A dead car battery is a frustrating and inconvenient issue that many drivers face. There are a variety of reasons why your car battery may be dying, and it's important to understand the root cause in order to prevent future issues. One common reason for a dead car battery is leaving your lights on overnight or for an extended period of time. This can quickly drain your battery and leave you stranded. It's important to always double-check that your lights are turned off before leaving your car. Another reason for a dead car battery is a faulty alternator. A dead car battery is a frustrating and inconvenient issue that many drivers face. There are a variety of reasons why your car battery may be dying, and it's important to understand the root cause in order to prevent future issues. One common reason for a dead car battery is leaving your lights on overnight or for an extended period of time. This can quickly drain your battery and leave you stranded. It's important to always do ... read more

With summer around the corner, the heat may have implications for your vehicle. Did you know that hot weather can be destructive to your vehicle battery? To truly understand the damages that can be done to your car battery, you will need to understand how the battery operates. How Does a Car Battery Work Your vehicle’s battery is responsible for storing electrical charges. The battery has a casing to protect the sulfuric acid inside. Within the battery, chemical reactions take place to create the energy necessary to start your car and power other electrical accessories. That is why most people immediately think to check their battery when their cars experience starting problems.   How Does Heat Affect A Car Battery You might be wondering, “how does the summer heat come into play”. Whenever your car sits in conditions higher than 80 degrees Fahrenheit, it is at risk of deteriorating. When it gets too hot, the sulfuric acid inside the battery can evaporate or ... read more

A car can’t start without a battery. Every fuel-powered vehicle needs a battery to operate the starter motor and get you on your way. In general, a car battery should last for 4 to 6 years, but here are some quick tips to get the longest life out of your battery. How Long Should A Car Battery Last?  Can’t start your car? We can help! Call Frank’s at (215) 355-8877. There are many factors that affect the life of a battery. If you leave your car lights on or your alternator isn’t charging your battery correctly you may find you are unable to start your car. A bad electrical connection in a car’s wiring can also cause a car battery charge and lifetime to decrease. Sometimes a battery can even go bad on its own. Don’t worry though, our replacement batteries come with a warranty for 30 months of free replacement!  Can A Car Battery Be Tested? Yes. Whenever we perform a routine servic ... read more

Have you ever felt like you can’t have enough batteries? Whether it’s replacing those in the TV remote or just charging your phone every night, we all need power. So does your car. A car’s battery helps start the motor, but eventually all batteries lose a charge and you don’t want to get stranded when yours does. Why Is My Car’s Battery Dead?  Having trouble starting your car? Call Frank’s at (215) 355-8877. Now that it’s colder outside you definitely don’t want to find out that your car won’t start because of a dead battery. There are a few things that can affect the life of a battery or cause it to lose power all at once. Here’s a quick list: - Lights left on - Alternator isn’t charging - Extreme temperatures - Parasitic Drain (losing electricity to an unwanted part of the car) - Dirty/corroded terminals - Not using your car for an extended period of time Any of these situations may require a jump st ... read more

In order to start your car’s engine it needs a battery, but what do you do if your battery’s dead and your car won’t start? One solution is a jump start. So here’s a step-by-step guide to successfully jump starting a car. How To Jump Start A Car This skill is right up there with being able to cook. It’s super useful (and kind of impressive!). So let’s get down to the nitty gritty... What You Need To Jump Start A Car If your car doesn’t start, call Frank’s at (215) 355-8877. A jump start is when you use one car’s battery to give another’s enough power to get it started. All you need is two vehicles and a set of jumper cables to transfer the electricity. Keep in mind though, that there are many kinds of motors with many different batteries. A huge diesel truck’s motor probably can’t be successfully started with the power from a small sedan, but using the diesel truck to start the ... read more

As the days continue to get shorter and the winter season sets in there’s one thing we’d all hate to have happen: your car won’t start. This situation really shows us how much we rely on our vehicles, so how can you handle this scenario and prepare so it doesn’t happen? Why Won’t My Car Start? If your car won’t start, call our service advisors immediately at 215-355-8877. There’s certainly no convenient time to find your car won’t start, but don’t panic! Frank’s can easily arrange a loaner car to keep you moving through your day while we troubleshoot your car. Car Won’t Start: Clicking Probably the most common starting condition that prevents a car’s motor from turning over is a weak or dead battery. If you hear a clicking sound when you turn your key, this could be the case. This sound occurs when the battery doesn’t have enough energy to power the starter. Another sign ... read more

How often do you need a new car battery? Standard Lead Acid Automotive batteries in our region typically last anywhere from 4 to 6 years before replacement. Many factors can play a role in the life span of your battery. The main factor is regular use and maintenance of the battery. Luckily for all of us, daily driving will do just about all of the required maintenance on your battery! Not allowing your car battery to "die" or run low on voltage will maintain the life span.  If your battery terminals develop corrosion they should be checked and cleaned ASAP. Maintaining a clean vent path at the terminal and a clean electrical connection will allow the battery to operate for its full life span.  Most car batteries are stored under the hood of the vehicle and readily accessible. During your routine service visits, we will monitor the condition of your battery and even run a quick test to determine the current state of the battery to avoid poten ... read more

Why does my Car Battery Keep Dying? Typically a car battery will last 4-6 years in our area. Extreme temperatures in either direction, hot or cold, will stress the battery and may let you down. The first step is to check the battery itself to verify the storage capacity.    Once we have determined that the battery has the capability to store the proper voltage and deliver the proper amperage we can move on to test the remainder of the system. The next step is to determine if the alternator is able to charge the battery sufficiently. With the engine running the mechanic will verify that the alternator has a proper amperage output and can maintain voltage. The last and final step is to verify that the battery is not draining while sitting. In order to verify this we will test the system for a parasitic draw. Some common items that may cause an unintentional draw are a dome lamp left on, a glove box lamp, or a door partially open!  It is best to periodically test the batte ... read more

Most drivers in Southampton, PA are unhappy to hear that they need to replace their car batteries but according to NAPA 70% of Car Batteries don't make it past four years. Here are few things that drivers in Southampton, PA can do to help increase the life of their battery. Keep it clean: Cleaning dirt and grease from your battery especially from the connectors helps with battery efficiency. Dirty batteries run hotter which will significantly shorten their life. If you notice that your battery is dirty, be sure to mention it to one of our friendly and knowledgeable technicians. We can quickly clean your battery and its connectors anytime you bring your vehicle into our garage. Don't run your battery down: Running your A/C, radio or headlights while your vehicle is not running will deplete your battery. Most batteries can do no more than 10 deep cycle depletions before dying. Let us know if it has been awhile since you've last had your battery life chec ... read more