Big advances in automotive technology have led to the development of high-tech fluids to keep pace. A simple example of this is the cooling system. For decades it was primarily made out of iron, steel and rubber hoses. There was one kind of coolant that protected these components from corrosion.

Now cooling system components are made with various metal alloys and plastics. These materials require different additives to protect them from corrosion. Since the materials used vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, we now have a number of different kinds of coolant at The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. in Bellingham. And it’s important to use the right coolant for your minivan. If you pour in the wrong kind, it won’t protect the cooling system and may even void the warranty. Of course, your considerate The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. advisor will know the proper coolant to use. If you’re concerned you may have use the wrong fluid, be safe and have your The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. technician flush the system and start fresh with the correct fluid.

Brake fluid is confusing for some people in WA. For a very long time, most vehicles used Dot 3 brake fluid. Now we have Dot 4 and Dot 5. Some Bellingham people mistakenly think the higher numbers are an upgrade. You know, if 3 is good then 4 must be better. That’s not how it works. They are different formulations to meet the requirements of differences in brake systems. Only one of them is recommended for your minivan.

Transmission fluid is the same thing. With the tremendous engineering advances in automatic transmissions, there have been several new types of fluids developed to protect and lubricate them. Nowhere are the advances in automotive fluids more evident than in motor oil. Many new weights and formulations have been created to meet the demands of today’s modern engine design.

Modern minivan engines have more parts and much tighter tolerances. Every year, engines make more power and get better fuel economy in Bellingham. And with all the complication and sophistication, they still have to be durable. That’s where the new grades of engine oil come in. They have to be formulated to lubricate, protect and clean all of those minivan engine parts, big and little. The oil has to be thin enough to get into small passages, yet resistant to vaporization.

Your vehicle may have come from the factory with synthetic oil and/or transmission, brake, differential fluid, etc. If so, your recommended service intervals will be based on synthetic-type fluids and you should use the same type when your minivan is serviced at The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc..

Because grades of oil and types of coolant, transmission fluid, brake fluid, etc. are so carefully matched to the vehicle, take care to always use the proper fluid if you are topping off at home. Check your minivan owner’s manual or ask your The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. service advisor. The wrong fluid can cause damage.

Give Steve Hazel a call at The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. in Bellingham

The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc.
360.715.9850
4215 Britton Road
Bellingham, WA 98226

At The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. in Bellingham WA (98226) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 360.715.9850. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Your minivan cooling system’s job is to keep your engine cool. Coolant (also called antifreeze) mixed with water flows through your engine and absorbs heat. The mixture then flows out to the radiator where it’s cooled by air flowing over the radiator. From there the cooled mix circulates back through the minivan engine to absorb more heat.

Coolant, or antifreeze, is specially formulated to keep your engine safe in a wide range of environmental and operating temperatures in Bellingham.

Without coolant, the minivan’s metal engine parts would expand so much that the engine would seize up and stop running.  Expensive parts could be broken or warp so badly they would have to be replaced at The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. in Bellingham. It could even be so bad that the whole engine is ruined and has to be replaced.

Also, if it’s freezing outside in Bellingham, the water in your engine could freeze while your vehicle is sitting out in the WA cold. This is why you check coolant levels frequently and have your cooling system inspected for leaks. Also your manufacturer has a maintenance requirement for draining and replacing your coolant. These recommendations can vary widely, so check your Bellingham owner’s manual or ask your service advisor at The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. in Bellingham.

The reason you need to change the coolant is that it has additives in it to protect the cooling system. As you can imagine, with all the heat, the cooling system’s a pretty harsh environment. The additives keep the fluid from becoming corrosive and damaging the radiator and other Bellingham cooling system components. Over time, the additives are depleted and the coolant just has to be replaced. A simple pH test can measure the coolant’s acidity.

You may have noticed that there are different colors of antifreeze at The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc.: it is very important that you use the correct type.  The different coolant types are different colors so you don’t mix them up.  Manufacturers use different materials to make the cooling system, and they require different types of antifreeze to protect them.

