How do I jack up my 2021 MG5 SW EV (there's no jack)

Joe Boatman

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Page 198 of the car user guide/manual shows how to place the car jack:
1685278568659.png

But there's no car jack in the car, nor is there anywhere in the polystyrene fitting where it should be fitted. The text in the manual tells me to:
Note that the
domed head of the jack must fit into the corresponding
recess in the sill plate (There is a triangle indicator in the
area shown by the arrowhead. See the illustration above).

There's a triangular pointer impressed into the painted sill but no domed recesses underneath. There are several oval slots with rubber grommets along each sill and when I removed one, the steel seems very thin to be able to support the car. In any case, the only car jacks that I have seen have a U shaped bracket, like the one in the above illustration - using such a jack would surely damage the sill.

Any advice?

I asked Halfords to rotate the tyres but they want £60, so I thought about DIY! The £60 does not include rearranging the TPMS valves so that they would match the diagram on the dash. (I haven't found how to pair each TPMS to the car, although I could remove each one after rotating the tyres and put them back in the right order. And then blow up the tyres again). Or, for £45 per wheel I could buy new TPMS's by sending the supplier the hex codes.

I know that KwikFit don't recommend rotating the tyres, neither does the manual which also shows how to swap wheels on p26:
1685279791306.png
 
You can see the jacking position here:

You only get a jack with a space saver spare package. It doesn't come as standard.
Thank you, Alb
The back top end of the jack (below in your pic) goes into the oval slots in the sill or alongside them. I've added a picture of the underside of my sill below.
1685282218601.png

Above: The pic from your post shows a black rubber piece that perhaps is used to support the sill? Perhaps this is a special MG jack?

Below: You can see the triangular pointer on the sill on the right and the oval rubber bung on the left that exposes a slot in the sill when the bung is removed.
1685282406163.png


...and this is the jack from the owners guide!
1685282838130.png
 
Page 198 of the car user guide/manual shows how to place the car jack:
View attachment 17833
But there's no car jack in the car, nor is there anywhere in the polystyrene fitting where it should be fitted. The text in the manual tells me to:
Note that the
domed head of the jack must fit into the corresponding
recess in the sill plate (There is a triangle indicator in the
area shown by the arrowhead. See the illustration above).

There's a triangular pointer impressed into the painted sill but no domed recesses underneath. There are several oval slots with rubber grommets along each sill and when I removed one, the steel seems very thin to be able to support the car. In any case, the only car jacks that I have seen have a U shaped bracket, like the one in the above illustration - using such a jack would surely damage the sill.

Any advice?

I asked Halfords to rotate the tyres but they want £60, so I thought about DIY! The £60 does not include rearranging the TPMS valves so that they would match the diagram on the dash. (I haven't found how to pair each TPMS to the car, although I could remove each one after rotating the tyres and put them back in the right order. And then blow up the tyres again). Or, for £45 per wheel I could buy new TPMS's by sending the supplier the hex codes.

I know that KwikFit don't recommend rotating the tyres, neither does the manual which also shows how to swap wheels on p26:
View attachment 17835
Although the steel looks thin , the area where the jacking points are will be reinforced inside the sill so that it is safe to jack the car in this spot. If you want some extra support you can use a block of wood , cut a slot in it to fit around the sill lip and put that between your jack and the sill (bit like that black plastic piece shown in the picture). Needs to be hard wood or it will just split.
 
Although the steel looks thin , the area where the jacking points are will be reinforced inside the sill so that it is safe to jack the car in this spot. If you want some extra support you can use a block of wood , cut a slot in it to fit around the sill lip and put that between your jack and the sill (bit like that black plastic piece shown in the picture). Needs to be hard wood or it will just split.
I like the idea of a slotted piece of hardwood to fit over the sill seam which I can then attach to a couple of sissors jacks to prop up a side of the car. I could then swap front and rear tyres (I'm supposed to put front to back and then rear to front oppposite side but I'll keep it simple!).
 
Here's a closer view.
You can see I've used a rubber protection block to interface between the jack and sill as the pinch seam is easily damaged. This block has a centre slot so half the pad is on each side of the seam. The average garage will of course take little or no such care when they jack up your car!
I'd strongly recommend getting a hydraulic jack for use at home.

closer view.jpg
 
Here's a closer view.
You can see I've used a rubber protection block to interface between the jack and sill as the pinch seam is easily damaged. This block has a centre slot so half the pad is on each side of the seam. The average garage will of course take little or no such care when they jack up your car!
I'd strongly recommend getting a hydraulic jack for use at home.

View attachment 17842
That's useful info and I found lots of slotted pads on Amazon and eBay. Thank Alb
 
Last edited:
If your 5 is a pre-facelift, your TPMS sensors will show the tyres in the wrong position if you swap them over. You'll need to go to the dealers and pay for reprogramming each time you swap the tyres over.
It could work out cheaper in the long run to replace the tyres in pairs by not swapping them over.
If it's a facelift 5 then the TPMS reprogrammes itself.
 
Sorry, but not convinced of the need. Having previously queried rotation (other main dealers, garages & tyre outfits) in the past, feedback was mixed, or not rotate. OK, you might think good for business (replace tyres per axle). However, not sure switchover(reverse rotation?) offers extra mileage; or it means replace four tyres moreorless same time rather than two.
 
Sorry, but not convinced of the need. Having previously queried rotation (other main dealers, garages & tyre outfits) in the past, feedback was mixed, or not rotate. OK, you might think good for business (replace tyres per axle). However, not sure switchover(reverse rotation?) offers extra mileage; or it means replace four tyres moreorless same time rather than two.
Unless you do a high mileage you may find the rear tyres will fail an MOT on side wall degradation if they are not rotated. I'll rotate mine to get the wear out of them.
 
Unless you do a high mileage you may find the rear tyres will fail an MOT on side wall degradation if they are not rotated. I'll rotate mine to get the wear out of them.
I think it's the sun that degrades tyres.
I've never had a cracked tyre even on some that were 8 years old on previous cars. I park on my drive and one side of the car is in the shadow of the hedge and the other side is in the car's shadow, so basically the sun hardly ever shines on my tyres for any length of time.
 
Thanks to all about jacking up my 2021 MG5, rotating tyres and about the sun cracking tyre sidewalls. My rear tyres look new; the front ones are wearing so I'm rotating them.
Our 2005 Vectra has cracked sidewalls and plenty of tread left and the Halfords guy says that some makes are more likely to be affected by the sun than others. I'll edit this to add the tyre manufacture's name.
 
The garage rotated mine at the 15k service, there was still 2.5mm all round at the 30k service, a month later I had 4 Michelin Cross Climates fitted.
 
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