Patrick Warburton lends his great big, manly voice to Joe Swanson, the cop in a wheelchair on Family Guy. The animated Fox comedy is an ironic misnomer: The adult-themed dialogue hardly makes it a show for all to enjoy in the living room.

In real life, the New Jersey native, 47, is well aware of the irony, being a father of four. The actor’s life — and career — revolves around the homestead, as we found out while he was tackling his “one hour and 15 minute’’ (each way) commute from L.A. The former Seinfeld star is currently filming season 6 of CBS’s Rules of Engagement and travels nightly to get home to the Ventura County house he shares with said kids and wife of 20 years, college sweetheart Cathy Jennings.

“It’s a long drive, but I’ve got a good route,’’ he says. “I manage to stay off the freeways for the most part and driving around the ocean on the Pacific Coast Highway’s not so bad.’’

How to pass the time? “I listen to a lot of Howard.” Stern, he means.

Not that Warburton would ever venture onto the shock jock’s radio show. “He’s too good of an interviewer. I don’t understand what benefit it could have. I could get into nothing but trouble.’’

It’s not easy doing a phone interview in the car, as Warburton found out. He had to stop the conversation twice: Once to buy a coffee for the road, and another because a police car rode up behind him and he thought he was being pulled over (false alarm).

If he does indeed get flagged, the actor occasionally gets a pass. “There has been the curiosity factor,’’ he says. “But I like to think it’s because I try to remain polite and cordial.’’

Many fans still remember Warburton as Elaine’s dimwitted but hunky boyfriend Puddy.

He looks back on the Seinfeld days fondly, especially costarring with Michael Richards, aka Kramer, who dropped off the scene after a racially charged standup show.

“When you look at the work Michael did on that show, it’s incredible,’’ he says. “He created the most whimsical, clever, insane character ever in the realm of half-hour television.’’

Warburton’s booming voice has helped him land another great part, as the new Honda pitchman. Again, dad’s doing it for the home team.

“I’m attracted to the hours. Voiceover work is the best time commitment in the business,’’ he says. “It’s been great for the kids. They’ve seen more of me growing up that I saw of my father [a doctor].’’

Warburton is a pretty big star but getting recognized isn’t that much of a problem. “Sometimes I’ll have on the hat and the sunglasses and someone thinks they know you, but once they hear the voice it tips them off. They say, ‘Oh, I thought that was you.’ ’’

Madeleine Marr