So check with your considerate The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. service advisor or owner’s manual for the right kind because using the wrong coolant can void the warranty for your minivan cooling system.

Ask us about water pump replacement, emissions testing and fuel filter.

Give us a call

The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc.
360.715.9850
4215 Britton Road
Bellingham, WA 98226

At The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. in Bellingham WA (98226) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 360.715.9850. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

A lot of Lynden drivers get custom wheels. When you do this yourself (over the internet . . .) you could run into trouble if you’re not careful. Sometimes, once they’re mounted, they just didn’t fit right. The tires rub in turns or on bumps. You don’t want that.

Consulting a tire professional at The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. can ensure you get the right fit. First he’ll ask you a series of questions about your driving needs in Lynden and what you want in your new wheels.

At The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc., we advise Lynden tire buyers that not every wheel can go on every car. Care must be taken so that tires and wheels are not too large or that the wheel is centered too far towards the outside or the inside so the tires rub.

If you don’t want to make any modifications to your minivan, you need to focus on the wheels that fit. With trucks, some Lynden people like much bigger tires so they need a suspension lift.

Also, most Lynden people don’t realize that you need to keep the rolling diameter of your new tires – that’s, like the overall height of the tire – very close to what came from the factory in order for your anti-lock brakes and stability control systems to work properly.

The minivan’s computers that control these systems are calibrated to a certain size tire. When you go bigger or smaller, the computer doesn’t know what changes you made so it can’t tell how fast you’re going. This, of course, means it sends commands to the brakes and traction control that are based on the wrong speed. If you go with a different rolling diameter, your minivan’s engine control computer can be reprogrammed for the new tire size. For information on reprogramming the engine computer, call us at 360.715.9850.

Either way, there are hundreds of wheel and tire choices to choose from in Lynden. You can pick the style of wheel you want and then talk with your The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. tire professional about how big the wheel should be – and select the right tire to meet your style, performance, ride and handling needs.

At The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. in Bellingham WA (98226) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 360.715.9850. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

The Check Engine Light strikes fear into the hearts of some Bellingham drivers and is totally ignored by just as many. Just what it means is a mystery to most of us in WA.

First, if your minivan check engine light is flashing, that means that something is wrong that could cause severe damage to the catalytic converter or other components. Get that taken care of right away. If your check engine light is flashing, you shouldn’t drive at Bellingham highway speeds, tow or haul heavy loads. Take it easy all the way to The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. in Bellingham.

If the light is glowing steadily, you should keep an eye on it for a day or two. If the light doesn’t go off, schedule an appointment with your Bellingham service advisor to get it checked out.

Some more information from The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. on how the Check Engine Light works may be informative. Most of your minivan engine functions are controlled by a computer, not surprisingly, called an engine control computer. The computer is able to adjust many engine parameters for environmental conditions, engine condition and even the way you drive in Bellingham.

In order to make these adjustments, the minivan computer relies on a network of sensors to provide data. The computer knows the proper operating range for each sensor. When a sensor reading is out of range the computer runs some tests and may turn on the Check Engine Light.

The minivan computer will also try to make adjustments to compensate for some readings. If it can do so, it’ll then turn off the Check Engine Light.

If the problem can’t be resolved then the light will remain on and you should get your minivan looked at at The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc.. Your considerate service technician will plug a scanner into the on-board diagnostic port and read the trouble code stored in the computer. The trouble code will give your The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. technician a starting place as he diagnoses the cause of the problem.

At The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc., we also offer brake service and emissions testing.

Give us a call

The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc.
360.715.9850
4215 Britton Road
Bellingham, WA 98226

At The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. in Bellingham WA (98226) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 360.715.9850. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

With front-wheel drive being so common in Bellingham these days, the differential is just taken care of during a transmission service, so most Bellingham folks don’t even have to think about it. And most rear-wheel drive minivan differentials don’t need to be serviced for many miles, so it’s understandable that it’s not something on the top of mind. So it’s not uncommon for WA people to not know they have a differential let alone know that it needs service.

