How to Use a Car Jack

If you need to use a Jack stand for your next weekend DIY project but don’t have a lot of experience with one, then learn how to use a car jack with the service experts at Morrie's 394 Hyundai! We’ll show you how to use a jack on your car step by step, so you can feel confident when taking on your next service project at home. Learn the basics of how to use jack stands, and rely on our service center near Minneapolis for all of your service inquiries and needs.

How to Used a Car Jack on a Car Step by Step

Whether you need to lift your car to change your tire or take a look underneath, using jack stands to lift up your car can seem like a complicated process. However, Morrie's 394 Hyundai is here to make the process simple for Richfield drivers of all different mechanical backgrounds. Take a look at how to use a car jack step by step:

1. Park your car on level ground.
2. Be sure to never use jack stands on dirt or on grass as this can cause your car to become uneven when it’s lifted.
3. Use wheel wedges, wooden blocks, or bricks behind whichever tires are still touching the ground.
4. Be sure to put your car in park, and then put on the emergency brake. If your car has a manual transmission, then put the car in first gear while engaging the parking brake.
5. Check your vehicle’s owner’s manual to find out where you should put the jack stand underneath your car. If you only need to lift one wheel, then usually you’ll want to put the jack in a corner of your vehicle. If you need to lift the rear of your vehicle, then you usually want to put your jack at the center of the frame in the rear of your vehicle.
6. If you have a scissor jack, then insert the right into the jack and start cranking.
7. If you’re using a hydraulic jack on your vehicle, then insert the handle into the body of the jack and pump the handle until the car is at the height that you want.
8. Place the jack stand underneath the frame of your car. You’ll want to put it at the reinforced point of your vehicle’s frame, which is known as the “pinch weld”.
9. Adjust the height of your jack stand, then lock it into place. use the jack to lower the vehicle until it’s resting on the jack stand.
10. Now that the car is on the jack stand, you can remove the jack. Push your car lately just to make sure that it won’t move.
11. Once you’ve done everything on your vehicle that you need to, use the jack to lift the car just a few inches, and then remove the jack stand.
12. Lower the vehicle all the way to the ground, and then remove the jack.
13. Remove any wheel blocks or bricks that you used to put in front of the tires touching the ground.

Now that you know how to use a car jack, you’ll be able to take on your next service project with confidence. However, if you would rather have our experts handle lifting your car or perform anything else that you need to be done, schedule service with us at Morrie's 394 Hyundai near Minnetonka.

Service Your Car in St. Louis Park

Hopefully, you have a better idea of how to use a jack for a car and how to safely lift your vehicle. For more service information and tips like why a Hyundai check engine light is on, reach out to the service experts at Morrie's 394 Hyundai. Otherwise, contact us to set up an appointment or get the answers to any of your other service questions.