[KPR]

I had the same issue on my Punto two months back when I had tried to change driver side flat tyre. The place was a play ground and there was soil and grass which was dry and hard. I had used OEM jack and same procedure like I've done many times. The jack simply kept sinking in due to car's weight and the ground although looked dry & hard but kept sinking in. Luckily our family driver came to the rescue. He kept few bricks underneath and kept placing small marble tiles as the car was raised above using jack. At one point jack gave up and lever broke. Luckily the car was standing on the bricks and stones placed by driver. Somehow we changed the tyre carefully and came out of tricky situation by using another family car - wagon R's jack.

Our driver was driving a lorry about 15 years back. He advised to put Stepney wheel underneath so that in case of jack failure there will not be damage. Also he advised to check if the ground is hard and rough to get it done. These are some failures that we experience and we need to be careful about in future.

For OP post - I don't see anything wrong here with Jeep or FCA. Just an unlucky day for your friend to change tyre (if he has done proper way) and also lucky that he has no injuries to him.

[saisree]

Did your friend use a hammer to unbolt the lug nuts when the jeep is jacked up? Those nuts has to be loosened before the car is on the jack lift.

OP has confirmed, its a improper usage. The consequence of this has to be borne by the OP's friend. Jeep and the dealer are right in charging the customer.

[Amrik Singh]

I always use a Bottle Hydraulic Jack for lifting the Car in conjunction with OEM Scissor Lift Mechanical Jacks to hold the Car in case Hydraulic fails.
Yes, the Nuts / Lugs are loosened by a Quarter Turn before raising the Car on Jacks and full tightened after removal of the same.

[Sunny_team_bhp]

Dear Team_Bhp Friends.
I have shared the kind feedback from all of you with my friend

1.@Sran Regarding the polished surface, I would say most of the independent house owners use Granite/Kota Stone for the driveway since it is long-lasting & tough. However, it is left un-polished for the obvious reason that it is a driveway.

Also, Team-Bhp's Thread on How to change Car Tyre mentions Ensuring Level Surface.

Also, all high grade workshops/industrial environments use PU Floorings which are much smoother than the exposed Granite surface.

2. Regarding loosening the bolts while on the ground and using Bricks to ensure vehicle doesn't move are basics which we learn early enough. Were followed this time too.

3. Yes, he could have gone to Puncture Shop for replacement. However, doing this small work by himself should be okay too.

4. The only issue I found was that he had raised the jack to its upper limits (last thread) which could have been avoided to increase safety margin. However, that issue should be taken care of by JEEP's Engineering Team while designing the Jack.

4. Learnings : Wedging of Tyre for additional security of self and vehicle. Use of Hydraulic Jacks which are much safer and easier to use.

Thankyou for sharing your personal incidents while highlighting the importance of these Equipments/Techniques!

Latest Update : On Further visit to JEEP Service center to enquire about the status of parked Compass, he founds that his Side Mirror is Dangling !!!
(He believes that it was done because he had raised this issue to JEEP India Customer Care through all possible means over Emails/Twitter/Social Media and ofcourse this was not liked by the guys at the official service center.)

#He has filed a police complaint for the Broken Mirror since as per Service Center Rules, Vehicle is parked at the risk of the customer.

#Following the advice of moving on by learned Team-Bhp Members, he has removed the vehicle from the Service Center and got it fixed at a FNG since if one has to pay, better pay it to Good People and avoid the ASS (authorised service station)! After all, for how many days can someone with a 9-5 job keep his sole vehicle parked at a dangerous place with no relief in sight!!

Thankyou everyone for your valuable time & comments.

[ike]

Originally Posted by Sunny_team_bhp

Also, all high grade workshops/industrial environments use PU Floorings which are much smoother than the exposed Granite surface.

If you are talking about automotive workshops/service centers, chances of a car being jacked up using a hydraulic/scissor jack over there is next to NIL. They will have proper lifts for that.

[deetee]

Originally Posted by Sunny_team_bhp

he has removed the vehicle from the Service Center and got it fixed at a FNG

Now that he go his car back, he should also get a foot pump or good quality portable tyre inflator. These days almost all cars come with tubeless tyres and incase of puncture all the we need to do is inflate the tyre back to normal pressure, which easily rolls on for atleast a hundred km or couple of days untill you get to find a puncture shop to just do that 10 min job of tubless puncture fix.
Much easier and safer routine than jacking up the car to fit spare tyre , unless tyre is cut or burst and needs immediate replacement.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by Sunny_team_bhp

4. The only issue I found was that he had raised the jack to its upper limits (last thread) which could have been avoided to increase safety margin. However, that issue should be taken care of by JEEP's Engineering Team while designing the Jack.

This should be the prime reason in my opinion. It happens with almost all similar Jacks. I have personally faced but thankfully, I have a habit of putting the Stepney under the arm before taking the wheel completely so got saved and this was on Ambassador many years ago, must be Eighties. It’s a good idea to place a wooden plank or something solid under the Jack rather than raising so high.