To better understand what a differential does, think about a high school track. There are lanes marked off on the track. For the longer distance races, the starting lines are staggered. The starting lines for the outside lanes are ahead of the starting lines for the inside lanes. That’s to compensate for the longer length of the outside lanes. Staggering the starting lines means that each runner has the same distance to run.

The differential compensates for the difference in speeds on drive wheels between the inside wheel and the outside wheel in a turn, because they have to travel together through slightly different distances.

Many minivan differentials do a lot of work and require very heavy duty parts. And those parts need protection. The differential fluid lubricates the gears in the differential and keeps them cool. The fluid eventually gets dirty and worn down. Some kinds of differentials require special additives that break down over time. So manufacturers and The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. technicians recommend intervals for replacing your differential fluid.

Your The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. service technician will drain the used fluid and check it out for metal bits, which could be a sign of excessive wear on the gears. He’ll then replace the fluid and install the additives if necessary.

Bellingham four wheel drive minivans need special attention to their differentials because they have a differential on both the front and rear axles that work at different times and sometimes under heavy loads – so they may need to be serviced at The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. at different intervals.

Your Bellingham service advisor can look up the manufacturer’s recommended service interval or you can check your minivan owner’s manual.

Give us a call

The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc.
360.715.9850
4215 Britton Road
Bellingham, WA 98226

At The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. in Bellingham WA (98226) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 360.715.9850. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Let’s focus on stopping in wet Bellingham conditions. In order for a tire to have good contact with the road, it has to move the water out of the way. If it can’t move the water, the tire will actually ride on top of a thin film of water.

That’s called hydroplaning. At The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. we want our customers to know that if it’s really bad, you can actually spin out of control. At best, you won’t stop as fast.

So how does a tire move water? It has channels for water to flow through. Look at a tire and you’ll see channels: channels that run around the tire and channels that flow across the tire. They’re designed to direct water away from the tire so it can contact the road better.

And the deeper the channel, the more water it can move. A brand new tire has very deep channels and can easily move a lot of water. As the tire wears down, the channels become shallower and can move less water. When it wears down enough, it can seriously affect your ability to stop on wet Bellingham roads.

So that’s why it’s so important for Bellingham drivers to replace the tires on their minivans when they get worn. Consumer Reports and other advocate groups call for a standard of 3/32 of an inch and they have the studies to prove it.

By comparison, you’ve probably seen the wear indicator that’s molded into tires. When tires are worn 3/32 of an inch, the tread wear bar is visible. So the recommended standard has twice the tread depth as a completely worn out tire.

And that little bit of additional tread makes a big difference. Stopping distances are cut dramatically on wet roads. A safe stop from WA freeway speeds with 4/32 of an inch of tread would result in a crash with worn out tires.

There’s an easy way to tell when a tire’s worn to 4/32 of an inch. Just insert a quarter into the tread. Put it in upside down. If the tread doesn’t cover George Washington’s hairline, it’s time to replace your tires. With a Canadian quarter, the tread should cover the numbers in the year stamp.

You’ve probably heard of this technique using a penny and Abe Lincoln’s head. That measure gives you 2/32 of an inch – half the suggested amount.

Of course, tires are a big ticket item for Bellingham car owners. Most of us want to get as many miles out of them as we can. But there’s a real safety trade-off. It’s your choice.

At The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. in Bellingham WA (98226) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 360.715.9850. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

First, the serpentine belt drives your air conditioning system. Next, the belt powers the alternator.

The serpentine belt may also run the pumps for both the power steering and power brakes. In some minivans, power steering may have an electric drive and power brakes can be vacuum driven.

And, on many vehicles, the serpentine belt powers the water pump (on some cars, the water pump is powered by the timing belt).

Your The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. service technician can perform a visual inspection of the belt to see if it has any cracks that signal the belt could fail soon and will measure the amount of belt material to make sure there is enough.

