I need to change a tire for a lady friend while her car is at work.
2010 Nissan Maxima.
I read something about some cars having “shock sensors” to prevent easy theft. This car may not be new enough for that, not sure.
Anyone know if the alarms tend to go off when jacking up a car? Thanks.
Here’s what the manual for the 2010 Nissan Maxima has to say about the stock security system, assuming that’s what the car has. “The vehicle security system provides visual and audible alarm signals if someone opens the doors or trunk lid when the system is armed. It is not, however, a motion detection type system that activates when a vehicle is moved or when a vibration occurs.” So you should be able to jack up the car without setting off the alarm. But how do you plan to get to the spare, without accessing the trunk?
As someone who hates the noise pollution of car alarms, I urge you not to do this unless you have access to the remote or another way to silence the alarm should it go off.
Have you considered waiting until the car gets back from work?
Thanks for that link Dewey Finn. I actually already have the spare tire on the car. Just need to switch out the new tire. I’ll either keep the spare till I see her later that night or just get the key from her during the day, if possible.
No one pays attention to car alarms. More likely they’d wish you would just get in and drive off with the car so the nuisance sound would go away.
If I were the one doing the tire change, I’d still really hate working right next to a car that’s blaring its horns in that most annoying way. If the tire in question is one of the fronts, in most cars your ears are only a couple feet away from a 150 dB horn… in other words, painful.
Also, changing tires without the keys may be complicated if the original wheels have a locking nut (like even factory alloy wheels do these day) and you don’t have access to the unlock wrench. Because it’s locked in the glove box.
Why would you bother to change a tire for someone who refuses to give you the keys for the vehicle, or at least their spare key?
Possibly she takes public transit to work & leaves it in the parking lot. OP can change it anytime during the day w/o having to catch up with her both before & afterwards to get/return keys & w/o her needing to leave her keys ‘hidden’ on/behind a tire?
This is a good question. For obvious reasons, every mechanic that’s done anything for a car I’ve owned (even just fixing a flat tire) has needed a key. It’s incredibly bizarre to me that one isn’t being provided.
I assume you’ve already done it, but if it were me, I’d ask for the keys. Just tell her you’ll text her when you get there so you can get the keys (or she can bring them out to you).
I wouldn’t have even thought about the alarm. I would just be more comfortable changing a tire and knowing I can get it the car if I need to. I can’t imagine what would happen if, for whatever reason, the car were to start moving and I couldn’t jump in and hit the brake.
Also, it would be a lot easier to move the car to a more remote part of the lot so you’re not trying to do it while you’re backed up against another car.
How will he even access the spare or the jack? Is he going to haul his own floorjack to the car?
This makes no sense.
I was asking about the alarm and jacking up the car.
Sorry it doesn’t make sense to some of you…
And I can’t bother her at work.
I’ve got everything else taken care of. There was no need for me to explain that I already have the jack and tire. Taking care of it of it today, they had to order a new tire.
No offense but I see red flags when a question is asked like, “How do I mess around with a car without setting off the alarm?”