Caveat Academy course · Grades 9 to 12

Automotive Technology

A semester of automotive technology: shop safety and the systems of a vehicle, how engines turn fuel into motion, oil, cooling and fluids, brakes, tires and suspension, electrical systems and diagnostic codes, and hybrids, electric vehicles and technician careers. Six modules at your own pace, worked with real specifications and numbers, and a certificate at the end.

Start the courseSee the modules
$19one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $19

Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the Career and trades courses, $79 for 18 items.

6 modules · 18 lessonsabout 12 hours$19

Six modules, eighteen lessons

Each module ends with a practice set that tracks mastery, an explain-it-back prompt, a short written response and a module exam. The final opens when every module is proficient; passing it earns a certificate with a verification code.

  1. Module 1: Safety, systems and tools

    Apply shop safety rules, sort symptoms into vehicle systems, and use tools and torque specifications correctly, converting between units.

    • Shop safety
    • The vehicle as a set of systems
    • Tools and measurement
    about 2.1 h

  2. Module 2: How engines work

    Explain the four-stroke cycle, engine parts and gasoline versus diesel combustion, and compute displacement and firing rates.

    • The four-stroke cycle
    • Engine parts and displacement
    • Air, fuel, spark and diesel
    about 2.1 h

  3. Module 3: Lubrication, cooling and fluids

    Interpret oil grades, maintenance intervals, cooling-system behavior and fluid leaks to decide what a vehicle needs.

    • Engine oil
    • The cooling system
    • Other fluids and leaks
    about 2.1 h

  4. Module 4: Brakes, tires, steering and suspension

    Compute hydraulic brake force and tire dimensions, and diagnose brake, tire, steering and suspension symptoms.

    • Hydraulic brakes
    • Tires
    • Steering, suspension and alignment
    about 2.1 h

  5. Module 5: Electrical systems and diagnostics

    Use Ohm's law, battery and charging voltages and OBD-II codes in an evidence-based diagnostic process.

    • Electrical basics
    • Starting and charging
    • Computers and diagnostic codes
    about 2.1 h

  6. Module 6: Hybrids, electric vehicles and careers

    Explain hybrid and electric vehicle systems and high-voltage safety, evaluate repair estimates, and plan a path into automotive careers.

    • Hybrids and electric vehicles
    • Maintenance planning and repair estimates
    • Careers in automotive technology
    about 2.1 h

Try it before you start

This is how every lesson works: step through a worked example at your own pace, then answer a check and get the reason right away. Nothing here is saved; the course keeps your progress.

Module 4 · Tires

Worked example: how tall is the tire?

  1. For P215/60R16, the sidewall height is 60 percent of 215 mm: 0.60 × 215 = 129 mm.

A lesson check from each module

The checks need JavaScript turned on. The course itself works the same way.

What you get

Vocations · Trades & Technical$19 · included with the Academy pass and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A finished semester of automotive technology: you can follow shop safety rules, sort a symptom into the right system, use torque specifications and convert units, explain the four-stroke cycle and compute displacement, read oil grades and diagnose overheating, compute brake force and tire size, use Ohm's law, battery voltages and OBD-II codes in a real diagnostic process, check a repair estimate, and plan a path toward technician training. Passing the final earns a Caveat certificate of completion.
Who it is for
Students in grades 9 to 12 who are curious about how cars work, are considering a career as an automotive, diesel or collision technician, are about to own a first car, or are previewing a school automotive program; homeschool families who want a complete semester unit. It teaches concepts and safe checks only and does not replace supervised shop training.
Format
An online self-paced course: 6 modules and 18 lessons with worked examples you reveal step by step, 144 practice and exam items (multiple choice, numeric, fill-in and ordering), an explain-it-back prompt and a rubric-checked short response in every module, module exams with one retake, a 24-question final and a certificate with a verification code. About 12 hours in all; works on a phone or a computer.
Access
$19 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the course opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Career and trades courses ($79) and the Vocations Suite pass ($99), and 1 more bundle. Progress is saved in this browser on this device, and the certificate page lets you download your record.
Where it lives
The Trades & Technical space in Caveat Vocations.
Support
Access, a receipt, a refund or a correction to the course: team@caveatacademic.com.

How it works

  1. Open the course and start Module 1. Each lesson takes about 25 to 35 minutes; two or three a week finishes the course in about a semester.
  2. Answer the checks as you read. Every answer shows the reason, and a miss links you back to the lesson that covers it.
  3. Finish each module with its practice set and exam. Proficient on every module opens the final; 70 percent passes it.
  4. Print or download your certificate and record from the certificate page.

Start the course

Sources and accuracy

The lessons are original writing by Caveat Academic Services. Facts were checked against these free, open references, which are also good places to read further.

  1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: automotive service technicians and mechanics: bls.gov
  2. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, tire safety and tire identification: nhtsa.gov
  3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, on-board diagnostics (OBD) basics: epa.gov
  4. U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center: hybrid and electric vehicles and charging: afdc.energy.gov
  5. National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), certification: ase.com

Automotive Technology is a self-paced course from Caveat Academic Services. It follows the sequence of a typical one-semester introductory automotive course but does not replace a school shop program, supervised hands-on training or a professional technician, and it does not award credit. Specifications, prices and intervals in worked examples are labeled as examples; always use the values for the specific vehicle. Never work under a vehicle supported only by a jack, and never touch high-voltage parts of hybrid or electric vehicles. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.