In every movie with the protagonist hotwiring a car, they get in, take a panel off underneath the dash somewhere, touch the red and blue wire together and bingo, car starts right up and they drive off. How hard is it to really hotwire a car. How many security systems do you have to really defeat to even think about it? Steering wheel lock, electronic keys, etc.. etc... Everytime I see one of the "lets hotwire a car" movies, I just roll my eyes. I'd like to see how hard it really is.

Hot wiring doesn't work. The car might start, but it won't stay running. The "professional" way is to remove the original cylinder and replace it with one for which you have the key. That way works.

It can be done without replacing the cylinder, but it is fairly complicated, requiring at least 3 wires at any time to keep the car running.

Forgot to add in that that's on a basic old car. The more modern ones are even more difficult, and may not even be able to be hotwired. Some use a digital authentication system, which senses and reacts to your key position. So, it can range from difficult to impossible.

on my 1993 honda i could get the dash lights and all the component on except the engine by connecting two different wire with one single wire. you could just slide the wire in one slot and put the other side in another slot. the fuel pump would come on and everything just like as if the car has a key in it but not on yet. i could then just jump the car since it was a stick but the steering wheel will lock up without the key, if it has one. thats as close to hotwire that i know of. im sure if i fiddled with it more i could make it turn over more.

quote:

Originally posted by angelkiha31:
It can be done without replacing the cylinder, but it is fairly complicated, requiring at least 3 wires at any time to keep the car running.

Yes, but it is much easier to replace the cylinder and skip hotwiring altogether.

Some cars you only need a screwdriver. You pop out the cylinder then jam the flat head screwdriver in and turn it like it was a key. It's retarded that this works, but we had a early 90's Dynasty stolen from us with this method.

How do you know it was stolen in that method?

Most cars (and all of the older ones) have the same basic ignition system making it VERY simple to drive away without a key. It is nearly as fast to start the car with a wire as it is the key.
First, ignore the ignition switch and open the hood. Simply connect a wire between the positive side of the coil and the positive side of the battery. Then briefly short the terminals on the starter solenoid together to engage the starter. It's not magic, look at the wiring diagram for your car.

Your method would work on 60s & older cars, but for newer cars what about the steering wheel lock, & the elec fuel pump? Also my Ford car has 8 ign coils set to fire in an order. your 1 wire won't work.

Its only in movies that a random car can be hotwired by crossing wires under the dash, the person would actually have to know on that model car which wires (and there are many) plus where they are located.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by moovit:
Your method would work on 60s & older cars, but for newer cars what about the steering wheel lock, & the elec fuel pump? Also my Ford car has 8 ign coils set to fire in an order. your 1 wire won't work.
QUOTE]
I stated "MOST cars and all of the older ones". Even in the 80s there were many American made vehicles that did not have steering locks. As for the electric fuel pump, it is usually energized by the same buss as the primary ignition. My point was that it is much easier and faster to hotwire it under the hood than messing with the ignition switch.

quote:

I stated "MOST cars and all of the older ones". Even in the 80s there were many American made vehicles that did not have steering locks.

What American cars are you referring too? The 80s were 20+ years ago, You stated "MOST" cars, most to my definition is more than half, are more than half of the cars on the road today 80s?, or even early 90s?

I want to know which of the big 3 carmakers doesn't give a hoot about building a theft resistant vehicle.

Please forgive me for losing track of time. You are 100% correct and no cars have been stolen in the last 20 years since it is impossible to steal them without the key.

Im guessing hotwiring is possible on all cars otherwise your screwed if u cant find a key so that the people you bought it from or AAA can get it

Refer to Die Hard 3.. "Do you know how to hotwire this thing?" "Yeah, only problem is it takes too %^^&#!$ long"

Movies like to over dramatize things.. The easiest way to steal a car is just shove a screwdriver or something else similar into the cylinder and break the locking mechanism all together. No need to hotwire anything, no need to replace anything with something you have a key to.

This will only work on older cars or cheaper modern cars, alot of 'good' cars being made now this won't work on.

I'd like to see this too. These movies make it look like you just grab the wires, twist two of them together, and you're off!

Again, it doen't work.