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General 500 jack problemo!

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General 500 jack problemo!

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SarahT

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Joined
Aug 20, 2012
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Hi!
Had my twin air plus 8mths... Got a flat tonight (looks like a leaky valve) anyway a nice man at work offered to change my tyre to my skinny spare!
While the car was jacked up... The jack broke!
Metal flew off, car cashed (drivers rear) down to the ground. Lucky I work op the fiat dealership, ran across the road and they brought a jack over and put my spare on.
My tyre is now lose in the boot!!!! Doesn't fit in the spare bit (yes I'm female)

Obviously not happy with fiat right now (among other probs I've had with the car)
I will take it into them tomorrow- I want the jack replacing!
Check the underneath of the car for damage!
And wouldn't mind them getting my tyre sorted! They quoted me £15 to fix it!!!

Is this too much to ask?

Has anyone else's jacks just jacked off??
 
I should imagine the key to solving this problem would be submitting your jack (including any shattered bits) to Fiat so it could be confirmed that the jack was faulty. If so, consequent claims for damage to bodywork etc, could be made.

But RobinPJ is the expert here, and will hopefully guide you better than I can.

What awfully bad luck - I sense that most members on here will feel for you on this one.
 
An interesting turn of events. Actually, I had the front nearside wheel off the wife's 500 today purely to check brake pad/disc wear.

I have on the occasions I've used it, noticed that our own supplied jack appears to curve slightly when weight is put on it. Comparing it to the jack on my Cadillac and indeed the one on my Dodge Neon, it seems like it isn't quite in the same league.

After this story, I'll put the Neon jack in the boot and hide the 500 one at the back of the garage.

I sincerely hope there's no damage to your car and if there is, I hope Fiat treat you sympathetically.
 
I've changed my tyres over 8 times with the standard jack and it's been fine. So although the OP has been unlucky I wouldn't be too worried.
 
Heidi said:
I don't even know where the jack is ... that's what the AA are for ;)
Click to expand...

We're with the RAC, but I still taught the Missus how to change a wheel and I still make her go out there occasionally to check she still knows how to do it.

Granted, if a flat happens at the side of a busy road or on the motorway (although I have done that on a Sherpa van on the M27 at 11pm in the winter and it wasn't fun!), I wouldn't expect her to change it, but at work or at home, there's no excuse for her not to. It takes less than 10 minutes to change a wheel over, which is far better than waiting for up to an hour or more for a breakdown guy to come out.

I also got rid of the skinny spare and put a full size wheel in the boot just in case we're miles from anywhere on a Sunday with no opportunity to buy a new tyre. Not only that, I can then choose where and when to buy a spare tyre at a good price, not having to fork out stupid cash in an emergency.
 
frupi said:
We're with the RAC, but I still taught the Missus how to change a wheel and I still make her go out there occasionally to check she still knows how to do it.

Granted, if a flat happens at the side of a busy road or on the motorway (although I have done that on a Sherpa van on the M27 at 11pm in the winter and it wasn't fun!), I wouldn't expect her to change it, but at work or at home, there's no excuse for her not to. It takes less than 10 minutes to change a wheel over, which is far better than waiting for up to an hour or more for a breakdown guy to come out.

I also got rid of the skinny spare and put a full size wheel in the boot just in case we're miles from anywhere on a Sunday with no opportunity to buy a new tyre. Not only that, I can then choose where and when to buy a spare tyre at a good price, not having to fork out stupid cash in an emergency.
Click to expand...
Nope, you aren't convincing me that I need to learn how to change a tyre!
 
frupi said:
We're with the RAC, but I still taught the Missus how to change a wheel and I still make her go out there occasionally to check she still knows how to do it.

Granted, if a flat happens at the side of a busy road or on the motorway (although I have done that on a Sherpa van on the M27 at 11pm in the winter and it wasn't fun!), I wouldn't expect her to change it, but at work or at home, there's no excuse for her not to. It takes less than 10 minutes to change a wheel over, which is far better than waiting for up to an hour or more for a breakdown guy to come out.
Click to expand...

That sounds a pretty strange thing to do, to have a yearly test of the wifes competency to change a wheel, what are you going to do? Take her licence away? Whilst I'm a believer in people having skills and doing tasks which are safe and easy, if someone doesn't

My wife knows how to change a wheel, but has weak wrists so i'm considering frogmarching her down to the local gym to strengthen her wrists. :rolleyes:
 
306maxi said:
My wife knows how to change a wheel, but has weak wrists so i'm considering frogmarching her down to the local gym to strengthen her wrists. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I bet you have very strong wrists...or should I say wrist :D
 
What was the ending of your first paragraph Maxi? It seems to have been chopped mid sentence.
 
The standard jack gives me The Fear. It's such a spindly, flexing terrible thing I won't use it.
 
306maxi said:
I've changed my tyres over 8 times with the standard jack and it's been fine. So although the OP has been unlucky I wouldn't be too worried.
Click to expand...

Have used the standard 500 Jack a few times without a problem, so possibly OP has been unlucky.
 
ahmett said:
I dont even have one! They gave my Fiat 500 with the tire repair kit! So i guess if i cant repair it the recovery truck to the nearest tire dealer it is!
Click to expand...

I hate these repair kits. I had one with the Audi TT. No space for a spare or even space saver. Destroyed a tyre, repair kit no use, had to call out vehicle recovery to take home and it took 72 hrs to get the correct Bridgestone tyre to replace. As a result got rid of the car.
 
chas379 said:
I hate these repair kits. I had one with the Audi TT. No space for a spare or even space saver. Destroyed a tyre, repair kit no use, had to call out vehicle recovery to take home and it took 72 hrs to get the correct Bridgestone tyre to replace. As a result got rid of the car.
Click to expand...

My TT had one also...I kept it when I PX'd the car the compresser comes in handy
 
chas379 said:
I hate these repair kits. I had one with the Audi TT. No space for a spare or even space saver. Destroyed a tyre, repair kit no use, had to call out vehicle recovery to take home and it took 72 hrs to get the correct Bridgestone tyre to replace. As a result got rid of the car.
Click to expand...

always a good idea to have a full size spare or at least a tyre at home in these circumstances (y)
selling a car for this is a bit of a diva reaction...
 
RobW said:
always a good idea to have a full size spare or at least a tyre at home in these circumstances (y)
selling a car for this is a bit of a diva reaction...
Click to expand...

Next time I'm over Surrey way I'll pop over to see you to show what a Diva does not look like:D
 
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