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So there is a blizzard in Minnesota today.

Driving home from the airport I find I have a flat tire on my 1999 Lexus RX 300 SUV.

I pull off the highway into a parking lot and get to work.

Two things really made the process a pain:

1. Due to the crazy levels of wind/snow my "lug nut key" for the one lug nut that needs some crazy key kept getting iced up and wouldn't hold

2. Due to the snow and icy conditions my car rolled off of the *** twice.

The lug nut thing is somewhat minor, as I was just able to throw it inside to melt the ice off.  What's concerning is the car rolling off of the jack.

Looking at the owner's manual, I definitely placed the jack in the designated place (in front of the back axle) as it was the rear tire that was the problem.  

The jack has a slot in it, that fits nicely onto the underside of the car.  I shoveled off the ground where i placed the jack to reduce the ice and snow and create more level ground for the jack.

Any other tips?  This situation could have been dangerous to me personally and to my car...

Thanks!  

the problem more than likely was the sheet of ice in the parking lot..   where the lifting of one corner of the truck can cause the 3 wheels on the ground to slide..

i saw a great tip of carrying a bag of fresh cat litter as a traction improver..  that might help if you pour out some piles of it then park on top..    tossing down the floor mats might also help...

wedging the wheels against a curb or parking lot stop block so the car cannot shift..

only jacking the car up enough to get the tire off the ground...

making sure the parking brake is set..


when i was in the boy scouts... we went on a snow trip...  as my mom had a Vw van.. she got to drive part of the troop... there was a huge line of cars stopped going up the hill.. one by one the cars got by the vw bug that was parked and locked in the uphill lane..  there were a bunch of men there talking about what to ***   mom walked up  and said.. push it off.. its parked on ice...  the men replied.. the car is locked and the parking brake is on..  at that point my mom...  had enough.. walked over to the drivers side of the bug...  leaned in and shoved it about 2 feet sideways..    jaws dropped...   soon.. that bug was deposited in the ditch...  and traffic was free to flow..  

I usually have isopropyl alcohol with me in the winter to use as a lock de-icer, etc.  Works great on frozen bolts or sheet ice as well.  That's about all I can suggest.  Better luck next time.  
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