Can I trust any tire shop to lift the Prius safely?

Yes, the cars been around for over 10 years

 

It's easy enough to have the lift catch the rocker panel and deform it.

 

I believe Toyota recommends:

"The Prius Should Be Lifted In The Same Manner Yoda Lifted The X-Wing Out Of The Swamp. That is, Do or Do Not Do, There is no Try".

Seriously?

It's a vehicle...any competent shop should be able to put it on a working modern lift and lift it.

 

The scissor jack contact points are shite. I've found alternative spots for jackstands, but I really wish Toyota would do something more than locate the spots with the double notch, actually reinforce them, make them decent go-to points for supports.

@Danny The posting hang up is baaack.

 

My understanding is that Prius's are suppose to be lifted with a jacking puck on the scissor jack notches on the pinch weld.
Or at OEM brackets at the front and rear of the car (see owner's manual).

I asked my dealer how they lift and said they use their 4 post lift, right on the four jack pinch weld areas.
Apparently they do not use the jacking pucks.
Also assume they do this as they have had no complaints or damage

There have been some on this forum showing alternative jacking points and points to place jack stands.

Me...I lift at the special brackets and place jack stands at the pinch weld area.
Yes, the rocker panel is easy to damage if lifted/ jack standed incorrectly plus you can also easily damage the pinch weld.
I made special fitted lifting pucks out of hockey pucks...and they are not symmetric...custom fit....custom build.
Ebay sells a derlin (material - spelling) puck that is rectangular and seems better than a circular puck....but I recall the price $40 each.

IMO a single floor jack lift at the pinch weld will damage the area if pucks are not used.
So, get some pucks and store in the glove box to alleviate any concerns and for emergency repair use.

Good question as that was one of the first questions I had after my car purchase...where to put jack stands.

 

Standard lift points, nothing special

 

I don't think the OP was asking about lifting the Prius using a jack.
The OP was asking if a Tire Shop could lift the vehicle safely....

Unless there is gross incompetence the answer is Yes.

 

Attached is photos on how I lift mine and rotate my tires..... The underside of the car has so many soft spots and the lift points are small. Using the long wood plank along the side worked with no fuss.

 

approximate size of the wood plank?

BION
StarCaller

 

Most specialty tire shops use low-rise car lifts, which lift from each side. Prius is lifted in this way like any other car, and considering it has been one of the best-selling car models you can pretty much guarantee any tire shop has experience with them.

 

The low-rise lifts put less strain on the car than the four arm types because they are very accurate and rigid and it's easy for the tech to see that the alignment is correct -before- it is engaged. I wouldn't expect any damage or problems from them. Driving the car up and down the ramps to get on the lift is another matter, but as stated above, any competent shop should present no problems.

 

Yeah, my comments are a red herring. Well, not completely: with a 4 point lift they still have to elect to put their cradles somewhere, but they're spread out, more forgiving.

I've used the official scissor jack one with a flat, on the lighter rear location. The pinch weld fits into the notch on the scissor jack top, and doesn't bottom out. The actual point of bearing is on the in side of the seam, on flat body. Even on the lighter rear location, that one use caused deformation. There are stronger, reinforced plate zones just inboard, at both the front and rear pinch weld scissor jack locations, for safety stand location.

This is all red herring too, sorry, just my pet peeves regarding DIY lifting.