how do you hotwire a car?

Question

i'm just curious because you see them do it on tv all the time

Answer 1

"First, you break the steering wheel lock. Not that hard to do." - Your kidding, right? Someone's been watching a little too much "Gone in 60 Seconds".
Even if you do manage to hot wire the car, braking the steering wheel column lock is almost impossible to do by hand. If you try to turn the steering wheel to break it, chances are you'll strip the teeth that hold the steering wheel in place. You'll either have to break the ignition lock, in which case you wouldn't have to hot wire the car, or take apart the steering wheel column lock, which require the use of special tools or a drill for most cars. On some older cars you can actually remove the steering wheel column lock with a screwdriver or allen wrench. Once you find out how to get past the steering wheel column lock, it's as easy as crossing all the wires on the back of the ignition switch except the one to the starter. Then shortly jump the one to the starter only until the car starts, or you can just take the ignition switch off the ignition lock and turn it manually. A lot of newer cars are coming out with RFID chips implanted inside the keys, which emits a signal required by the computer in the car to start. So without the key, the help of a laptop with an RF signal module, or replacing the car's computer entirely, these cars would be pretty hard to get started. Although it's pretty hard to prevent someone with a flatbed tow truck from steeling your car if they really wanted to. :)
Have fun with you new knowledge!


Disclaimer:
By hereby answering this question, I take no responsibility as to how this information is used nor do I admit to, or condone any of these actions. :p

Answer 2

most cars are impossible now as there is a code in the key that is fed to a reciever near the steering wheel,without the code from the key being fed to the car it will not start..
as for the older cars the running a wire from the live pole on the battery to the coil works on all cars without fuel injection but for cars with fuel injection there is a high risk of blowing the E.C.U. rendering the car un startable.
there was a wiring fault on the 1990-1993 model opel corsa where if you took the hazard warning light switch out and put it back in upside down it would turn on the ignition and all you had to do was push start the car to get it going

Answer 3

you don't, that's just movie crap. there are many cars that can be started without a key but it usually involves braking the column or ign. lock to manually move the ignition switch. there are fewer and fewer cars that you can do this with though due to the fact many cars are coming with the immobilizer system which ties into the cars on-board computer and if the proper key with the proper transponder chip is not used to start the car it will not start or run. so the car can not be stolen without the key.

Answer 4

A lot of that is just TV junk. With all the new electronics now, it is not as easy as it was.

Used to be that you would jumper the battery to the coil and short the leads to the starter solenoid and take off.

Answer 5

first, you break the steering wheel lock. Not that hard to do. Then you either hot wire from inside, by jerking the wiring harness out of the steering column and crossing the wires out or you jump from the battery to the hot side of the voltage regulator .

Answer 6

ona truck like mine it can be stolen with a metal clip and 1 wire.

a new ford cant be stolen without a key... and a very expensive, official ford computer.