Safety · September 18, 2026 · 7 min read

How to Jack Up a Car Safely

A step-by-step procedure for lifting a car at home: surface, lift points, stands and the checks that matter.

Start with the surface

Work on flat, hard concrete. Asphalt softens in heat and lets jack wheels and stand legs sink. If you must work on a slight slope, point the car uphill and lift the downhill end last. Never lift on gravel, dirt or a surface that flexes.

Secure the vehicle

Put the transmission in Park (or first gear for a manual), set the parking brake and chock the wheels at the end of the car that stays on the ground. Chocks go on both sides of a tire, front and back.

Find the lift points

Your owner’s manual shows the factory jacking and support points. On most unibody cars these are reinforced pinch welds just behind the front wheels and ahead of the rear wheels. Many cars also have a central jacking point on the front subframe or rear differential. Use a slotted rubber pad on pinch welds so the seam is not bent.

Lift slowly

Center the jack saddle under the lift point and pump until it just contacts. Check alignment, then lift in steady strokes while watching the car and the jack. Lift only high enough to place your stands at the height you need.

Set the stands

Place stands under the support points, raise them to the same notch, and insert the locking pins. Lower the jack slowly until the car rests fully on the stands. Leave the jack in place just touching the car as a backup, without holding load.

Test before you go under

Push firmly on the car. It should not move or rock. If anything shifts, lift it off the stands and reset. Only then should you work under the vehicle.

Lowering

Raise the car slightly off the stands, remove them, clear tools and people from underneath, and open the release valve slowly. A metered release lets you lower in small steps.