Carjack Won’t Go Down? 8 Common Reasons (Solved)

There are times when your carjack will disappoint you. For instance, when it won’t go down. Having a hydraulic jack stuck in a lifted position can be frustrating. First, you won’t be able to pack it in your trunk.

That said, there are reasons why your Jack is no longer functioning efficiently.

carjack

If your carjack doesn’t function well, that means next time you get a flat tire. You won’t be able to change a wheel or fix your vehicle.

We’ve put together this article to highlight some reasons why your carjack won’t go down.

1. Your carjack doesn’t have enough jack fluid

One of the reasons why your carjack won’t go down is because it doesn’t have enough jack fluid. So your Jack won’t fully extend or will be slow to release.

It is difficult for any ordinary car owner to know if a carjack has enough jack fluids. The functionality of your hydraulic jacks depends on the quality of the fluid that you use.

If your carjack doesn’t work well, it means your carjack will have problems with lifting mechanisms.

Causes

Your carjack doesn’t have enough jack fluid. So if your carjack rolls up, it will drain a few of your jack fluids and fail to go down.

Solution

Fill your carjack with quality fluid.

Start by opening the release valve of your carjack. You can lower to carjack on most jacks by turning the handle counterclockwise.

2. Damaged frame

Your hydraulic Jack may not go down because of a damaged frame. In most cases, the frame of your Jack can be damaged by the weight of your car.

When your carjack frame is damaged, your Jack will fall apart when you try to jack up your vehicle.

Solution

Unfortunately, when the frame of your carjack is damaged, you can’t fix your Jack.

The only solution for you will be to purchase a new hydraulic jack.

3. Foamy or milky oil

Your carjack is not likely to go down if it has foamy or milky oil. When the oil of your carjack is frothy, your carjack won’t work.

High levels of foamy or milky oil in your carjack, could ruin your Jack to function optimally.

The drawback of using rancid oil on your carjack is that it reduces the capacity of your Jack. Experts recommend that you always keep the right levels of your oil. Ideally, it would help if you keep your oil levels between 3 and 16 up a quarter.

While refilling your oil, ensure you use only the best hydraulic oil.

Suppose you notice that the oil level is higher than acceptable levels; your carjack won’t go down. You need to drain the oil of your carjack.

Solution

Sometimes all you have to do to fix this problem is to add more fluid. You start by turning your carjack to its release position and pump it a few times.

Then refill it with more fluid.

First, remove all foamy or milky oil to remedy this problem. From there, replace the oil with a quality jack fluid.

Still, the low-quality of your oil may damage your brake. After fixing this problem, your carjack will build enough pressure to lift any weight.

Check the fluid level on a jack

You must check the fluid level of your carjack. Follow the tips to check the fluid level:

  • First, take off the fill plug of your carjack,
  • Check the chamber for the hydraulic oil levels.
  • If you notice that hydraulic oil is low, replenish at once,

4. The handle of your hydraulic Jack doesn’t work properly

Remember, using a carjack with a handle that struggles to kick back up after a downstroke is dangerous.

Solution

The best solution to repair is to take your car to a professional to fix your carjack.

5. Your carjack leaks

A carjack won’t go down because the fluid is leaking from your unit. To decipher the issue, you should examine your carjack thoroughly.

Solution

Take a good look at your carjack to see if there is a way you can fix the leak.

If you realize the leak is due to irreparable damage, you should consider buying a new carjack.

6. Malfunctioning safety valves

If the safety valves of your carjack are malfunctioning, your carjack is not likely to go down, or it may stop lifting at all.

This issue usually occurs when the load is too heavy for your carjack.

So how do we fix this problem?

Solution

The first thing you should do is refer to your user manual.

Not only will a manual help you to understand what a safety valve looks like, but it also gives you instructions for resetting your safety valve.

If all that fails, consider taking your carjack to a specialist to look at it.

7. Your carjack breaks, bends, or cracks

Another reason your carjack doesn’t go down could be that it breaks, bends, or cracks the floor jack.

Unfortunately, this is a significant issue that is not easy to fix.

It is virtually impossible to reuse when your carjack breaks, bends, or cracks. When your carjack is not stable and safe, it won’t be wise to keep your car in the air.

Solution

The only solution to this problem is to buy a new carjack.

8. The airlock of your carjack is failing

Another reason your carjack is not working is that your airlock is not working.

If the airlock of your Jack is not working correctly, it will be impossible for your carjack to go down.

Solution

Pump your carjack 10 to 15 times to release the air, then remove the air. You should consider taking your carjack to a specialist if that doesn’t work.

What does having a carjack do?

An excellent carjack is one of the most critical tools for any car driver. Your hydraulic carjack should be strong enough to lift your vehicle when you want to change a tire or access underneath your car.

Two main reasons may make your hydraulic Jack fail:

  1. first, your carjack has low oil levels,
  2. or the weight of a car overloads the Jack.

Overloading your Jack may cause the seals of your carjack to fail.

Your carjack should rotate, spin, and handle to the right until it stopsPump your Jack 10 to 15 times to release the trapped air. When you turn the handle of your carjack, it should be able to turn right and lift your vehicle.

Final Thoughts

Lastly, ensuring that your carjack is ready to lift something is crucial. It is vital to have a reliable jack, especially if you go for a long trip.

Hence, we recommend you ensure your carjack is in perfect working condition every time you use it. To do this, you should try to lift your Jack, then lower it again.

A good carjack should have the following:

  • A good carjack has to be reliable;
  • A carjack to be of good quality;
  • It is more affordable than the previous steel floor jack;

Your carjacks primary purpose is to lift your car’s weight and keep it in the air.

To keep your carjack in good condition, do the following:

  • Don’t overload your carjack;
  • Make sure your floor jack has sufficient hydraulic fluid;
  • Release air that might be in your Jack’s hydraulics;
  • Lubricate your floor jack more often;
  • Make sure to tighten the release valve.
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