Getting regular maintenance done to your vehicle improves its overall performance and keeps you safe on the road. Here’s 6 reasons to keep in mind why it’s important to stay on top of your car's maintenance schedule. 1.    Saves money When it comes to taking care of your vehicle, you have to spend money to save money. By following a routine car maintenance schedule, you’ll avoid bigger issues down the road. Regular servicing ensures problems get caught early. This will improve the efficiency and lifespan of your vehicle, no matter how old it is. And that is money well spent! 2.    Minimizes heavy vehicle repair Lack of repairs or maintenance can potentially cause your vehicle to become unsafe on the road. Preventative vehicle maintenance helps reduce breakdowns, allowing you to make the most of your vehicle safely! 3.    Improves performance Keeping up with your regular maintenance will keep your vehicle operating ... read more

Why Is My Car Making a Clicking Noise? If your car is making a Clicking or Ticking noise you've come to the right place. First we need to understand what a Timing Belt is! What is a Timing Belt? To simply put it; your Engine will not work without your Timing Belt. In order for your Timing Belt to work your Crankshaft and Camshaft Rotation should live in harmony. With both parts linked properly, your Valves and Pistons will operate smoothly. This in turn allows the intake of air into the engine which then produces energy to start your vehicle. How Often Should You Replace It? Our experts here at Frank's recommend changing the timing belt every 60,000 to 100,000 miles. Over time the belt wears down, and if you don't replace it, it may cause significant losses and total engine failure. However, there are signs that you can look out for to know it's time to replace the Timing Belt. Get your Timing Belt checked if: You he ... read more

Why Are My Brakes Making A Grinding Noise? You know what sound we’re talking about - the one your car makes when stopping abruptly. No need to panic! Discovering the issue is the first step. Your Brakes are one of the most critical features on your vehicle. When it comes to your Brakes, be prompt and take action to ensure your safety to avoid any complications or accidents on the road. The grinding you’re hearing during a sudden stop is most likely due to your ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System). This automatically will activate to prevent Skidding and Wheel Lockups. Once your foot is off the pedal the grinding noise should stop. If it continues, you’ll want to schedule a break repair ASAPhere. This could be a sign your vehicle has Worn Brake Pads. Still aski ... read more

How Often Should I Check My Tire Tread Your tires are what literally keep you grounded! With the cold air quickly approaching, now is the time to check them out!   Low tread depth makes it harder to stop your car which can be dangerous when driving in the rain, sleet, and snow.   What Are The Reasons Your Tires Have Early or Irregular Wear? Improper Inflation Pressure Out-of-Spec Tire Alignment Lack of Tire Rotation That's why it is so important to maintain regular maintain regular service. Taking care of your tires will not only keep you and others safe on the road but will save you money in the long run as well. Here at Frank's we recommend checking them at least once a month!     If It's that time to Check Your Tires and Service Your Vehicle, bri ... read more

If that annoying light on your dashboard is on again, you might be thinking, "Oh great! How do I deal with this now?" Don't worry! Frank's is here to help. One of the most common things that will trigger a warning light is a low fluid level and there are several types of fluids that a car or truck needs regularly to operate. They include Wiper Fluid, Engine Oil, Engine Coolant, Brake Fluid and Power Steering Fluid. So what are these mystery liquids? How do you know what you need when and how do you solve it? Let's take a look, in a very simple way, at how these all work... Under the hood of a 2015 Kia Forte. Can you tell where all fluid reservoirs are? Keep reading to find out. More or less the only fluid that you may want to change yourself is your wiper fluid level. When you get in your car on a pollen-filled day or are driving down a briny winter road you know you have to use the wiper wash feature on your car to clean the windshield. That little mist of watery ... read more

Many drivers are finding themselves off schedule from their routine service with new driving habits. You may be left wondering when should you really change your oil? Depending on the age of your vehicle, the type of oil that you use, and the driving conditions, oil service intervals will vary. Most newer vehicles specify a synthetic motor oil that has an extended service life. Quality full synthetic motor oils driven under the right conditions can be stretched as far as 10,000 to 15,000 miles! More realistically though you will end up servicing your car around 5,000 miles. Very few drivers meet all of the criteria to utilize the full potential of advanced synthetic motor oils.  Before you get too excited that you never need to change the oil there are a few things to keep in mind!    Most drivers do not operate under pristine high mileage driving conditions in a short time to take full advantage of the oil's potential mileage life. No matter what the mile ... read more

What should you do if the water in fuel warning message comes on in your Ford Powerstroke truck? First of all, you do not need to worry, this is a message indicating that the fuel water separator needs to be drained. Minimize driving until you can service the system to avoid water-related damage or contamination.  The Ford Powerstroke Fuel and water separator is located on the driver's side frame rail just under the driver's seat. It is a large aluminum housing with a black plastic cap to the rear and four fuel lines. Before getting under the truck you will need a drain pan and Allen wrench to drain the water separator. Slide under the truck and remove the Allen plug (indicated by the red arrow) in the lower portion of the pump/separator. After allowing the fuel to drain simply resecure the plug and clean up! Cycle the ignition key to the on position and wait 30 seconds before turning off and repeating. After 2 complete cycles start the truck as you normally wou ... read more

In the world of COVID, we have all been driving less than normal lately. A common question that we field is "Do I need to change my oil, I only drove 2,000 Miles?" Well, the short answer is that it is your car and you can do whatever you want!!!! What SHOULD you do to avoid issues? Read on..... The industry experts and manufacturers recommend never going over one year between services. The reasoning for this service interval is multi-faceted. The main component of the motor oil will breakdown and collect moisture and contamination over time. Additionally, the oil filter element is made of fleece paper, this paper will also breakdown with age and can deteriorate.   Most of all we must keep in mind that the service performed during an oil service involve much more than simply changing the motor oil and filter. Our ASE-certified technicians will review the complete vehicle to spot mechanical faults before they adversely affect you. We ... read more

Searching for that perfect gift for the car nut, new driver, or just that guy who already has everything on your list? Check out our list of the 10 best car accessories that fit under the tree this year: A car cleaning kit for the DIY type: Bucket, Soap, Microfiber towels, upholstery cleaner Gift certificates for car wash and detail for the DIFM (Do It For Me) type! Portable car vacuum (remember the "DustBuster"!!) Amazon Echo Auto, bring Alexa on your road trips! Tile Pro Bluetooth Tracker, never lose your keys again! Car driving experience, there are options to drive Nascar style stock cars, open wheel cars and production cars Dashboard mounted camera, you can never be too careful All Weather floor mats Emergency prep kit: Jumper cables, gloves, first aid kit Phone Holder to keep your hands on the wheel

Let's face it, unfortunately car repairs can be expensive. So when can you utilize car insurance to lessen in the burden? We recently had a Cadillac SRX sport utility vehicle in for a headlight concern. This particular model of Cadillac is equipped with a High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamp system. Diagnosis of the lighting system revealed that the HID ballast had failed and would be quite an expensive repair. After further interviewing the client it turns out that while driving an object struck the headlamp and caused the failure. Since it turns out that the HID failure was a result of accidental road damage we were able advise the client to contact his insurance carrier. Happily the insurance company was able to provide the needed coverage and the client was able to utilize the coverage for repairs and not pay out of pocket. Our advisors are here to serve you and assist however we can. Whether you have an extended warranty or an insurance claim our seasoned advisors can guide you to ... read more