What does the 'C' on the dashboard mean?
2 Answers
"C" is the first letter of the English word "cool," meaning cold. Below is an introduction to some dashboard components: 1. Water temperature gauge: The sensor for the water temperature gauge is a thermistor-type sensor. It is fixed with threads to the engine cooling water passage. The thermistor determines the current flowing through the coil winding of the water temperature gauge, thereby driving the pointer to swing. Nowadays, many car engine cooling systems use specialized coolant. 2. Oil pressure gauge: The sensor for the oil pressure gauge is a piezoresistive sensor. It is threaded into the engine oil pipeline. The oil pressure pushes a contact piece to move along a resistor, changing the resistance value and thus affecting the current passing through the gauge to the ground. 3. Speedometer and odometer: The speedometer and odometer are actually composed of two gauges. One is the speedometer, and the other is the odometer. Traditional speedometers are mechanical, with a typical mechanical odometer connected to a flexible shaft containing a steel cable. The other end of the flexible shaft is connected to a gear in the transmission. The rotation of the gear drives the steel cable to rotate, which in turn drives a magnet inside the odometer's cover ring to rotate. The cover ring is connected to the pointer and keeps the pointer at zero through a hairspring. The speed of the magnet's rotation causes changes in the magnetic field lines.
I guess you were a bit confused when you first saw the 'C' icon on the dashboard, just like I was when I started driving. This 'C' stands for Celsius, the temperature unit, and usually appears in the temperature display area, indicating either the external ambient temperature or the engine coolant temperature. For example, in winter, if it drops below zero, a negative value next to 'C' warns you that roads may be icy, requiring careful driving. In summer, a high temperature reading could signal an engine overheating warning. Ignoring this signal might lead to engine failure or battery issues. Once, my car's sensor was faulty, and I didn't notice the temperature spike, which resulted in a breakdown midway. So, make it a habit to glance at the dashboard regularly while driving—don't wait for a red warning light to panic.
