There is a unique brand of toughness required to drive in Lagos. You need the patience of Job, the evasiveness of a pro football winger, and a prayer for every pothole. But beyond the driver’s skill, there’s one thing that determines whether your car will last five months or five years on our roads: maintenance.
The truth is, our environment, with its intense heat, prolonged rush-hour go-slows, and dusty conditions, turns routine car care advice on its head. What works in, say, America or Europe, simply isn’t enough to keep a car healthy here. Your engine is under constant, brutal attack, and sadly, many of us, through carelessness or bad advice, are making Auto Maintenance Mistakes that speed up our car’s death certificate.
I once watched a friend, a successful businessman, spend millions on a sleek SUV, only for the engine to knock out six months later. His mistake? He kept saying, “Ah, it’s a new car, I don’t need to change the oil yet.”
That story isn’t unique. It’s time we move past the myths and understand the specific maintenance failures that are turning otherwise reliable cars into scrap metal. If you drive in Lagos, or any major Nigerian city, this article is your engine’s lifeline.
The Big Five: Auto Maintenance Mistakes That Condemn Your Engine
The core principles of car maintenance are simple, but when filtered through the reality of Nigerian roads and traffic, a few common slip-ups become catastrophically expensive. These are the top five Auto Maintenance Mistakes that lead directly to premature engine failure.
1. Ignoring the “Severe Service” Oil Change Schedule
This is arguably the single biggest killer of car engines in Nigeria. Many car manufacturers recommend an oil change interval of 5,000 to 7,500 miles (about 8,000 to 12,000 kilometres) for normal driving conditions. We read the owner’s manual, see that figure, and stick to it religiously. This is a fatal Auto Maintenance Mistake.
H3. The Cruelty of Lagos Traffic
Think about your daily commute from the mainland to the island, or just navigating Surulere in the evening. How much time do you spend crawling at 5km/h, or completely stationary, with the engine idling?
- Idling Damage: When your car is stuck in traffic, the engine is running, the oil pump is working, and time is passing, but your odometer is barely moving. This means that by the time your odometer hits 5,000 km, your engine has actually done the work equivalent of 7,000 km or more due to the hours spent idling in the heat.
- Heat Degradation: The constant stop-and-go, coupled with high ambient temperatures (often above $30^\circ \text{C}$), subjects your engine oil to severe thermal stress. This heat breaks down the oil’s viscosity and its protective additives much faster than the manual accounts for.
The Fix: You are not driving in normal conditions; you are driving in Severe Service conditions. For most conventional oils, you must reduce the oil change interval to 4,000 to 5,000 kilometres (or every 3 months). If you use high-quality synthetic oil, you might stretch it to 7,000 km, but never beyond. Prioritise the hours the engine runs over the distance covered.
2. Overlooking the Cooling System: The Road to Head Gasket Failure
Overheating is a word that strikes fear into the heart of every Nigerian driver. Yet, so many drivers commit fundamental Auto Maintenance Mistakes with their car’s cooling system until it’s too late. When a car overheats, you don’t just pull over; you are essentially signing a cheque for a new engine or a major repair like head gasket replacement.
H3. The Simple Error of Water vs. Coolant
We’ve all heard it: “Just top up with water. Water is fine.” No, it is not.
- Rust and Corrosion: Using plain tap water or borehole water (which contains high mineral content) in your radiator is a death sentence for your cooling system. These minerals cause internal rusting and corrosion in the radiator, water pump, and engine block, clogging the narrow coolant passages.
- Boiling Point Reduction: Coolant (or antifreeze) raises the boiling point of the fluid in your system. In Lagos heat, your engine runs hotter than you think. Water boils easily and turns to steam, which creates air pockets, leading to hot spots that warp the engine head.
The Fix: Use the recommended concentrated coolant mixed with distilled water. Regular coolant flushes (every 1.5 to 2 years) are essential. Check the radiator fan daily. If it’s not kicking in at full speed when the engine is hot, you’re on the express lane to failure. Never ignore the temperature gauge; when it starts climbing, pull over immediately and switch off the engine.
