Mechanical Jack Problems of Dodge Grand Caravan

I am the original owner of a 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan, VIN number 2b4gp44r4tr779386. A week ago Friday I had a tire blowout this is only the second time since I have owned the vehicle that I have needed to change a flat to my spare tire and also use the scissor jack that the factory supplied with my vehicle. I was using your factory supplied jack to raise the vehicle when the jack apparently slipped and the vehicle fell to the ground. I proceeded to extricate the jack and looked it over and it appeared to be in excellent shape with no indications of any damage; I concluded that the jack somehow slipped. I again inserted the jack under the vehicle and proceeded to again jack up the vehicle when the jack collapsed again. Upon gathering up my things I noted that the jack did not slip, but failed and that caused the vehicle to fall to the ground. The jack failure was in the upper inside support when you look at it and insert the scissor jack under the vehicle when the scissor jack lifts the jack up. I showed the failed jack to a welder friend of mine who knows about metals, and he stated that the problem was metal fatigue and that that part of the jack was not properly manufactured because the metal was not cured and hardened properly to acquire its needed strength. First I expect an new replacement jack that will fit into the storage compartment made for it so that I will have a factory jack whenever I decide to get a new vehicle and the person who buys my vehicle next will have a good, safe, factory jack whenever needed. Second I expect to be reimbursed the $20. 00 I gave the tow truck driver who helped me out when the scissor jack failed and became broken and useless. Third, it would be nice but not required at this time, if you would consider some fair compensation for my being late, tired, dirty, smelly and angry when I was meeting my wife for dinner. Needless to say, I was not the most pleasant person to have dinner with that night.

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I was changing a flat tire. This is the first time the jack has been used since the vehicle was purchased. Just as I was about to put the spare tire on, the jack twisted and collapsed. The vehicle lurched slightly. The surface the vehicle rested on was perfectly flat so the vehicle did not move forward or backward. I believe that there was a stress defect in the jack. I had to borrow the jack from my Buick to complete the tire change.

Jack failed to work properly. After lifting vehicle, according to manufacturer's specifications, to a height adequate to remove the wheel, it appeared that the jack base bent, causing the jack to kick under vehicle, and the vehicle to fall. It appeared that the center line of the jack base was not centered under the lift point of the jack.

While trying to change a flat tire both sides of the scissors jack backled under the load and collapsed, jack not strong enough to support the weight of the van.

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