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how do you hotwire a car without damaging it

by Dr. Hilda Abernathy Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

How do you hotwire a car without damaging it?

  • Remove plastic covering steering column. Using a screwdriver remove the screws underneath the steering wheel.
  • Wiring harness connector. On one side of the harness, you will find lights, wipers, and ignition wiring.
  • Stripping insulation.
  • Car's electrical components turn on.
  • Strip the starter wire.
  • Firing the engine.

Part of a video titled How to Hot Wire a Car - YouTube
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Next use the flat-head screwdriver to pry off the plastic panels and expose the ignition cylinder.MoreNext use the flat-head screwdriver to pry off the plastic panels and expose the ignition cylinder. And the wires running to it be gentle to minimize damage to the steering column.

Full Answer

How easy is it to hot-wire a car?

How to Hotwire A Car

  1. Find the red coil wire. Pop the hood and locate the red coil wire. ...
  2. Power the dashboard This is where your jumper cables come in. Run one of the cables from the positive battery terminal to the positive end of the coil. ...
  3. Find the starter solenoid It is in different places in different models. ...
  4. Connect the solenoid and the positive battery terminal

Is it still possible to hotwire a modern car?

Yes, it is still possible to hotwire cars, especially those manufactured before the mid-90s. However, modern vehicles can still be hot-wired though tricky. But, except you are a thief, do not hotwire a modern car. New cars are built with safer technology that makes hot wiring difficult and dangerous.

How to hotwire a car in an emergency?

How to Hotwire a Car in 6 Steps

  • Step #1. The first thing you should do is take a screwdriver and place it into the keyhole of the ignition system (which is called the ignition tumbler).
  • Step #2. Use the screwdriver to remove the screws on the steering column cover. ...
  • Step #3. You should see 3 bundles of wires with their own separate colors. ...
  • Step #4. ...
  • Step #5. ...
  • Step #6. ...

How to hotwire a car with a screwdriver?

Now, let’s see how to hotwire a car with a screwdriver or drill:

  • Insert the drill or screwdriver into the keyhole (about three-quarters of the drill should go inside). ...
  • There are many sections of the lock pins, so repeat the above process as many times as possible to destroy other lock pins
  • When you feel all the pins are broken, pull out the screwdriver from the keyhole

More items...

Can you hotwire a car and steal it?

Can car thieves steal a modern car by hot wiring it? RELATED: Is a 'Kill Switch' Effective in Preventing Car Theft? No, they can't. Thanks to the modern systems found in cars made after the 90s, most thieves won't be able to simply hotwire a modern car and drive away with it.

Does it damage a car to hotwire it?

: Hot-wiring a car is dangerous and is likely to damage your vehicle. Never hot-wire anyone's car but yours and be prepared to show your proof of ownership. Step 1: Try a screwdriver Pound a flat-head screwdriver into the ignition and turn it like a key.

What color wires do you use to hotwire a car?

The battery wires are usually red but there is no universal color system for the ignition wires so you'll need to look online for your make and model or check your owner's manual.

What two wires do you use to hotwire a car?

The starter cables are typically the two brown wires, and the power cables are usually the two red wires, but you should consult your vehicle's manual to make sure. Put on some insulated gloves and cut the two power wires with a set of wire cutters.

How do criminals hotwire cars?

Overall, the three most common methods on how to hotwire a car are hotwiring the steering column, drilling lock pins, and powering the dash. Drilling the lock pins is the simplest technique to hotwire a car.

How do thieves hotwire a car?

It has to do with bypassing the process that a car key does. Hotwiring works around the ignition lock cylinder, which prevents a car from starting until the correct key is detected. Normally, the thief will remove the panel below the steering wheel and expose the wiring that goes into the ignition lock cylinder.

How do you bypass the ignition switch to start a car?

1:583:15Bypass safety circuits and start your car or truck - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut with the start switch connected as such positive wire start signal wire. We can start the engineMoreBut with the start switch connected as such positive wire start signal wire. We can start the engine. Of course that's predicated on the idea that you will have your ignition key switched.

How can I start my car without the ignition switch?

Key is an important element to start your car. In order to start it without a key, one needs to bypass the ignition lock which should only be done when you lost your key. It can only be done by connecting ignition cord to the battery cord followed by touching the starter cord to the connection.

What's the easiest car to steal?

Best-selling vehicles tend to be the most targeted by thieves, and Toyota Camrys are no exception. Their universal parts are catnip for criminals, who strip the cars and resell the parts for a profit. If you own a 2007 model, beware: The 2007 Toyota Camry was the most stolen version last year.

What is the fastest way to hotwire a car?

0:252:20How to Hot Wire a Car - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipStep. 1 pound a flathead screwdriver into the ignition. And turn it like a key this will ruin theMoreStep. 1 pound a flathead screwdriver into the ignition. And turn it like a key this will ruin the ignition cylinder. But it's effective on many cars manufactured before the mid-90s.

How do you start a car without a chip key?

