Learn the trade. Six months. Your schedule.
A step-by-step automotive course for beginners: shop safety, tools, maintenance, engines and more. Short lessons, a quiz after each one, and a CCM Certified certificate when you pass every exam.
The Course
Start with the basics. Build real skills.
No experience needed. You begin with shop safety and the tools of the trade, then move through maintenance, engines, brakes, electrical systems and diagnosis, one week at a time.
Each lesson takes 10 to 15 minutes. Weeks unlock in order, so every skill builds on the last, and you can study on your phone or your computer with your progress saved.
What you will be able to do
- Check engine oil, coolant, brake and transmission fluids
- Change oil and a filter, step by step
- Read a micrometer and a torque wrench
- Lift a car safely and spot fire and chemical hazards
- Inspect tires, belts, hoses and brakes
- Explain how a four-stroke engine makes power
What a week looks like
Real shop topics, taught in short lessons with checklists, guides and quizzes.
Shop safety
Protect yourself before you touch a car.
Your toolbox
Wrenches, sockets, torque and shop equipment.
Lifting a car safely
Lift points, jack stands and lifts.
Oil and filter change
The most common job in any shop.
Under-hood walkaround
Find and check every fluid, belt and hose.
How engines work
From the four-stroke cycle to a full rebuild.
Open a week to see its lessons
Week 1Welcome to the shop5 lessons
- How a car is put together
- The shop safety mindset
- Lifting a car safely
- Fire, fuel and chemical hazards
- Electrical and high-voltage safety basics
Week 2Your toolbox5 lessons
- Wrenches and sockets
- Screwdrivers, pliers, hammers and pry tools
- Torque wrenches and torque specs
- Power and air tools
- Shop equipment
Week 3Measuring, fastening, sealing5 lessons
- Shop math
- Precision measuring tools
- Bolts, nuts and threads
- Gaskets, seals and sealants
- Service information and work orders
Week 4Maintenance that pays for itself5 lessons
- The under-hood walkaround
- Oil and filter change, step by step
- Coolant, brake and other fluids
- Tires, wipers, lights and the inspection checklist
- Recycling, disposal and working like a pro
Week 5How engines make power5 lessons
- The four-stroke cycle
- Combustion basics
- Engine layouts and firing order
- Valvetrain types and variable valve timing
- Gas, diesel, rotary and hybrid engines
Weeks 6-9Inside the engine, testing, rebuilding, cooling20 lessons
- Cylinder heads, camshafts, pistons and crankshafts
- Compression and leak-down testing
- Engine teardown and rebuild
- Cooling and lubrication systems
Try a real question
This question is from Week 4. Pick an answer.
How tight should the drain plug be?
Choose how you pay
Both options unlock the full course, with your progress saved on every device.
- Full course unlocked
- New weeks added as they are released
- Quizzes, checkpoints and part exams
- CCM Certified certificate
- Everything in the full course
- Spread the cost over time
- 6 monthly payments, then it is paid in full
- Cancel any time, keep the month you paid for
- CCM Certified certificate
7-day money-back guarantee on the $949 full course. Complete the first week, then tell us how and why the course was not as described, and we refund you in full within 7 days of purchase. The monthly plan has no refund period: cancel any time, keep the month you paid for, and you are not charged again. The monthly plan is 6 payments in total. Card payments through Stripe.
Ready for ASE? Add the prep courses
When you complete the course you are CCM Certified. If you then want to pursue ASE certification, optional ASE prep courses are available separately.
FAQ
Is CCM Certified the same as ASE certification?
No. CCM Certified is awarded by Crash Course Mechanic when you complete this course. Crash Course Mechanic is not affiliated with ASE, and CCM Certified is not an ASE certification, a government license or an accredited degree. ASE certification is a separate exam program that also requires work experience. Our optional ASE prep courses, sold separately, help you prepare for those tests after you finish.
Do I need tools or a car?
You can learn from the lessons without them. Hands-on practice is much better with basic hand tools and a car you are allowed to work on, and the course tells you what to buy first.
What is the refund and cancellation policy?
If you buy the full course for $949, you can request a full refund within 7 days of purchase. Complete the first week, then tell us how and why the course was not as described. Week one unlocks the moment you enroll. The $249 monthly plan has no refund period, but you can cancel any time: you keep the month you paid for and are not charged again.
How do I earn CCM Certified?
You become CCM Certified by passing every weekly checkpoint and every part exam, and then passing the final exam. Your CCM Certified certificate is issued by Crash Course Mechanic.
Is it all theory?
No. Lessons are built around jobs you can do, with step-by-step guides such as an oil and filter change. You still need to practice on a real car to build skill.
How long does it take?
The suggested pace finishes in about six months. You can go slower or faster, but weeks unlock in order.
Is this a substitute for a shop instructor?
No. Lifting, fuel, electrical and high-voltage work can injure you. Always follow the vehicle’s service information, and have a qualified person supervise the first time you try a job.