Unsafe Jack on Mercedes Viano

[James Ireland]

I had a puncture recently on the motorway in Spain. Luckily I found a spot where there was quite a lot of room on the hard shoulder and the puncture was on the front tyre nearest the side of the road. I proceeded to change the wheel. After taking off the wheel, I then placed the spacesaver in the wheel well while jacking up the car more to see when the hub was high enough for the spacesaver nuts. Just then I noticed the jack becoming very stiff to turn and then suddenly it failed completely and wound back down. Luckily I had the spare wheel there to hold the weight of the Viano. I had to call Assistance to come and jack up the car properly and fit the spare tyre. I am wondering has anyone else had this problem before. I've had the car from new since 2011 but the jack would have had minimal usage. I feel like I should get some sort of warranty from MB as I dont think these jacks should be failing like this. Does anyone use some other more reliable option suck as a bottle jack? The thing is that it would need to have the round cup to fit into the jacking points on the car.

 

[M80]

Thanks for the heads up. I don't recall ever using the motors emergency jack.

What I would note is that the plastic jacking pads can be less than ideal.
2 are broken on mine so I now use 2x2 wood to pack it when using a trolley jack.
Viewing other Viano's I've seen them missing also.
I assume the issue is from jacking when not perfectly vertical, but on the side of a road, with a flat, how often would it be?

 

[Craiglxviii]

I’ve luckily only ever had to use the jack on the 215, once. (The first incident you may recall was in- jackable as the wheel had fallen off...)

This jack has a cantilever finger or post that projects out about 3” into a tube welded into each of the front & rear side members (chassis beams). It’s a direct mechanical fix so the only way it can slip is if the car moved side to side. It’s also, by a very long way the most solid car jack I’ve ever used, next to my dad’s 5t bottle jack which is about the size of a champagne bottle.

 

[curious]

Like M80 I had a broken jacking pad. Obtained a replacement from Lithuania via eBay for about a tenner.

The only time I've had to jack it up has been at home using a trolley jack. Never needed to use the scissor jack on the Vito on side of the road. Will be carefull if I have to in light of the aforementioned comments.

 

[Bay Leaf]

Hi I need a jack for my car, I don't feel right without one I have run flat tyres but I would still like to carry one. A second hand one would do I've got a 2013 350 SL. I know you can get one for this model but how many other models share the same jack. In the past I have had a flat tyre in the works car park so I put the spare on. But my situation now would warrant me driving to a tyre outlet ruining my tyre and at nearly £200.00 a go. If I was able to to take it off I could get a lift or a taxi to get the tyre repaired. So to me it's a no brainer to carry a jack I would also carry a wheel brace before anyone mentions the fact.

BL

 

[Blobcat]

Hi I need a jack for my car, I don't feel right without one I have run flat tyres but I would still like to carry one. A second hand one would do I've got a 2013 350 SL. I know you can get one for this model but how many other models share the same jack. In the past I have had a flat tyre in the works car park so I put the spare on. But my situation now would warrant me driving to a tyre outlet ruining my tyre and at nearly £200.00 a go. If I was able to to take it off I could get a lift or a taxi to get the tyre repaired. So to me it's a no brainer to carry a jack I would also carry a wheel brace before anyone mentions the fact.

BL

You could carry a couple of cans of tyre weld and use them without jacking. Or a 12v compressor and pump it back up and then drive it to the tyre dealer.
Mine comes with a folded up spare wheel, jack and compressor. I also have a couple of cans of tyre weld

 

[LostKiwi]

You could carry a couple of cans of tyre weld and use them without jacking. Or a 12v compressor and pump it back up and then drive it to the tyre dealer.
Mine comes with a folded up spare wheel, jack and compressor. I also have a couple of cans of tyre weld

Ditto. I also carry a tyre repair kit (the type with the vulcanised rubber strips and tool to push them into the hole.
They work incredibly well and can often be fitted without removing the wheel.

 

[Blobcat]

Ditto. I also carry a tyre repair kit (the type with the vulcanised rubber strips and tool to push them into the hole.
They work incredibly well and can often be fitted without removing the wheel.

I’ve those on the bikes

 

[Bay Leaf]

Tyre weld. Is that the same stuff as what's in the boot along with the pump? I do have a tyre compressor that I carry around so would I use that in conjunction with the Tyre Weld. Am I right in thinking that it's one can per tyre.

