How Are Car Parts Labeled?

A typical car has thousands of parts from the smallest nuts and bolts to its engine block. These components work together to get you down the road safely and efficiently, but understanding how they all fit together can be a challenge.

There are a variety of ways car parts can be labeled to ensure easy identification and cataloging. They can be labeled with part numbers, OEM (original equipment manufacturer) labels or barcodes. They can also be identified by their description or even by using an image to describe them.

The auto industry has developed two standards, ACES and PIES, that provide a machine-readable format for exchanging automotive product information with suppliers and distributors, including online retailers and MRP and inventory systems. ACES and PIES are based on the standard Vehicle Catalog Dataset (VCdb), which has more than 60,000 specific combinations of year/make/model vehicles dating back to 1896 for US-manufactured vehicles, plus nine additional vehicle segments such as agriculture, construction, lawn and garden, marine propulsion, power generation and railway.

The VCdb also includes vehicle attributes such as drive type, front wheel and rear wheel drive and transmission system. This allows retailers to easily search for the correct car parts and make sure they are ordering the right products. It also helps dealers identify the best parts to sell to consumers and help them save money on maintenance and repairs. One example is the muffler, which removes noise from exhaust gases and helps protect the catalytic converter that changes harmful emissions into safe gasses that are released into the air through the tailpipe. When a muffler is not working properly, it can increase a car’s emission levels, resulting in costly repairs.