NHTSA Complaint #10436257 — 2005 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA

I AM A MECHANICAL ENGINEER INVOLVED IN A LAWSUIT DEALING WITH THIS MECHANICAL SCISSOR JACK. THE CASE HAS GONE TO TRIAL AND BEEN RESOLVED. AS A PART OF MY INVESTIGATION, I DETERMINED THAT THE BASE OF THE JACK IS OUT OF SPECIFICATION, AND WOBBLES. THE BASE IS MEANT TO BE FLAT, YET ALL FOUR "FEET" OF THE BASE DO NOT TOUCH WHEN THE JACK IS RESTED ON A FLAT SURFACE. BASED ON TESTIMONY BY THE MANUFACTURER, THE BASE DEFORMS DURING THE FINAL ASSEMBLY, AND THIS WOBBLE IS ACCEPTABLE. I HAVE CHECKED A 2007 CAMRY, 2005 COROLLA, AND 2011 CAMRY, AND THESE CARS ALL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE BASE. DURING MY INSPECTIONS, THE JACK WILL ROLL INBOARD DURING NORMAL JACKING, PLACING ALL THE WEIGHT ONTO THE TWO INSIDE "FEET", USING ONLY ABOUT 20% OF THE BASE. IF THE BASE IS FLAT AS INTENDED, MORE OF THE BASE IF NOT ALL WOULD BE USED PROVIDING A GREATER LEVEL OF STABILITY DURING EMERGENCY JACKING. *TR