner
Please click here for the definition of this term and additional information.
Fan hub
The mechanical connection between the radiator fan and its point of attachment.
FF
Front-engine front-wheel drive. A vehicle that is propelled solely by its front wheels and whose engine is located forward of its front axle.
FICO
Fair Isaac Corporation, which is a company that calculates and distributes consumer credit scores.
Finance
To borrow money (either as a loan or in the form of a lease) to obtain some or all of the funds to acquire a vehicle.
Finance and insurance office
Sometimes referred as the "F&I office." The office within a dealership in which vehicle purchase contracts are prepared and signed and additional services (including insurance and extended warranties) may be offered to the purchaser.
Finance incentive
Manufacturer loan programs offered to consumers, usually for a limited period, on selected vehicles and/or in certain areas, as an incentive to purchase a vehicle.
 
 
Finance rate
See "APR."
Flex-fuel engine
An engine that can be run on more than one type of fuel (for example, E85 and gasoline).
Flex fuel vehicle
A vehicle than can run on at least two different fuel sources either simultaneously through a single fuel system or separately through multiple fuel systems.
Fog lights
A pair of driving lights that provides a wide, low beam in an attempt to undercut fog.
Forced induction
The forced compression of air into an engine's cylinders by means of a supercharger or turbocharger.
Four-square worksheet
A standard form used at many dealerships that helps salespeople keep track of four elements of a deal during negotiations with a customer: the price of the vehicle, the amount to be credited for the trade-in, the down payment and the monthly payment.
4WD
A drivetrain that employs two differentials and a transfer case to provide power to all four wheels of a vehicle.
Four-wheel steering
A feature of some vehicles that allows the rear wheels to be steered (by a computer and actuators), for the purpose of increasing high-speed cornering stability.
 
 
FR
Front-engine rear-wheel drive. A vehicle that is propelled solely by its rear wheels and whose engine is located forward of its front axle.
Front brakes specifications
The dimensions of the major components of a vehicle's front brake rotors, and the type of brake ventilation employed.
Front mid engine
A vehicle with an engine that is forward of its passenger compartment but aft of its front axle.
Front seat type
The type of front seating: bucket seats, sport seats, split-bench seats or captain's chairs.
Fuel capacity
The amount of fuel that a vehicle's fuel tank can hold.
Fuel cell vehicle
A vehicle that utilizes fuel cells to create electricity through a chemical process using oxygen from the air and hydrogen.
Fuel consumption
The rate at which an engine depletes its fuel supply.
Fuel economy
A measure of the amount of fuel used by a vehicle over a certain distance, or the distance traveled per volume of fuel used.
 
Fuel filler cap
A cap used to seal a vehicle's fuel filler neck.
Fuel filter
A replaceable metal or plastic canister that prevents particulate matter and most contaminants in the fuel from reaching the engine.
Fuel injection system
A device that atomizes fuel by forcibly pumping it through a small nozzle under high pressure and delivers it to the vehicle's engine.
Fuel lines & connections
The tubing and connections that carry fuel through a vehicle.
Fuel pre-filter
For diesel-fuel engines, the device that filters the fuel immediately before it enters the fuel pump.
Fuel pump shutoff
A device that automatically shuts off a vehicle's fuel pump after a collision.
Fuel system
The assemblage of parts that stores and delivers fuel for the engine, including the fuel cap, fuel tank, fuel lines and hoses, fuel pump, fuel filter and fuel injectors or carburetor.
Fuel type
The type of fuel used to power a vehicle: gasoline, ethanol, E85, diesel, bio-diesel, natural gas or electricity.
Fuel/water separator
A device that separates the water from the fuel in addition to, or as part of, the fuel filtering system.