We are asking for prayer concerning our ongoing vehicle reliability problems in Malawi. Regular visitors to this blog are aware that we have been struggling with vehicle troubles for quite some time.
The short story
I (Stephen) have been beset with breakdowns on almost all of my trips to Malawi, for about 5 years. On my recent visit with Jim, our Toyota Land Cruiser developed a serious oil leak a couple of days in. This meant we had to cancel plans to visit the ongoing work in Lilongwe and Dzaleka.
The good news is that we have just received word that a repair using a second-hand crank-shaft pulley appears to have been successful for now. However, we still have concerns about the long-term reliability of the vehicle. This is impacting the work, so please pray for a permanent solution to this problem.
Vehicle reliability – The longer story
Prior to the formation of SALT in 2018, my Isuzu Double Cab pickup was the workhorse in Malawi. Gail & I bought it new from part of the proceeds of selling our home in Northern Ireland when we came to Malawi in 2003. Since then, it has travelled hundreds of thousands of Km on Malawi’s difficult roads. Harold & I have used it to deliver millions of tracts and calendars the length and breadth of Malawi as the literature ministry has grown.
Transmission Problems
The vehicle has developed numerous maintenance issues as it has aged. Many of these have been caused or made worse by poor workmanship and lack of reliable spare parts.
For example, the 4-wheel-drive system has not worked for over 10 years. The rear differential was damaged and had to be replaced when a mechanic botched the replacement of rear wheel bearings. The entire wheel and half-shaft came off and almost came through the window where Philip was sitting. When reassembling the differential, another mechanic left a loose bolt inside. An exact replacement could not be found so the vehicle is no longer suitable for use on unpaved roads.
Overheating
More significantly, we repeatedly had to take the car for attention when it overheated several times. Although we thought we had found a more reliable “ex-pat’ mechanic, the only real difference was that he knew how to waffle better and charge more. Sadly, in January 2019 the engine finally blew a head gasket, damaging the cylinder block and head in the process. As night fell, Goodson and I were stranded hundreds of Kms from home in an area notorious for bandits, close to the Mozambique border.
When the ex-pat mechanic declined to assist, I had to look for an alternative repairer. I was put in touch with a guy with a tow truck, who finally lifted the vehicle to Blantyre, dropping it at his workshop – where it has remained since! Despite many promises and countless unreturned calls, 3 years later the car has still not moved. And I’m running out of options.
Land Cruiser – A temporary solution
I anticipated that it would take some time to get the car on the road, although I hadn’t anticipated this much time! So, in the meantime I had to look for a semi-temporary solution to our problems.
I was offered an old (over 20 years) Toyota Land Cruiser for sale. I was assured that it had been well maintained and was a bargain at only 10 million Kwacha (About £10,000).
New vehicles are extremely expensive in Malawi and quality used vehicles very difficult to find. As we were planning to buy a site on a dirt road, it seemed like a good deal and after a test drive, we bought it.
With hindsight, that may not have been the best decision I’ve made.
Land Cruisers are very robust and the beefed-up suspension is ideal for the kind of driving we have to do and loads we carry. However, we have run into a series of maintenance issues of varying severity and we’ve had to spend even more money on repairs.
Someone had messed with the electrics and they needed attention. The alarm and central locking system failed, resulting in personal loss to me when my rucksack was snatched from the back seat last year. It’s still intermittently giving trouble.
Braking problems
Then we had a problem with the brakes. First, it was pulling dangerously when braking hard. When I asked the garage to check it out, they sent it back with almost no brakes at all! Fortunately, at length (months!!) I found a second-hand brake booster assembly in the UK. I was able to carry it out with me in November and we are thankful that this seems to have resolved the braking issue, for now.
Oil Leak
During our latest visit, the car developed a serious oil leak. We had replaced the seal on the crank-shaft pulley on a previous service, but it turns out that the pulley shaft itself was worn, so the seal replacement was ineffective.
We have not been able to find a new pulley. However, after several attempts, my current mechanic (we have found a somewhat more reliable one!) has sourced a suitable used pulley. Although it seems they have resolved the problem for now, we were without the car for most of our trip. We weren’t completely grounded as we were using my single-cab pickup truck. However, we had to cancel our planned journeys to Lilongwe and Dzaleka because our luggage was vulnerable to opportunistic theft or damage due to heavy rains.
Meanwhile, the Isuzu is still off the road, and the mechanic looking after it has become unresponsive again.
Vehicle reliability – please pray for a permanent solution
Although the immediate crisis seems to have passed, this is a chronic difficulty which is adversely affecting the work. With so many miles to cover, vehicle reliability is essential so we would really value the prayers of the Lord’s people for a once-for-all solution to the problem.