3. Neglecting Transmission Fluid and Filter Changes
We rely heavily on our automatic transmissions in traffic. The constant shifting, stopping, and starting in gridlock generates immense heat inside the gearbox. This heat breaks down the transmission fluid, turning it from a cool, lubricating oil into a thick, gritty sludge.
H3. The Myth of the “Sealed for Life” Transmission
This is a favourite phrase of mechanics who simply don’t want to do the work, or manufacturers who only care about the first few years of the car’s life.
- Fluid Degradation: The gearbox oil has two jobs: lubricating the complex mechanical parts and cooling the entire unit. When the fluid degrades, friction increases, and the temperature spikes. This leads to harsh shifting, slipping, and eventually, total transmission failure. A new transmission can cost as much as a fairly used car.
- Filter Clogging: Just like the engine, the transmission has a filter. This filter traps debris from the clutch packs. In Nigerian conditions, this filter clogs up sooner, starving the transmission of the fluid it needs.
The Fix: Don’t wait for the transmission to start slipping. For most automatic cars (especially Tokunbo vehicles that have already run 80,000 km+), a partial or full transmission fluid and filter change should be done every 60,000 to 80,000 kilometres. Do it proactively, not reactively.
4. Cheapening Out on Critical Parts and Fluids
In the face of rising costs, the temptation to opt for the cheapest part is strong. But when it comes to fluids, filters, and major components, choosing low-quality alternatives is one of the most short-sighted Auto Maintenance Mistakes you can make.
H3. The False Economy of Generic Filters
The Nigerian spare parts market is a complex web of genuine, OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), and outright fake parts.
- Oil Filters: A low-quality oil filter may look identical on the outside, but its internal filtering material is often poor. It fails to trap microscopic contaminants, allowing abrasive particles to circulate in your engine. These particles act like sandpaper, slowly grinding down the internal components of your engine until it loses compression and knocks.
- Brake Pads: We know brake pads aren’t directly related to the engine, but the principle of false economy applies. Choosing cheap pads that wear out fast or damage your rotors means you spend more time and money in the mechanic workshop, ultimately neglecting the engine.
The Fix: Always insist on high-quality oil filters (preferably OEM or highly reputable brands). When buying oil, use a trusted supplier to avoid counterfeit lubricants that lack the necessary protective additives. A few extra thousand spent on a good filter will save you millions in engine repairs.
5. Driving on a Damaged Suspension: The Vibration Nightmare
You might think worn shocks or a bad alignment are just about comfort, but they have a profound, long-term impact on your engine’s health, particularly for smaller cars.
H3. Shaking Your Car to Pieces
Our roads are famous for their uneven surfaces. When your shock absorbers and bushings are worn out, the vehicle transmits violent vibrations and shocks straight into the chassis, body, and engine bay.
- Component Loosening: Constant vibration causes screws, bolts, and clamps to loosen. Engine mounts wear out faster, placing stress on the drivetrain. More importantly, it can cause electrical connections to become intermittent and sensitive sensors (like the oxygen sensor or mass airflow sensor) to fail prematurely.
- Fluid Leaks: The relentless shaking can cause hoses to chafe and rubber seals to prematurely harden and crack, leading to oil, coolant, or power steering fluid leaks that, if ignored, can spell doom for the engine.
The Fix: Treat your suspension as a priority, not a luxury. If your car is ‘bouncing like a danfo’ or you hear persistent knocks from the wheel wells, it’s time for repair. A healthy suspension protects the rest of the car, including the engine.
Conclusion
Driving in Lagos is tough, but you can conquer it with smart maintenance. The biggest Auto Maintenance Mistakes are born from procrastination and the mistaken belief that our cars can handle the local conditions with basic global service intervals. They cannot.
The lifespan of your car’s engine ultimately depends on the quality of its fluids and the integrity of its cooling system. Don’t be the driver who boasts about dodging a big bill today, only to pay ten times that amount for an engine transplant tomorrow. Treat your engine like the heart of your car, it deserves the best care you can afford. By adopting a “Severe Service” mindset, you drastically increase your car’s reliability and save yourself the stress of breaking down on the 3rd Mainland Bridge.