Car Jack Ramps are incredibly useful tools for any home mechanic. They provide a simple and effective way to elevate your vehicle for routine maintenance like oil changes, tire rotations, or undercarriage inspections. However, like any tool designed to handle heavy machinery, car jack ramps demand respect and a thorough understanding of safety procedures. Ignoring these precautions can lead to dangerous situations, as I once learned firsthand.
It happened in my own garage, on what I thought was a straightforward engine check. The car, a front-wheel-drive model, was confidently positioned on my car ramps. FWD vehicles usually handle ramps well, their weight distribution aiding in climbing. To prevent any slippage on the smooth concrete floor, I’d even placed wooden blocks behind the ramps, a habit born from experience. Thinking I’d taken all necessary steps, I set the parking brake, put the car in neutral, and started the engine to hunt for a suspected leak.
Suddenly, the unexpected occurred. The car began to roll backward. In a terrifying instant, I realized the parking brake had failed completely. Adding to the horror, the car owner, completely unaware of the unfolding danger, had just walked to the front of the vehicle and leaned over the bumper, inadvertently adding just enough force to overcome the faulty brake’s hold. I was lying directly beneath the side of the car, my hips squarely in the path of the descending rear tire. Escape was impossible.
Panic surged, but instinct took over. Knowing I couldn’t get out of the way, I flattened myself against the cold concrete, sucking in my stomach and turning my face to the side, bracing for the crushing impact. My arm instinctively recoiled, flashlight in hand.
Then, a bizarre twist of fate intervened. As I pulled my arm back, the cheap plastic flashlight I was holding jammed against the car’s undercarriage. Incredibly, as the car rolled further down the ramp, the flashlight, now wedged firmly, became a makeshift support, actually lifting the car body ever so slightly. The tire still bounced against my hip, a jarring and painful reminder of my predicament, but the car stopped, suspended precariously by the upright flashlight. Immobilized and trapped, I could only wait until the car owner, now realizing the gravity of the situation, dragged me out from under the vehicle by my feet.
The flimsy flashlight, a tool meant to illuminate, had become my unlikely savior. The lesson, however, was brutally clear and permanently etched in my memory: Always, without exception, block the tires when using car jack ramps. Parking brakes can fail, surfaces can be slick, and unexpected events can occur. Tire blocks are not optional; they are a fundamental safety measure that could be the only thing standing between you and serious injury when working under a vehicle supported by car jack ramps. Don’t rely on luck; rely on safety protocols.