It's not possible to start a car without the chip key. Try starting it with a mobile app, or call the on-road assistance service provided by your car's manufacturer. The only other options are to tow the vehicle home or to the nearest dealership, depending on how the new key is created.

What cars can you start with a screwdriver?

Can You Start a Car With a Screwdriver? Unless you have a very old automobile (like pre-1990), no. Even with those older cars, an ignition is very unlikely to turn over with a screwdriver alone.

How long does it take to hotwire a car?

Always check to see if your car is equipped with an immobilizer before trying to hotwire it. There are still ways to bypass the immobilizer, but you need a lot more knowledge to do that kind of thing. How to Hotwire a Car in 8 Steps. Total Time: 5 minutes.

How to get access to car?

This method should only be used in emergency situations. The other method to gain access to your car is to drill the lock pins. The purpose of this method of starting the car is to turn on the ignition with a screwdriver instead of a key. Place the drill bit on the keyhole until it is 60 percent covered. Orient yourself on the length of the key and ...

How to get a keyhole out of a key?

Place the drill bit on the keyhole until it is 60 percent covered. Orient yourself on the length of the key and drill into the keyhole until small metal pits come out. Each keyhole has two parts of the spring. Note that this method will destroy your keyhole. Remove the drill and use a screwdriver to turn on the ignition.

How to short an ignition switch?

Check the ignition switch’s backside, and you are going to find a connector going the ignition switch. You can either remove the connector to short the wires or cut the wires to short them.

How to get a car to come to life after a keyhole is broken?

Remove the drill and use a screwdriver to turn on the ignition. Now that all the pins are broken, you don’t need to press the screwdriver so hard. The engine will come to life. Be aware that once you have broken the keyhole, anyone can steal your car.

What color are the battery cables on a car?

The battery cables are normally red, while the starter is yellow, and the ignition cables are brown. You should always confirm this with the owner’s manual, though. Remember that if you don’t find the correct wiring diagram and put the wrong wires together, you can burn expensive parts like engine control units and even put your car on fire. ...

How to make a car start when the ignition is on?

To do this, hold together the starter motor cable and the battery+ source for a couple of seconds until the car starts. When the car starts, you need to remove these two cables from each other, but let the battery+ and ignition cable be twisted together.

How long does it take to hotwire a car?

It takes between 3–10 minutes to hotwire a car. It could be higher or less, depending on the approach you use, the knowledge of the method utilized, and the availability of the necessary equipment.

What wires do you use to hotwire a car?

A better question will be, what wires do you use to hotwire a car? The three wires you access when hot wiring via the steering is the red battery wires, the brown or yellow ignition wire, and the yellow starter wire. However, when doing it via the hood, you use the red coil cable together with the bumper cables you already have.

How to get rid of pins in keyhole?

Insert the drill or screwdriver into the keyhole (about three-quarters of the drill should go inside). This would destroy the lock pins

How to start a car with a screwdriver?

You can start a car with a screwdriver. Just ensure the vehicle has a keyhole and you have the screwdriver at hand. To do this, insert the screwdriver into the keyhole repeatedly until the lock pins are destroyed .

How to connect jumper cable to battery?

Get the jumper cable you have already. Connect one side of the jumper cable to the positive battery terminal and the other end to the coil positive terminal or the red wire that leads to the coil. This should power the electronics in your dash

What is it called when you start a car without a key?

The process of starting your car without using a key is called hot wiring. Bringing us to the topic, how to hotwire a car. This method works best for vehicles manufactured before the mid-90s. Recent cars have their wiring units hidden, making it difficult to hotwire them.

What to do if you lock yourself out of a car?

New cars are built with safer technology that makes hot wiring difficult and dangerous. If you lock yourself out, get a new key fob or have a professional do it for you. Else you stand the chance of destroying some electrical components of the car.

How to hotwire a car?

In this step of how to hotwire a car, you should wear protection as the insulated gloves and use the cutters to cut the power wires from the cylinder. Now you just take those ends and twist them together with your hands and fingers. If done correctly, the ignition, radio, and lights should all turn on.

What Is Hot Wiring ?

In general, hot-wiring is the process of turning on the car’s engine without using a key. It is a process to bypass the ignition’s interlock system that is mostly used during the thefts of the vehicle. However, it is not any compulsion, and a car can still use the hotwire in different circumstances.

How to open a steering wheel lock bolt?

In some cars, the steering wheel lock bolt can be pried open by jamming a screwdriver between the top of the steering column and the steering wheel. New cars have complex wheel locks and electronic key systems that are nearly impossible to hotwire a modern car circumvent without tools and in depth knowledge. Know more about maintaining your car in different settings here Maintenance Tips.

How to start a car with a keyhole?

Use the driller to drill on the keyhole about ⅔ of the way up. By this way, you destroy the lock pins then you can start the car by screwdriver. As the lock pin has two sections followed by a spring, so drill it more than one, removing the drill every time to let the bits come out. So now you need to use the screwdriver and turn around like the way you use the key. But keep in mind that just turn it about a quarter to turn the engine over.

