Understanding car interior parts and components
Just like people have parts of their bodies that are outside and cells that are inside, cars have parts that are outside and inside. This blog is going to be about the inside of cars. These are the extras that make our cars more comfortable and easy to drive. Today there are a lot of different car types, and each one has its own interior features. However, most modern cars have some interior parts that are the same. Here is a list of these parts:
- Steering wheel. This is the round wheel on the driver’s side of the car. The driver turns it to decide which way to go.
- Car seats. Every car has a sitting allowance where the passengers and driver sit. Most cars would have a 5 to 7 seating capacity.
- Ignition. This is the part that enables the driver to turn the car on. It is always located on the driver’s side of the dashboard. However, most luxury cars have it on the center console allowing even the co-pilot to turn the vehicle on especially in self-drive cars.
- Pedals. These are step-on bars on the floor of the car, right next to the driver’s feet. They work to propel the car either forward or backwards by throttle, stop the car or change gears(in manual cars)
- Center Console. This is the area that separates the two front seats. In most designs, it is used as a storage compartment for the passengers or houses electronic gadgetry and vehicle control information.
- Glove compartment. This is an enclosed area found on the co-driver’s side of the dashboard. It’s a lockable box that is mostly used for storing sensitive contents of the car’s owner. Like a bag of nuts.
- Gear shifter. A gear shifter switches the gears up and down. Most shifter designs look like a tip of an old man’s walking stick and are located at the center console. Depending on the vehicle’s transmission type, shifters would either be automatic, semi automatic or dead manual.
- Dashboard. This is the table-like surface below the windshield of the vehicle but on the inside. It houses the airbag, glove compartment as well as controller buttons that enable the user to adjust minor settings on the car like the A/C, audio system amongst other functionalities.
- Seat belts. These are belts that strap in passengers to the seats. They are used for protection in the event of car accidents. It is always highly recommended to have your seat belt on whenever you are traveling in a car.
- Airbags. From their name, they are bags of air that cushion the passengers from impact in the event of a car accident. The dashboard has two airbags each for the driver and the co-driver. Some cars have airbags for the rear passengers as well. You might want to know that airbags only get activated for seats whose seat belts were fastened.
- Headliner. This is the fabric that covers the inner side of the car’s roof.
- Rearview mirror. This mirror hangs on the headliner in front of the car, in between the driver and the co-driver and it’s used by the driver to see vehicles.
- Emergency brake. This comes in three variants; handbrake/footbrake/e-brake. Usually, it is located at the center console(handbrake/e-brake) but some cars have it next to the pedals(footbrake). Emergency brakes come in handy when keeping the car stationary while parked. Other alternative functionalities include emergency stopping when the main brake system fails, hill starts especially for manual cars to prevent the vehicle from rolling backwards, as well as skilled drivers using it for vehicle control when drifting.
- Signal lever. This is a lever located around the steering wheel and what it does is turn on signal lights that communicate to other drivers the direction you want to turn.
- Door handles. From their name, they are what we use to open and/or close the doors from the inside of the car.
Another thing to note about a car’s interior is the fabric. We have four types of fabric;
- Nylon upholstery. This is one of the common fabrics used in cars’ interiors. It is a strong synthetic fabric and is resistant to wear and tear. It is mostly prone to static and heat retention.
- Polyester upholstery. This is also a synthetic fabric and it is often mixed with other materials and is durable as it doesn’t easily fade or develop wrinkles
- Vinyl upholstery. This is a plastic- based material that resembles quality leather. It is water resistant and very easy to clean but can crack over time especially in hot temperatures.
- Leather upholstery. Has a very luxurious feel and appearance. Although it requires high maintenance, it has a longer durability span, if well maintained.
Of all fabrics, this would be my two-cents recommendation for anyone scouting for an elegant car interior design; Vinyl upholstery. They are relatively durable and affordable. In addition, it is easy to clean . However, if you’re looking for an expensive finish, genuine leather upholstery is the most rare to find in car interiors.
