Huntington Beach Auto Repair

Photo by Anja on Unsplash Summer’s Here; Time To Check Your A/C We’re pretty lucky here in Huntington Beach: we experience paradise like temperatures year-round. Summer in Cali has arrived, and it’s making things pretty warm. We’re only halfway through the summer, so it might be time to check the status of your A/C.    Maybe you’ve already taken your summer road trip, or you’ve got a few coming up. Things will only get hotter, and if you’re a Huntington Beach local, you know the Summer goes on and on. It’s a pain to drive around with a broken A/C, and sometimes minor fixes prevent you from needing more significant fixes down the line. You should bring your car in right away if:   There’s no airflow through your A/C. Something is wrong if you turn your fans all the way up and the air isn't coming through.  ... read more

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 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

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

The move to weekly blogs  HB Auto & AC has been your local park for over 25 years. We’ve watched many of our customers raise families to retire. Now we look after some of the kids of our original customers, and soon, we’ll be serving their grandkids!   As we go, we’re starting to grow. We want to connect with more people and talk to them about cars, AC, and Huntington Beach. The best way of doing it is by sharing some vital information and advice on our weekly blogs. Another important thing you may have noticed recently, our April blog was published last week on the 4th, instead of on the 1st, as we usually do. That’s because we’re switching to a weekly format.  Sneak peek at new weekly blogs.  Don't worry-- the increase in blogs won't slow us down, or change the quality of our content. HB Auto & AC will continue to give you advice on cars, share more ideas to keep your vehicle in good condition and learn more about ... read more

Image by @Tumisu at Pixabay How To Deal With An Accident  Do you know what to do if you get in a car accident?   We never know how we will react to a stressful situation until we are thrown into it. As much as we prepare for the worst, sometimes our fight, flight, or freeze runs the show when we are under pressure. That’s why it’s so important to have your emergency plan solidified and ready to go, just in case. Nobody wants to get on their phone to Google “what should I do after an accident?” while they wait for the police to show up.  What To Do Right After a Car Accident  In general, you should follow these steps after you get in a car accident: Remove yourself and any passengers from the vehicle if you can and get to safety.  If you are injured or unable to move, call 911 and wait for emergency personnel ... read more

Image by TheDigitalWay at Pixabay Car thefts are rising in 2022. It seems like you can’t get on any neighborhood or social media app without seeing the news of another stolen car.   And if the car isn’t stolen, we often hear of poor souls who have gotten their catalytic converter taken out. Catalytic converter thefts increased rapidly over the last year, with claims across the nation going up 293%. Your catalytic converter helps your car with its emissions by converting toxic substances into less toxic pollutants. You might be wondering why a thief would want to get their hands on it, and the answer is simple: the precious metal it’s made of can get them a few hundred bucks or more at most scrap yards.    Getting your car or one of its parts stolen is one of the most stressful things that can happen to you. Getting a catalytic converter replaced is ex ... read more