Huntington Beach Auto Repair

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash   Is it hot enough for you yet? August reminds us of just how hot the summers in Southern California can be (extremely hot). It can make travel difficult, especially when you go sightseeing or to the beach, only to come back to a car that is essentially a hellish oven.   No one likes getting into a burning hot car on a hot summer day. Huntington Beach is blessed with the ocean breeze, but California’s dry heat can make driving in the summer a miserable experience.   Here are 5 ways to keep your car cool:   Crack the windows when you leave the car - allowing just a little air to breeze in will help keep things tolerable. Also, try opening the back windows when you arrive and fan the driver’s side door over and over again to pump warm air out of the car. Coverage - use a sunshade for the fro ... read more

Keeping your engine at a stable temperature is vital to the longevity of your car. If it gets too cold, your car won't start, but too hot, and it'll stop working in a climactic way. You should do your best to keep your engine at a perfect operating temperature by monitoring its antifreeze. The problem is many people confuse antifreeze with coolant. They might sometimes be interchangeable in certain situations, but they are not the same. We will help you better understand your car's cooling system to avoid this confusion when you take your vehicle into the shop.   What Is Antifreeze?  Antifreeze is a concentrated solution consisting of ethylene glycol and silica. The chemical components help lower the freezing point of the liquid that flows around your vehicle's engine.    What Is Coolant? When combined with water, the antifreeze becomes coolant. This product helps regulate the engine's temperature to keep it from both overheating and being ... read more

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash   Let's explore the difference between minor service and major service, and what these services do for your automobile! Minor and major service can be confused in the conversation for minor and major repairs. Service means the work we do to keep our cars in shape. The word Repair is the signifier; it’s all about undoing the damage we do to our cars. The difference between these two things is that service is the steps that we take to prevent needing repairs.    Your car may be in need of service, but what kind? Let’s take a look at the differences between major and minor service.   Minor Service - a minor service usually takes place at intervals of 7500 miles ... read more

  If your car’s air conditioning goes out on a hot day, your commute to work, running errands, or the beach will be miserable. If it isn’t blowing cool air or even warm air, then your A/C system should be diagnosed immediately.    A non-optimal air conditioning system is a common problem we see here at H B Auto & AC. The root of the problem for your A/C blowing mildly cool or warm air ranges from simple to complex. Sometimes it can be caused by normal wear and tear or damaged or malfunctioning parts within the system. Here are the most common issues: Freon Leak Freon is a non-flammable gas chemical used to cool the external air before it is blown back into your car. Each vehicle needs a specific amount of freon to operate correctly. When there is a leak in the system, the freon will eventually run low or run out. The leak can be caused in numerous ways: a damaged hose, a loose gasket, or just a general loose connection. To fix this, we use a charging ... read more

Photo by Julio Ramirez on Unsplash   Welcome to the June Blog for HB Auto & AC!    Have you ever noticed how many hot rod cars are driving around Huntington Beach, California? Just last month, our blog featured the many events going on this summer. There are dozens of hot rod car events in the summer months.   The area grabs the attention of hot rod collectors and enthusiasts who come from all over to attend the wide range of hot rod events, and for good reasons-- we're the perfect community for it.   Here are some reasons why Huntington Beach draws the hot rod community:   Older demographic --  Classic cars are typically more prevalent among older men and are less popular among the young ... read more

When we are working with our vehicles, there are some parts that fail and do not need replacing promptly. The water pump is not one of these parts, though. It is one of those parts of the engine that cools it down. If it goes, it must be replaced immediately. Here are some warning signs your water pump may need replacing soon. You Notice Unhealthy Circulation When your water pump is functioning correctly, it will move coolant through the radiator and around the engine. It usually runs with the aid of a pully. When it is beginning to fail, the pump will create poor circulation via way of the impeller. Leakage If in the morning you notice there is an orange or green puddle beneath your vehicle, think it may be the water pump. You will want to get the part looked at as soon as you can. Ick What is Ick? Ick is a tell-tale sign of a slow leak. It causes buildup and corrosion on the parts that the water pump circulates the coolant from and to. If you have a slow leak, it is not necessa ... read more

Photo by Wes Tindel on Unsplash With spring starting to shift towards summer and immunizations reaching new highs, people are beginning to get back out and enjoy events again. If you love cars as much as we love repairing and maintaining them, you should know that there are plenty of upcoming car show events around Huntington Beach! Here are some of our favorites:   Gary’s Classic Car Show with Buena Park Emblem Elks Lodge, 7212 Melrose St., Buena Park, CA Every Friday, 4 – 8 PM   Donut Derelicts Cars & Coffee Adams Avenue Donuts, 9015 Adams Ave, Huntington Beach, CA Every Saturday, 5 – 8 AM ... read more

Most people worry about engine pollution from cars plying around the country daily. Fortunately, there is no need for alarm because most manufacturers fit these vehicles with catalytic converters, pollution-reducing units. With decades of war on emissions, this technology is present in virtually every modern exhaust system globally. Governments such as that in the US have enforced laws for manufactures to fit catalytic converters to every manufactured car. The catalytic converter forms a staple base for every emission control. What is a Catalytic Converter and What Does it do? The catalytic convertor technology is a new technology to reduce our vehicle's effect on the atmosphere. Unless yours malfunctions, is stolen, or broken there is no reason for motorists to worry. Its main function is to clean harmful gases from your vehicle's exhaust emissions. How do Catalytic Converters Work? The technology used in catalytic convertors turns harmful chemical reactions into harm ... read more

Welcome to April’s blog! We’re looking over the pros and cons of maintaining your car as opposed to buying a new one when things begin to fall apart. It’s straightforward to tell where an auto mechanic stands: fix your car. But we often see customers bringing in vehicles that are just beyond fixing. They’ve waited too long, pushed it too far, and done the kind of irreparable damage to their engine that makes us wince. We have to advise them that they’d be better off getting a new car and letting go of their current model.  The unfortunate part about that is how much money the client is losing. Preventative maintenance saves money. It costs considerably less to bring your car to the auto mechanic at regular intervals and trust their instruction. You should believe a qualified mechanic when they tell you, “You’ll need to get that timing belt replaced in a few months,” than to drive for an additional year and then have the timing belt ... read more

The check engine light is one of the more mysterious parts of your vehicle. It seems like it can come on right out of the blue, leaving you to wonder what in the world is wrong. As technology continues to advance on vehicles today, trying to discover the exact reason why that light comes on eludes even the most conscientious of drivers. In the end, this is a warning light that should not be ignored. As such, it is wise to know ahead of time what you should do if your check engine light comes on. See a Certified Technician You will want to keep in mind that the check engine light in your vehicle is designed to be a warning signal. While it might not always be clear what it is warning you about, the key is that something may be amiss with your car. To regain the confidence that you need while driving your vehicle, you will want to take it to a certified technician right away. These are professionals who know exactly where to look to determine why the check engine light has come on in t ... read more