I don’t think, service centre will break something intentionally and this looks like a negligent handling. They should have accepted at-least that and replaced. Regarding the Brake disks, ideally, dealership and your friend should have got into an agreement with split on the charges but alas that’s not the way all businesses think.

[SideView]

Originally Posted by Sunny_team_bhp

Dear Team_Bhp Friends.

#Latest Update : On Further visit to JEEP Service center to enquire about the status of parked Compass, he founds that his Side Mirror is Dangling !!!
(He believes that it was done because he had raised this issue to JEEP India Customer Care through all possible means over Emails/Twitter/Social Media) and ofcourse this was not liked by the Guys @ Official Service Center.)

This is unacceptable, please also raise complain again to jeep.

When they take the vehicle in, dont they note what damages were existing and what there were not? Atleast in Nissan ASC they do it, which can be used as proof against them.

[Naetik30]

It looks like the hand brake was not engaged before lifting the car with the jack. And when it was on the jack, some how the car moved resulting in this.

Either someone leaned on the car or the spare was removed from the car when it was on the jack (resulting in jerks), etc. And as many pointed out, the jack should have been on a rough surface.

[RMN]

As I see it, its a pretty hard thing to post mortem. Improper usage could easily cause this accident and create the same damage to the jack as seen in the pic. At the same time, the damage could be similar even if the jack itself failed.

[aneesh2M]

looking at the type of failure on the jack it seems the vehicle moved when jacked up. One should always lock at least one wheel while jacking up so that the vehicle doesn’t move. It is also advisable to put a spare wheel while removing flat tyre from the car and later the removed tyre under the car so it acts as a support in such an event (Ideal should be a block or a stand to be put under jacked up car but mostly we don’t carry a block or a stand in the car)


Also as you said, what if jack fails when someone is working below the car on some other issue. This is a big NO. Never work under the car when it is jacked up, no matter what is the emergency. Always lift the car with jack and then put blocks or stand under it before sliding under the car (in an emergency situation on road a big stone/bricks can do the work but never ever trust the jack for this)


I hope your friend gets the car repaired soon.

[kiku007]

Originally Posted by Sunny_team_bhp

1. Took a cursory look at his ride (as we all do) and noticed very little air pressure in front right tyre.

Did they eventually identify that the tyre had a puncture?

Originally Posted by Sunny_team_bhp

2. Since, he needed his ride to be fit again for office commute early next day, he decided to change the tyre with spare wheel by using original Jeep supplied tool & jack.

Did Jeep provide that blue hammer?

Originally Posted by Sunny_team_bhp

3. Since, its a simple process and we all have undergone this quite a few times, he was halfway done and had removed the punctured tyre. Now, he picked up the spare tyre and moved towards the vehicle to install it.

Contrary to your belief, it is not a simple process. It may look simple but actually requires a good understanding of basic safety principles which are suspect in this instance.

Originally Posted by Sunny_team_bhp

8.Jeep India's sole USP is the quality of its products.

Does Jeep India (or Stellantis for that matter) know about this?

Originally Posted by Sunny_team_bhp

What if the Compass had fallen on him while he was actually engaged in removing/installing the tyre? What if jack fails when someone is working below the car on some other issue?

If someone is under the Jeep to replace a tyre (I can't imagine how and why) or do undercarriage inspection/repairs by using the Jeep Scissor Jack then Jeep India will show you the below,

Originally Posted by Sunny_team_bhp

This is a serious (but hidden) quality issue with Jeep Compass.

Sorry, No.

Rather than making a mountain out of a mole and trying to make this a Jeep problem, it'll be better to learn from the experience and do it right the next time. Maybe get a tyre pressure monitor to begin with.

[ike]

Originally Posted by Naetik30

It looks like the hand brake was not engaged before lifting the car with the jack. And when it was on the jack, some how the car moved resulting in this.

Either someone leaned on the car or the spare was removed from the car when it was on the jack (resulting in jerks), etc.

The hammer in the pic might have had a role too in the car moving. Not clear yet as to what it is for and whether it is provided by Jeep.

[su1978]

I have been in a similar situation with my Ritz. As i understand it and interpret it, This happens in 2 conditions.
1. When the jack is not placed correctly under the jacking area of the car.
2. When the wheel bolts are unscrewed after lifting the vehicle.

In either of these situations, the jack will slip. In the current scenario, as i see it, since the gentleman was tired after coming back from office, he would not have paid as much attention to the exact position of the Jack. And there would have been some slope. While taking out the spare wheel from the trunk, it would have caused considerable movement of the vehicle causing it to slip from the jack thereby breaking it.

[Sunny_team_bhp]

Originally Posted by kiku007

Rather than making a mountain out of a mole and trying to make this a Jeep problem, it'll be better to learn from the experience and do it right the next time. Maybe get a tyre pressure monitor to begin with.

Well, you clearly missed Post#19 of this thread. The vehicle has been retrieved and further action has been taken.