OBD II Terminology In Accordance With SAE Standard J193O

Every profession seems to have it's own secret language. The automotive trade has been no exception, with manufacturers creating their own special names and acronyms for even common components. The SAE committee responsible for terminology has created a procedure for creating names by following the logical progression shown above. This process has generated a list of standard terms for components already in use and insures that manufacturers will create names which will convey meaning rather than obscure it when naming new components.

To use the above example: "Idle Air Control Valve":

^ The basic concept is Valve.
^ Control indicates that the valve has a controlling function.
^ Air tells us that the valve controls air (airflow)
^ Idle finally, tells us what sort of air the valve controls, i.e. idling air.