How To Jack Up A Kia Soul

Jacking up a Kia Soul isn’t complicated, but doing it wrong can be dangerous. Whether you’re changing a tire or tackling a brake job, using the correct lifting points and safe practices will protect both you and your car. This guide covers every step you need to raise your Kia Soul safely and confidently.

What You’ll Need to Jack Up a Kia Soul

Before you start, gather the right equipment. At minimum, you’ll need a hydraulic floor jack with a lifting capacity of at least 2 tons, a pair of jack stands rated for the same or greater weight, and wheel chocks. The Kia Soul’s included scissor jack is only meant for emergency tire changes; a sturdy floor jack is safer and easier to position for any work at home. Have gloves and a flashlight handy for visibility and grip.

Check your tools for signs of damage or wear before each use. Jack stands should lock securely and have no cracks or bends in the supports. If you’re working on an incline, avoid jacking up the car there - always find level ground. Never rely solely on the jack to hold your car up while you work underneath it.

Locating the Correct Jack Points on a Kia Soul

The Kia Soul uses reinforced pinch welds along the underside of the rocker panels for lifting. You’ll find small notches or arrows stamped into the pinch weld behind the front wheels and ahead of the rear wheels. These notches mark the official jacking points, where the metal is strengthened to handle the car’s weight without bending or damage.

Consult your owner’s manual for a diagram of these points. Do not place the jack anywhere under the floor pan, exhaust, or suspension arms. Lifting from the wrong spot can crush thin metal or damage vital components. If you’re using a lift or need to support the whole side of the car, the subframe (at the front) and rear axle beam (at the back) can be used with caution and proper adapters, but for basic maintenance, stick to the pinch welds.

Preparing Your Kia Soul for Lifting

Park your Kia Soul on a flat, solid surface like concrete or asphalt. Apply the parking brake firmly. If you’re lifting the front, place wheel chocks behind both rear wheels; for the rear, chock the front wheels. This prevents the car from shifting as you raise it.

Remove any loose items from inside the car to prevent them from shifting and causing distractions. Put the transmission in ‘Park’ (for automatics) or first gear (for manuals). Double-check your jack and stands are in good working order. It’s a good habit to crack the lug nuts loose slightly before lifting the wheel off the ground if you intend to remove it. Trying to loosen lug nuts while the wheel spins freely is difficult and unsafe.

Positioning and Raising the Floor Jack

Slide the floor jack under the body, lining up the saddle directly beneath the pinch weld at the indicated jacking point. If your jack has a rubber pad or V-groove adapter, use it to protect the pinch weld from bending. Make sure the jack is perpendicular to the pinch weld and not at an angle.

Begin pumping the jack handle slowly. Watch as the saddle contacts the metal - if it shifts away from the notch or starts to pinch anything other than the reinforced area, lower the car and reposition. Once the tire begins to leave the ground, stop pumping. For most jobs, raising the wheel just a couple of inches is enough. Don’t over-extend the jack past its stable range.

Placing Jack Stands Safely

Never work on a Kia Soul supported only by a jack. Once lifted, position a jack stand under the same reinforced pinch weld, as close as possible to the jack contact point. Slowly lower the floor jack until the car’s weight is supported by the stand, not the jack. Give the car a gentle shake to verify stability - it should not wobble or slide.

If you need both wheels on one side off the ground, jack each side separately, supporting each with a stand. For four-wheel lifts, a professional lift or multiple stands is necessary, but this is rarely required for basic maintenance. Always keep your head and limbs clear of the car’s underside during raising or lowering.

Checking Stability Before Working

After lowering onto the jack stands, double-check that they’re sitting on firm, level ground and directly under the reinforced jacking points. The car should not tip, rock, or creak. Check all stands before getting under the vehicle or removing a wheel. If something feels unstable, lower the car and reposition.

It’s worth taking an extra minute to inspect the setup from multiple angles. Some owners use a backup safety - like sliding the removed wheel under the rocker, away from your working area - for added security in case a stand fails. This isn’t a substitute for proper stands but can give extra peace of mind.

Lowering Your Kia Soul Safely

Once your work is complete, ensure no tools or debris are under the car. Reattach and hand-tighten any lug nuts before lowering if you removed a wheel. Use the floor jack to slightly lift the car off the jack stand, then carefully remove the stand from under the pinch weld.

Lower the jack slowly, keeping your hands and feet clear. When the tire is firmly on the ground, finish tightening the lug nuts in a crisscross pattern to the correct torque (usually 80-100 ft-lbs, check your owner’s manual). Remove the wheel chocks and test that the parking brake releases properly before driving away.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

One of the most frequent mistakes is lifting from the wrong spot, crushing the floor pan or suspension. Always confirm the jacking point before you start. Another error is relying solely on the scissor jack for tasks other than emergency tire changes - it’s not stable enough for general repairs. Using jack stands is non-negotiable for safety.

Never leave the car running while jacked up, as vibration can affect stability. Don’t use makeshift supports like bricks or cinder blocks, which can crumble under weight. Finally, rushing through the process or skipping steps because you’re in a hurry is a recipe for injury or costly damage. Take the time to double-check every step, even if you’ve jacked up a car hundreds of times before.

Frequently asked questions