How to Lift a Toyota Corolla

by Richard Ristow

As a Toyota Corolla owner, there are things you can do to keep your maintenance costs down. You can change your own wipers, replace filters yourself and do your own oil changes. Some tasks, like oil and other fluid changes, will require you to get under your Corolla. There is always a real risk with accessing a car's undercarriage. Scissor, floor or bottle jacks do not ensure stability, and a Corolla can fall off a jack. However, you can safely elevate your Corolla if you use ramps or stands.

Jack Stands

Step 1

Bring your Corolla to a full stop on level ground.

Step 2

Engage the emergency break. If your Corolla is an automatic, move the shifter into park. If the car has a standard transmission, shift it into reverse.

Step 3

Secure the wheel diagonally opposite the one you want to lift. For example, if you are raising the rear passenger's side wheel, you need chocks around the driver's side front wheel.

Step 4

Place your cranking jack at a proper lifting point. These points are designated in your owner's manual, usually in the section on replacing a flat tire. The Toyota Corolla has a series of notches below the front and rear doors on both sides. These are the designated lifting points. The jack needs to go into the notch nearest the wheel to be lifted.

Step 5

Raise the Corolla with the jack. Slide a jack stand under the frame and lower the car onto the stand. Remove the jack. Repeat the process for each wheel until you have all four wheels off the ground and securely positioned on the jack stands.