If you do any DIY work — tire changes, brake jobs, oil changes — you need to jack your car up. Every year, people damage their cars (or worse, hurt themselves) by putting the jack in the wrong spot. Factory jack points are reinforced for this purpose. Everything else is not.
How to find your jack points
- Owner's manual — there's a diagram showing the four corner lift points. Every manual has this.
- Under the rocker panel (between front and rear wheels) — look for notches, flat reinforced pads, or arrows stamped into the pinch weld.
- Center jack points — for lifting with a floor jack: front subframe/crossmember for the front, differential or rear subframe for the rear. These vary by car.
Common mistakes
- Jacking on the pinch weld without an adapter — the weld is thin and will bend or crush. Use a pinch-weld adapter or jack pad.
- Jacking on plastic body cladding — it'll crack and your car will slide off
- Jacking on oil pans, exhaust, or suspension arms — none of these support the car's weight
- Not using jack stands — a floor jack is for lifting, not holding. Always set stands before going under the car.
Why it matters
A car falling off a jack can kill you. Using the wrong point can cause hundreds in body damage. Neither is worth the 2 minutes it takes to find the right spot.
Quick action
Look up your car's jack point diagram in the owner's manual (or search your make/model + 'jack points'). Know the four corner points and center lift points before you need them.
