Huntington Beach Auto Repair

Photo by Mira Kireeva on Unsplash Your Alignment FAQs Answered Your car's alignment is one of those things–when it’s off, you can just tell. Some people realize that their vehicle has some alignment issues as soon as they pull out of the driveway, especially if they’re in the vehicle every day. However, even though you can feel that alignment being off, you may not know what this means and how high of a priority it is for your vehicle. The Basics of An Alignment  Many auto shops will use the terms alignment, tire alignment, and suspension alignment interchangeably. Regardless, your alignment is going to adjust the suspension of your vehicle. If these are out of alignment, you put pressure on other joints and points of your car. That’s one of the reasons alignment is so important: an improperly aligned set of wheels can affect every other part of your c ... read more

Photo by averie woodard on Unsplash A Cheat Sheet To Prepping For Road Trips Roooooooad trip!   Are you and your family headed out on the road to enjoy California's fresh air and beautiful views? Are you going even further? This will be a great experience, but make sure you have everything you need before heading out.    We highly suggest a checklist that includes essentials, needs, and wants for your road trip. What does this look like? Well, it’s essential you have your medications, toothbrush, and contact solution. This should go on the top of the list and be double, then triple-checked before heading out. Every person in your family will likely have a different list! You need clothes for each day of your trip, so don’t forget them! And you likely want a book or your headphones. These are things that you could also buy on the road.  The Es ... read more

We've all seen that scene in a car racing movie. The one where both drivers look at each other during the countdown, as they press their foot down on the accelerator. The anticipation builds as the camera switches to their dashboard as the needle approaches the red before they finally speed off. Haven't you always wanted to know what that meant? Well, let's find out. RPM is an acronym that stands for Revolutions Per Minute. It is unit used to measure the rotational speed of an object around an axis. In the context of cars, it represents the number of rotations that an engine's rotary components makes within a minute. This consists of the crankshaft and piston. An engine's crankshaft is the center of rotational power as it converts the vertical movement of the pistons into rotational movement. The piston is a component that initiates the vertical movement in order for the rotation to happen. A car's RPM can be seen on the tachometer, which is usually next to th ... read more

Photo by athree23 on Pixabay How We Process Your Feedback At HB Auto, we do feedback a little differently.   It’s one of the most challenging and rewarding parts of running our own business. We want everyone to have the best experience they’ve ever had at HB Auto, and we train our staff to provide that experience. We are filled with gratitude when our customers hop on Google, Yelp, or any other website to tell us what we are doing right (or wrong!).  Feedback Provides US New Opportunities To Grow  We take everyone’s feedback seriously. HB Auto is not a mechanic shop that will get defensive or tell the customer they’re wrong. Instead, we take every opportunity to learn from any negative experiences a customer has, change our standard operating procedures to reflect their concerns, and make things right with the customer.    ... read more

Photo by tortugadatacorp on Pixabay Time For A Tire Check  STOP! You have reached a tire checkpoint. Are your wheels doing okay?   Summer is a hazardous season for car tires, though we might not think about it that way. We worry about our tread during the winter, where slick roads may make our cars slide around. But the summer is notorious for scorching hot asphalt and long road-trips. As you can imagine, scorching hot asphalt is not ideal for already worn tires. Checking Your Own Tires  You’ll want to bring your car to a professional if your tires are worn. But how will you know? Here are four tips for checking your own tires:   Look for wear and tear. If you have visible wear and tear on your tires, this should be your sign to immediately go to a professional. A nail sticking out of your tire isn’t going to get any better. Chec ... read more

Photo by Ninofficialphotography on Pixabay Understanding Your Modern Automobile Air Conditioner Are you sweating during your morning commute?    It’s hard enough to get to work some mornings. Don’t let the drive over be another factor in an already busy day. If you’re at your wit's end with your car’s A/C, you might be surprised to find that modern automobile air conditioners are a little different than the ones you learned about when you first hit the road. What’s changed the most about your A/C system over the years is its refrigerant: freon isn’t used anymore! No More Freon Freon is a refrigerant previously used in vehicle ACs, and some vehicles may still be running on it. The EPA has required vehicles made after January 2020 to use R410A, colloquially named Puron. But vehicle manufacturers stopped using ... read more

Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash Here Comes Summer 2022! Merry Summer, Surf City, USA! It’s finally here! After the craziness of the last few years, it feels nice to think about kicking back and relaxing this Summer. Let's go over the top 5 beach destinations in Huntington Beach and some upcoming car shows. Top 5 Beach Destinations Near Huntington Beach  Yes, we love to talk about cars here at HB Auto & AC. But we also love to talk about Huntington Beach! The must-see beach destinations include:   1. The Pier. An iconic and classic experience, this is a must-see for tradition's sake. You can’t keep the Huntington Beach Pier off your list, even if you’ve done it a million times!   2. Downtown. Downtown Huntington Beach is cool enough on its own any day of the year. But during the Summer, the streets really light up! With tons of fam ... read more

An engine misfire is a condition where the engine does not fire correctly. This can be due to a number of reasons, such as a dirty spark plug, a problem with the ignition system, or a fuel system issue. When an engine misfires, it can cause a loss of power and efficiency and can also lead to damage to the engine over time. What Causes An Engine Misfire? There are a few different things that can cause an engine to misfire. One of the most common causes is a dirty or fouled spark plug. When a spark plug becomes dirty, it can prevent the spark from igniting the fuel correctly, causing a misfire. Another common cause of engine misfires is a problem with the ignition system. If there is a problem with the spark plugs, wires, or coil, it can cause an ignition misfire. Finally, fuel system issues can also cause an engine to misfire. If the fuel is not getting to the engine correctly, or if it is not burning properly, it can cause a misfire. What Are The Symptoms Of An Engine Misfire? The ... read more

Photo by Randy Tarampi on Unsplash   Do you think you know everything about your car? Check again! There can be specific details and functions you may not know about. At HB Auto & AC, we want you to know as much as possible about your vehicle to enjoy everything it has to offer. If you are interested in learning some things you may not know about your car, please continue reading!   Most modern cars operate on a push-button ignition system. This system is tied to your vehicle’s computer and works by sensing that the brake is pushed down, allowing you to start your car. If your stop light switch goes out, your push-button ignition might not work, leading you not to be able to start the vehicle. This can get mis ... read more

Photo by Susan Sewert from Pixabay   What’s Up With Extended Warranties? We’ve all gotten at least one call or voicemail by now.   “Hello…we’ve been trying to reach you regarding your extended warranty…”   And though these phone calls aren’t 100% viable, they at least bring awareness to an important issue at hand for car owners. If you’ve had enough time to ignore the call, delete the voicemail, and wonder about your extended warranty even is, you’re not alone. Understanding your car’s extended warranty can save you tons of cash in the long run.   Your extended warranty is something you usually opt into at t ... read more