Huntington Beach Auto Repair

Photo by autowelt_2014 on Pixabay   Welcome to November! It’s a month of reacquainting ourselves with our families as the holiday season begins. In the United States, we share the annual tradition of a large turkey dinner with our family to recognize the grateful pilgrims. After a difficult crossing over the Atlantic Ocean, they arrived centuries ago and managed to thrive in their first year.    And we should show gratitude to all the players in our story who help us out:   ·  The family who love and support us.   ·  The friends who care for us.   ·  The neighbors who accept and respect us.   ·  Even the pets who love us despite our flaws.     As a car owner, where would you be if your car refused to start tomorrow?    Our cars have held up in terrible circumstances for many drivers, managed to make it for miles on fumes, and handled potholes, bumps, and near-mi ... read more

We're all aware of how great the state of California is - it is the "Golden State," after all. It is the most populated state in the US with roughly 40 million residents, and a populated state means lots of cars. With that many cars, the pollution in the area can be detrimental. To minimize vehicle emissions, California instated a rule requiring most vehicles to go through a smog check to better the air quality. The air we breathe is precious, and everyone should do their part to ensure clean air for generations to come.   The Smog Check Program has proven to reduce air pollution over the last several decades. Smog checks are intended to identify cars with high levels of emissions and have them fixed to be more efficient. If you reside in Huntington Beach, CA, passing a smog test is required if you want to register your vehicle.    What Vehicles Require a Smog Check? The rule states that every gasoline-powered car, alternative fuel vehicle, and hybrid ... read more

Photo by S. Hermann & F. Richter on Pixabay   October is one of our favorite months of the year. Lots of significant events happen in October. There’s Fall Carnivals, Halloween, and there’s a deluge of incredible sporting events, including baseball, soccer, football on the national, collegiate, and local high school scale, and more. It’s a great month, and it ramps up into winter very quickly.   In case you didn’t know, getting your brakes repaired this month is a good idea. The winter season is quickly approaching, and events are in motion that will make your brakes incredibly important. There are three other significant reasons why October is the best month to get your brakes repaired.   School’s back in session. With kids running home from school again, you need to watch out for sudden surprises on the road. If your brakes are starting to fade, a need for a sudden stop could turn deadly. Give yourself and the kids in your area eve ... read more

Your senses are very dependable when it comes to detecting vehicle problems. Besides seeing things that need repairs, it is essential to hear and smell what is occurring. Smell is often overlooked when driving, but it can be very telling. At first, you may think it'll go away. But if a scent lingers, then it's time you do some digging around. For instance, if you are in your car and smell the scent of what reminds you of rotten eggs, then you may need to pay closer attention to what we have to say.   The presence of an awful odor isn't something that anyone would enjoy smelling. If you are in your vehicle and smell sulfur, you need to recognize this as a problem. Three things can cause your car to have this terrible smell. You may be experiencing a broken catalytic converter, a failing fuel pressure sensor or worn-out fuel filter, or aged transmission fluid. Broken Catalytic Converter: Your catalytic converter is a component of the emissions system. Whenever gasolin ... read more

Photo by Brice Cooper on Unsplash It’s been a rough past year, and we’ve got one more important month to get through-- the dry, hot days of September. The hottest month of the year, August is also the least wet month. As we enter the decay of Autumn, the dry weather and blistering heat make wild areas, forests, and savannas brittle and combustible, and it only takes one careless spark to destroy the homes and livelihoods of millions of people.  An essential element in a repeating crisis is that we learn from the mistakes of previous years without realizing through loss. In the event that disaster strikes and you need to self-evacuate, it is vital that you adequately prepare your vehicle for what could be a long trip and that you are ready to go (if and when the call comes).  Here are some helpful tips to ensure that your vehicle is eva ... read more

Distracted driving is the leading cause of horrific and deadly car accidents. From fiddling with the audio to eating to checking your phone, they're all very dangerous. As a responsible driver, you should freshen up your knowledge of distracted driving and get pointers on improving your focus on the road!   CELL PHONE As you have probably guessed, your phone is the biggest distraction of all. You should not even be on your phone in the first place, considering most states have laws enforced to restrict texting and phone calling while driving. It is best to put your phone on "Do Not Disturb" and out of your sight whenever you get behind the wheel.    MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT Finding the perfect temperature or your favorite music is a difficult task when operating a vehicle. It may be a natural habit for you, but some studies suggest that it's a common cause of traffic fatalities. It would be best to adjust your control systems and set aside a playli ... read more

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