A modern vehicle is essentially a small computer network on wheels — typically 40 or more electronic control units talking to each other across one or more CAN bus networks, controlling everything from the engine and transmission to the windows and the entertainment system. When something electrical goes wrong, the symptom (a dead window, an intermittent gauge, a phantom dashboard light) rarely tells you where the actual fault is. Frank's Automotive in New Braunfels does proper auto electrical repair — meaning we trace the circuit, find the fault, and fix it once.
What's involved
An electrical diagnostic and repair at our shop:
- Module scan across all control units, not just the engine — body control module, transmission, ABS, airbag, infotainment, climate, etc. Many electrical faults show codes in modules a basic scan won't read
- Wiring inspection — looking for chafe points, melted insulation, rodent damage (real and increasingly common), corrosion at connectors, and damaged grounds
- Circuit tracing with wiring diagrams specific to your year/make/model — voltage drop tests, continuity tests, signal scopes
- Lighting — headlights, brakes, turn signals, interior, DRLs. LED-conversion troubleshooting where customers have done their own conversions
- Computer module replacement and programming — some modules require programming or coding after replacement; we have the tools for most makes
- Repair, not just replace — a wiring repair is often the right answer, not a $400 module replacement
We write up what we found and what it costs before doing the work. Electrical can spiral if you're not deliberate; we're deliberate.
When to bring it in
Bring it in for any of:
- Intermittent dashboard lights — battery, ABS, traction, airbag, check engine
- Electrical components not working — power windows, locks, mirrors, sunroof, seats
- Headlights or taillights dim, flickering, or dead
- No-start or hard-start with no engine mechanical symptoms (often electrical — ignition switch, starter relay, security system)
- Drained battery overnight despite a healthy battery and alternator (parasitic draw — we use a current clamp on the battery cable to find which circuit is drawing when the vehicle is off)
- Gauges that fluctuate or read incorrectly
- Strange behaviors after a recent repair elsewhere
Why Frank's for electrical repair
Our techs are ASE Certified, we have the scan tools, scopes, and OEM-equivalent diagnostic software to read every module on most vehicles, and we have wiring diagrams for current-generation vehicles. We repair wiring rather than reflexively replacing modules. The work is covered by our 24-month / 24,000-mile warranty.
Call us with the symptoms — what's not working, when it started, what was recently serviced — and we'll get you on the diagnostic schedule. Request an appointment or call (830) 627-3939.