Bellingham drivers should be aware that there’s a special, spring loaded pulley attached to the engine called the tensioner pulley and sometimes an extra pulley call the idler pulley. Their job is to make sure there’s a constant tension on the serpentine belt so that it doesn’t slip. The spring can become worn and no longer provide the necessary pressure to keep the belt tight. That’s why it’s often recommended that the tensioner, and the idler pulley if so equipped, be replaced at the same time as the serpentine belt.

All in all, the serpentine belt’s an important part for the function of your minivan. And it’s not that expensive to replace at The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. – so it’s good to do so before it fails.

At The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. in Bellingham WA (98226) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 360.715.9850. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

In addition to just wearing out, The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. customers need to know that suspension components can be damaged in an accident or by a hard impact – like a pothole, hitting a curb or a rock in the road.

Because the life span of shocks can vary so widely, your minivan manufacturer and The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. recommend periodic inspections. During an inspection, your Lynden service technician will check for worn, broken or missing parts.

Signs that shocks or struts are wearing out: The tires may have a cupped wear pattern. This is from the shocks bouncing unevenly as you drive around Lynden. You may notice a floaty or drifting sensation when cornering. If the front of your minivan dives excessively when stopping, or rocks back and forth after you stopped, your shocks may be worn out. And if they are leaking fluid, it’s definitely time to replace them.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, come into The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. for a suspension inspection. Same if you’ve been in an accident that involved one of your wheels. Worn or broken shocks can cause premature wear or failure on other minivan suspension parts such as ball joints and other steering components as well. If your suspension actually fails, it could lead to a serious accident, so let us take care of your suspension components at The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc..

When you replace your shocks, it’s usually a good idea to replace all four at the same time. That’ll give you more even handling. Talk with your service advisor at The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. because you don’t want a big difference between the performance of your shocks from wheel to wheel, and replacing all may be the safest bet.

At The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. in Bellingham WA (98226) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 360.715.9850. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

The crankcase is the bottom area of the engine that holds the oil. When the minivan engine’s running, fuel is burned to generate power. Most of the exhaust from combustion goes out through the exhaust system. But some exhaust blows by the pistons and goes into the lower engine, or crankcase.

These hot gases are about seventy percent unburned fuel. This can dilute and contaminate the oil, leading to damaging engine oil sludge. It can also cause engine corrosion in your minivan. At high speeds, the pressure can build up to the point that gaskets and seals start to leak.

Ferndale car owners need to know that over time, the vented gases will gum up the PCV valve and it won’t work well. That can lead to all of the problems I’ve already described, oil leaks, excessive oil consumption and wasted gas.

Fortunately, it’s very easy to test the PCV valve and quick and inexpensive to replace it at The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc.. Even so, it’s often overlooked because many Ferndale drivers don’t know about it.

Check your minivan owner’s manual or ask your The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. advisor. If this is the first time you’ve heard of a PCV valve, you might be in line for a PCV valve replacement.

Please ask us about your PCV valve. For the price of a couple of burger combo meals, you can avoid some very expensive deep engine repairs.

At The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. in Bellingham WA (98226) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 360.715.9850. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Now when you hear “severe service”, you may think it doesn’t apply to you because you don’t feel your driving conditions are severe or extreme – it’s just normal everyday driving around Bellingham. At The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc., we discuss the conditions that manufacturers classify as severe so that you can make the judgment on your own driving.

• Most trips are less than four miles
• Most trips are less than ten miles and outside temperatures are below freezing in Bellingham
• You drive in very hot WA weather
• Driving at low speed most of the time (under 55 mph)
• Stop and go driving
• Operating your vehicle in dusty, polluted or muddy conditions
• You tow a trailer, regularly carry heavy loads or carry a car-top carrier on your minivan

Most Bellingham drivers operate under severe driving conditions at least some of the time. How do you know which schedule to follow for your minivan?

Carefully think about your driving conditions and decide if you should do your preventive maintenance closer to the severe service recommendation or the regular recommendation. Of course, your The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. advisor can help you with your decision.

At The Panacea Automotive Repair, Inc. in Bellingham WA (98226) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 360.715.9850. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.