Can a car interior be changed?
Any part of the car interior can be changed. Some parts are easy to change while others are technical and require skills, tools, patience and expert help. From the upholstery, to the carpet, steering wheel, they all have flexibility of modification and with the right help they can be changed.
Here’s a quick overview of some of the changes you can easily make to your car’s interior:
- Upholstery. You can always change the upholstery to any variant; nylon, polyester, vinyl, leather. Aside from that, there is also the option of buying custom seat covers.
- Carpet. Car floors come with a custom carpet that can always be customized by either dying it or buying floor mats.
- Steering wheel. Wheels can always be replaced with after-market wheels.
- Dashboard. One can always make minute to significant changes on their dashboards by either buying dashboard covers or mats. And that’s not all, you can also replace the entire dashboard with custom-made designs suggested by your dealer, or mod shop.
- Seats. We have a variety of seats in the market with different tastes ranging from sporty to comfort.
- LED lights. If you like a glowing or a low-light interior, you can always consider getting some banger LED lights to brighten up your interiors look and feel at night.
- Audio system. All cars come with a stock audio system but nothing stops you from pimping it up with some heavy music hardware. Check out Kenwood and Pioneer speakers while you’re at it.
- Knobs and door handles. Most knobs in the car interior are subject to wear and tear, and as a result are the most replaced car interior parts.
Explore our car interior parts from our shop page.
How to clean your car interior
It’s important to clean your car’s interior regularly as it creates a healthier environment for you and your passengers. Not only does cleaning your car’s interior maintain its state of hygiene but also reduces the accumulation of dust and bacteria over time. You’d be surprised to know that mold and mildew are catalyzed by dirty car interiors.
Cleaning your car’s interior preserves by previt’s elegance and prevents stains from setting in permanently. That aside, your car’s value stays top-notch as if it were still new
So that leaves us with one question; How can you clean your car’s interior in the correct way leaving them spotless and mint for longer?
The first thing you need to understand is the difference between cleaning and detailing and what difference you get from either.
- Cleaning. Cleaning is done regularly and focuses on removing visible dirt on the car. It can be vacuuming, wiping surfaces or general tidying up. You can do this from home by using common household cleaning tools and products.
- Detailing. This is a more thorough and in-depth process. Your focus and aim is to restore the interior to as new a condition as possible. Detailing requires specialized skill, tools, products and technique. Not everyone can detail their cars from the comfort of their homes. You may have to take your car to a detailing professional for quality service.
Here is a breakdown of the simple steps you can follow when cleaning your car’s interior especially from home:
- Take out trash, personal items, floor mats
Before you start to clean, always make sure your personal items like watches and keys are taken out of the car to prevent them from being mistaken for trash. This is not the time to discover how waterproof they are. Your car’s floor mats carry most of the dirt so it’s advisable to clean them separately.
- Vacuum and blow thoroughly.
Start by air-blowing first, preferably with all the doors wide open to allow the dust to leave the car and to prevent you from choking on it. Feel free to put on a facemask first before you start this. Once you’re done blowing you can let the air settle a bit before you move to vacuuming. Don’t forget to blow the air vents as well.
- Clean air vents.
This is where the detailing brushes come in handy. The brushes help to completely remove whatever dirt and/or dust didn’t come out during blowing.
- Wipe down surfaces
Using the microfiber towels, properly clean the car surfaces like the dashboard, steering wheel, cup holders, center console and even the door handles and knobs.
- Clean windows and mirrors.
Be sure to use clean water, and a clean microfiber towel as it is lint-free and won’t leave scratches on your mirrors or streaks.
- Clean and condition seats.
Here is where having a Leather & Vinyl Interior Conditioner puts you at an advantage. Remember to use appropriate cleaners dependent on the upholstery you have. Don’t use what is meant for a nylon upholstery on a leather upholstery.
- Deodorize your car.
This is good for leaving that fresh pleasant after-wash smell that we all love.
- Clean your trunk.