 

[Blobcat]

Tyre weld. Is that the same stuff as what's in the boot along with the pump? I do have a tyre compressor that I carry around so would I use that in conjunction with the Tyre Weld. Am I right in thinking that it's one can per tyre.

Yes and yes
It comes in a can that sprays and inflates goops at the same time

 

[ajlsl600]

Most car Jack's are near useless in real conditions. If I travel I take a small 500mm long trolley jack. Yrs ago I used a balloon filled from car exhaust, was grand, don't see them now. Yrs ago I saw I think? A Riley that had electric Jack's in the xmembers. Now we have rubbish, progress?

 

[Blobcat]

Most car Jack's are near useless in real conditions. If I travel I take a small 500mm long trolley jack. Yrs ago I used a balloon filled from car exhaust, was grand, don't see them now. Yrs ago I saw I think? A Riley that had electric Jack's in the xmembers. Now we have rubbish, progress?

Weight is the enemy of emissions and economy so useful things get binned or made from plasticine

 

[LostKiwi]

To be fair most car jack's are adequate for what they are intended if used correctly. The issues come when used beyond their design intention or misused.

 

[ajlsl600]

Like even slightly uneven ground ! 90k cars and meccano jacks
I have also used the plug repair method,works well.but I think use of such on front wheels not legal in some places now

 

[Bay Leaf]

Thanks for the info. I've just purchased a can of Tyre Weld and a Puncture repair kit. The latter looks great for front wheels but I think I would struggle with a rear without removing the wheel. That's where the jack would come in handy.
Once again thanks for your help. As most of you have probably realised this is the first car I have owned that hasn't got a spare.
And as I said in my introduction when joining the forum, it will be a big learning curve

 

[Bay Leaf]

As mentioned above I have bought a repair kit the type Blobcat has. If I used a can of Tyre Weld instead of the repair kit how long does it last and is there a speed limit. would it have to be cleaned out before using the repair kit. Apparently tyre outlets won't repair run flats even if they haven't been run flat. Also the stuff MB supplies in the boot to seal a puncture, does that have to be cleaned out before carrying out a repair or does it render the tyre useless.
Once these run flats have worn out I'm going to fit normal ones.
All help appreciated.
BL

 

[Naraic]

I’ve luckily only ever had to use the jack on the 215, once. (The first incident you may recall was in- jackable as the wheel had fallen off...)

This jack has a cantilever finger or post that projects out about 3” into a tube welded into each of the front & rear side members (chassis beams). It’s a direct mechanical fix so the only way it can slip is if the car moved side to side. It’s also, by a very long way the most solid car jack I’ve ever used, next to my dad’s 5t bottle jack which is about the size of a champagne bottle.

It's a poor jack. If the car is not on perfectly level ground or not really well anchored it can roll forward or back and the "finger" just rotates in the tube. I know what I'm doing but many do not...it is dangerous.

 

[LostKiwi]

As mentioned above I have bought a repair kit the type Blobcat has. If I used a can of Tyre Weld instead of the repair kit how long does it last and is there a speed limit. would it have to be cleaned out before using the repair kit. Apparently tyre outlets won't repair run flats even if they haven't been run flat. Also the stuff MB supplies in the boot to seal a puncture, does that have to be cleaned out before carrying out a repair or does it render the tyre useless.
Once these run flats have worn out I'm going to fit normal ones.
All help appreciated.
BL

Tyre places often say gooped tyres can't be repaired but this is technically untrue.
Goop does need to be cleaned out before a proper repair can be done and it's a messy horrible job (which is why tyre shops say it can't be done).
Both repairs (goop and strips) are officially 'temporary' fixes but I've run them for 1000s of miles with no issue.
There are no speed limits on either (but you probably wouldn't want to do a 155 mph blast down the autobahn).

 

[rorywquin]

It's a poor jack. If the car is not on perfectly level ground or not really well anchored it can roll forward or back and the "finger" just rotates in the tube. I know what I'm doing but many do not...it is dangerous.

You last sentence captures it all (not implying OP is ignorant about how to safely change a wheel). Even more interesting when you see inexperienced people using a hi-lift jack.

MB used to supply wheel chocks as part of the wheel changing kit.

 

[ajlsl600]

some bean counter axed them. but didnt axe the price. many mercs today no better than ford mondeo ,reliability,pts cost,spec,longevity.