What does the red wire on a battery mean?

Once you find the battery wires, it is time to cut some part of the insulation or the covering from the end.

When to use hotwire method?

The method should be used only in case of emergency and not as a regular regime. Have an extra key, so you do not find yourself stuck with those wires and the hotwiring thing.

Is hot wiring a car dangerous?

Important Note: Since hotwiring a car is dangerous, we suggest you do it with your car, not someone else’s car. Hotwiring can risk your personal safety and the wellbeing of the vehicle. There is always a chance of an electrical shock if proper precautions are not taken.

What Should You Do Before Hotwiring A Car?

Before you proceed to start hotwiring a car, some preparations are needed so that you have the least challenges when starting the vehicle.

What happens if you hotwire a car?

If you hotwire a car, you will be using the shortcut to ignite the car so that it can start .

What color are the starter wires on a car?

In some vehicle models, the ignition wires can either be brown and the starter wires are yellow. For the battery wires, they are usually red.

What is the next step after twisting together the wires of the battery and the ignition?

The next step after twisting together the wires of the battery and the ignition is to locate the wire that is associated with the starter motor.

Where do you put a screwdriver in a car?

As you begin the task, you will have to place the screwdriver into the keyhole that is on the ignition system of the vehicle. This is also referred to as the ignition tumbler.

What happens when you put the ignition key in the ignition?

In a normal situation where you have the car keys of the vehicle, placing the ignition key into the ignition and turning it generates an electrical circuit.

What do you use a wire stripper for?

If you have a wire stripper, you will use it to cut off the insulation that is on each end of either the wires-the ignition and the battery wires.

Why is hotwiring a new car difficult?

Hotwiring new cars is practically impossible due to their advanced anti-theft systems that all but require their remote “keyless” key to start.

What Is Hotwiring?

In practical terms, hotwiring is considered any method of starting a vehicle’s engine without the use of its key. As such, the goal of hotwiring a car is getting the engine running in a way that doesn’t involve the key. This means that the more you know about how cars work (and, more specifically, how they start), the more options you’ll have to bypass the car’s intended starting method.

Why is it called hot wiring?

The reason why it’s called “hot-wiring” is that one of the most common methods for starting a car without the keys is by accessing the wires that connect to the ignition switch, cutting and stripping them, and then using the “hot wire” (the starter wire or wires) to get the starter motor running, which turns on the engine of the car.

How to get older cars to run without key?

By far the easiest and fastest way to get older cars running without the key is with the use of a flathead screwdriver. Some cars can be quite easily turned on by inserting a flathead screwdriver into the key slot for the ignition and turning it like a key. Vroom vroom.

What color wires are used for starters?

Typically, this is how the wires are colored: the red wire leads to the battery, the yellow wire is for the ignition, and one or two brown wires are the actual starter wires.

How to get sparks to fly on a car?

Carefully cut and strip the starter wire (s) and then tap their exposed ends to your twisted together ends of your battery and ignition wires. You are likely to see sparks fly and the engine should come to life at this point.

How to break a steering wheel lock?

You may be able to break the steering wheel lock by getting out of the car and putting everything you’ve got behind turning the wheel in either direction. With enough force, you might be able to break the steering wheel lock and find yourself at the wheel of a fully functional vehicle.

How to drive a car if the steering column is locked?

The only way you will be able to drive your vehicle is to break it. On some cars, you just need to remove the metal keyhole to release the spring and break the lock. If you own a particularly old car and you have already tried to put your screwdriver in there, it is likely that the lock is already broken. If not, you may have to use some force. Try turning the wheel hard either way to twist it free. You may need a hammer to act as leverage. You will hear a breaking sound which means that the wheel is free to use as normal.

Can you rev the engine when starting a car?

If you have successfully managed to start the car, you can now rev the engine several times to avoid stalling the car and having to go back a couple of steps. Before attempting to drive your vehicle, you should use some electrical tape to cover up the end of live starter wire. This will stop it from shocking you or something else – either way, the consequences are not likely to be good! When you want to turn off the engine, you just need to untangle the battery wires and the ignition wires.

Can you hotwire a car with a chip key?

Hotwiring a car may seem like something you only see in TV shows and movies, but if you have an older vehicle which was made in the mid-1990s or earlier, you can do it yourself in emergency situations. However, modern vehicles are made with electronic locking systems and most of their wiring is not easily accessible, so this is not a viable option. So, if you are looking for how to hotwire a car with a chip key, you are going to struggle.

Step 1

This method will work on vehicles that do not have an engine immobilizer. To hack the immobilizer, see my immobilizer hacking video here:

Step 2: Steering Column

Here are a few photos of the process. I found it surprisingly easy to do. Since your not breaking into your own car, I chose to remove everything nicely.

Step 4: Steering Lock

To unlock the steering wheel, the ignition switch needs to be removed. It’s held in by two security screws which I removed with a hammer and pick.

Step 5: Start Your Car!

Here’s what the ignition cylinder looks like removed from the steering column.

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