It is very easy to forget your trunk as not all of us use it on a day-to-day basis. Ensure you vacuum it properly and also check the condition of your service tool kits.
Remember to always use products that are specific to your car’s interior materials and if you’re entirely not sure which products to use you can always seek professional advice.
Where to clean car interiors
The best place to clean your car interior would be at a professional’s car wash center or at home if you have the know-how skills. Carplus Auto center is a great car wash with excellent customer service. These guys will strip down your motti and clean like a toddler with a toothbrush full in their mouths. They are located along Garden Estate Road, and you can give them a call to book your car detailing session.
When to clean (frequency)
Deciding how regularly to clean your car should be influenced by factors like how often do you use your car, what climate conditions do you live under, how much does it cost to clean your car so that you don’t break the bank while at it. These are just the main factors that cut across every Tom, Dick and Harry.
Ideally, you want to aim for not longer than a weekly cleaning plan. This works best to ensure your car interior stays on-point.
What to use for car interior cleaning
A good interior cleaning session requires a combination of good tools and products. Before your start your cleaning session, ensure you have access to the following;
- Vacuum cleaner. It’s very effective for removing loose dirt, dust or hair particles around the interior.
- Air-blower gun. This one is particularly the best for dislodging stubborn dirt from hard-to-reach places.
- Detailing brushes. These give you the chance to get hands-on and scrape the dirt off of the car surfaces like the dashboard, cup holders.
- Microfiber towels. They are highly absorbent, non-abrasive, they reduce the chances of getting scratches on your surfaces or streaks on your windows.
- Interior Shine. If you’re after a non-greasy, streak-free matte finish, then this is what you’re looking for.
- Leather & Vinyl Interior Conditioner. Not only does it restores the natural look and feel of leather and vinyl but also prevents the surfaces from cracking, drying or fading as it contains UV blockers.
Top 5 cars with elegant car interior part designs
What makes a car’s interior look or feel luxurious? Is it the color, the upholstery, the factory-fresh smell, the car’s technology or the immersive, tailored experience? My opinion is there is no one specific aspect of a car’s interior that can solely determine whether or not it gives off a vibe of elegance. Instead, it’s from the feel of materials to the touch of a car’s technology that elevates the driving experience to luxury. Below are some of the features that define modern elegance in cars today;
- Material quality. Luxury cars are draped in premium leather upholstery, high-grade metals and even carbon fiber.
- Craftsmanship. The details are often hand-stitched.
- Temperature-controlled comfort. Temperature-controlled seats are a major staple in the world of luxury cars
- Advanced technology. As time goes by we see the entry of topnotch tech into the automobile industry ranging from large, high-resolution infotainment screens to advanced driver assistance systems.
- Rear passenger amenities. Often overlooked, this is one of the determinants of luxury and comfort in cars today. Think rear-seat entertainment systems, reclining rear seats.
So then what are the top five car brands with luxury interiors?
- Mercedes-Benz. Benz interiors come with sleek designs that pay attention to craftsmanship, pioneering technology like Mbux system with AI not to forget the ergonomic designs that blend well with aesthetics.
- Porsche. What sets the Porsche apart from the rest of the brands is the balance of luxury and sportiness. Equipped with a sports car DNA that brings about driver-focused designs even in their SUV models.
- Rolls-Royce. One thing you’ll love about the Rolls is their unparalleled craftsmanship when it comes to handmade elements. Their car’s interior designs bring elegance down to the minute detail and it’s always a masterpiece.
- Bentley. We all have to agree that Bentley might just be the heritage of British luxury craftsmanship. From their extensive use of hand stitched craftsmanship to unique wood veneer options and technology, Bentley’s blend of traditional luxury with modern technology has got to be their secret formula.
- Audi. Audi might just be the underdog of luxury brands. It’s not only about their minimalistic, modern design language, it’s their use of high-quality, precisely fitted designs, the emphasis on clean lines and uncluttered spaces that makes them sore high above the rest.