How to Hotwire a Car
Enter the car., Remove the plastic cover on the steering column., Find the wiring harness connector., Pull aside the battery, ignition, and starter wire bundle., Strip about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of insulation from the battery wires and twist them...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Enter the car.
Do not break into a car unless you own it and have documentation to prove it.
Be aware that forced entry will set an alarm if the vehicle is equipped.
This method, and in fact most methods of hot wiring a car, will only work on cars older than the mid-90s.
Newer models are equipped with a whole host of locking mechanisms in place to keep you from hot-wiring the car unless you're intimately familiar with the quirks of the model.
If you try this on a 2002 Honda Civic, you're likely to end up setting off alarms and locking the starter, meaning no one can drive it.
If you have access to the owner's manual, check to make sure the steering column and gear selector can be overridden.
Serious damage to the shifting mechanism and steering column can result from this method. -
Step 2: Remove the plastic cover on the steering column.
These are usually held in place with concealed clips or #2 Phillips-type screws.
Remove them and pull the access panels free.
Alternatively, on some much older models, you can break the locking pins in the ignition by hammering a flathead screwdriver into the keyhole and turning it over.
It's very difficult--if not impossible--to do this by hand, but if you think the model is sufficiently old to allow for it, you can give it a shot. , Once you remove the panels on the steering column, you should see a roil of electrical wires.
Don't be intimidated, learn to recognize the right bundle.
There will typically be three main bundles of wires:
Wires leading to the column-mounted controls on one side, like lights, cruise control, and other indicators Wires leading to the column controls on the other side, like wipers or seat warmers Wires leading to the the battery, ignition, and starter leading straight up the steering column , One of these will be the primary power supply for the ignition switch, one will be ignition wires, and the other will be the starter.
The other colors will vary depending on the manufacturer.
Read the owner's manual or look online to be sure you can identify all possibilities.
Sometimes the ignition wires are brown and the starter wires yellow, but the battery wires are most usually red.
Again, the only way to be sure is to read the owner's manual.
You're not MacGyver; messing with the wrong wires will get you electrocuted. , Wrap them with electrician's tape if available, and do not allow them to short against metal vehicle components.
Connecting these will provide electricity for the ignition components, so the engine is able to run when the starter is turned. , You should see the dash lights and other electrical components come alive at this point.
If all you want to do is listen to the radio, you're done.
If you want to drive the car, you'll need to spark the starter wire, which can get dangerous., This will be live, so you need to extremely careful and keep close hold of your bare wires.
Touch the end of this to the connected battery wires.
Don't try to twist it on, just spark it against the battery wires to start the car. , If you get the car to start, rev it a few times so you don't stall out and have to do this process again.
Once the engine starts, you can detach the starter wire and continue on your way.
When you want to kill the engine, simply unfasten the battery wires from the ignition wires and the car will die., You've got the car started and you're ready to get your engine pumping and let your car loose, right? Wrong.
While your car is running, the steering column is probably locked at this point, meaning that you'll have to break it to be able to steer, unless you want to drive straight off a cliff or something.
On some models, all you'll need to do is pop off the metal keyhole which will release a spring and break the lock.
If you already tried to jam your screwdriver in there earlier because you've got a mid-70s to mid-80s vehicle, the lock is probably already broken.
Some models respond well to a healthy dose of elbow grease.
Crank the wheel hard to either side as if you were trying to twist it free.
You could also use a hammer to fix in the wheel and use for leverage.
You should hear it break and the wheel will be free, so you'll be able to drive normally. -
Step 3: Find the wiring harness connector.
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Step 4: Pull aside the battery
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Step 5: ignition
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Step 6: and starter wire bundle.
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Step 7: Strip about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of insulation from the battery wires and twist them together.
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Step 8: Connect the ignition on/off wire to the battery wire.
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Step 9: Being extremely careful
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Step 10: strip the starter wire about 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm).
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Step 11: Rev the engine.
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Step 12: Break the steering lock.
Detailed Guide
Do not break into a car unless you own it and have documentation to prove it.
Be aware that forced entry will set an alarm if the vehicle is equipped.
This method, and in fact most methods of hot wiring a car, will only work on cars older than the mid-90s.
Newer models are equipped with a whole host of locking mechanisms in place to keep you from hot-wiring the car unless you're intimately familiar with the quirks of the model.
If you try this on a 2002 Honda Civic, you're likely to end up setting off alarms and locking the starter, meaning no one can drive it.
If you have access to the owner's manual, check to make sure the steering column and gear selector can be overridden.
Serious damage to the shifting mechanism and steering column can result from this method.
These are usually held in place with concealed clips or #2 Phillips-type screws.
Remove them and pull the access panels free.
Alternatively, on some much older models, you can break the locking pins in the ignition by hammering a flathead screwdriver into the keyhole and turning it over.
It's very difficult--if not impossible--to do this by hand, but if you think the model is sufficiently old to allow for it, you can give it a shot. , Once you remove the panels on the steering column, you should see a roil of electrical wires.
Don't be intimidated, learn to recognize the right bundle.
There will typically be three main bundles of wires:
Wires leading to the column-mounted controls on one side, like lights, cruise control, and other indicators Wires leading to the column controls on the other side, like wipers or seat warmers Wires leading to the the battery, ignition, and starter leading straight up the steering column , One of these will be the primary power supply for the ignition switch, one will be ignition wires, and the other will be the starter.
The other colors will vary depending on the manufacturer.
Read the owner's manual or look online to be sure you can identify all possibilities.
Sometimes the ignition wires are brown and the starter wires yellow, but the battery wires are most usually red.
Again, the only way to be sure is to read the owner's manual.
You're not MacGyver; messing with the wrong wires will get you electrocuted. , Wrap them with electrician's tape if available, and do not allow them to short against metal vehicle components.
Connecting these will provide electricity for the ignition components, so the engine is able to run when the starter is turned. , You should see the dash lights and other electrical components come alive at this point.
If all you want to do is listen to the radio, you're done.
If you want to drive the car, you'll need to spark the starter wire, which can get dangerous., This will be live, so you need to extremely careful and keep close hold of your bare wires.
Touch the end of this to the connected battery wires.
Don't try to twist it on, just spark it against the battery wires to start the car. , If you get the car to start, rev it a few times so you don't stall out and have to do this process again.
Once the engine starts, you can detach the starter wire and continue on your way.
When you want to kill the engine, simply unfasten the battery wires from the ignition wires and the car will die., You've got the car started and you're ready to get your engine pumping and let your car loose, right? Wrong.
While your car is running, the steering column is probably locked at this point, meaning that you'll have to break it to be able to steer, unless you want to drive straight off a cliff or something.
On some models, all you'll need to do is pop off the metal keyhole which will release a spring and break the lock.
If you already tried to jam your screwdriver in there earlier because you've got a mid-70s to mid-80s vehicle, the lock is probably already broken.
Some models respond well to a healthy dose of elbow grease.
Crank the wheel hard to either side as if you were trying to twist it free.
You could also use a hammer to fix in the wheel and use for leverage.
You should hear it break and the wheel will be free, so you'll be able to drive normally.
About the Author
Claire Cruz
Brings years of experience writing about creative arts and related subjects.
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