how do you hotwire a car?

[vancouverbc]

I had my car towed home from theft recovery. 91 240sxThe thief did not cut any wires. He dug out the place where the key goes. I assume he put a screw driver in and turned. I tried turning it with screw driver but nothing happened. Is there any trick.
Modified by vancouverbc at 7:37 AM 9/10/2004

[Ubernoober]

The trick is to either install a kill switch or an alarm that kills the ignition and fuel. That way you don't have to worry about the secret if there were one.All cars are susceptable to that attack.

[vancouverbc]

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/...hotos

This shows how the lock has been removed. I don't want to replace the entire assembly.

[yellow_jacket]

You will have to replace the entire lock cylinder and housing. It is very easy to do and they are cheap. It usually takes me about 5 minutes to remove the whole assembly.

[vancouverbc]

I assume you are not referring to the Removal of the damaged steering wheel lock/ignition switch requires that you drill out the anti-tamper bolts that hold the steering wheel lock/ignition switch assembly to the steering column.

If i get a new lock cylinder , will i need a new key? Also, is this a job for a locksmith or can I do it? Do mechanics do this? thanks.

[Hijacker]

i've never had to drill out any bolts

[gogg]

It'd still be fun to know how to hotwire... for educational purposes only.

[vancouverbc]

Find the hot wire running up the steering column and attach it to one of any of the several ignition wires. Then find the starter wire and attach it momentarily to the other two wires until starter starts engine. the hot wire can be found using a 3 dollar test bulb. you just stab the sharpened probe through insulation of wire and connect to frame of car. light will go on if wire is hot. not sure of an easy way to find ignition wire. you can always check the manual for the colours.

my lock was completely romoved. someone mentioned that thieves bring their own lock and stick it in to start car. no one has been able to tell me how to start my car with screwdriver

[den240]

I had to hotwire my 'Lude after it was wrecked...

Had it towed to my house after buying it off of the insurance company as totalled. The towing guys apparently "lost" the key, and were somehow "unable" to put the car into my back yard as I had asked them to.

Anyway, can't leave a wrecked car on the street long in Denver without problems, and I needed to work on it, so I unscrewed enough stuff to release the steering locks and hotwired the car with a safety pin. (stuck through the +12v wire near the ignition switch, also throgh the ignition wire, then momentarily through the starter-switch wire. I only ran the car for about 2 minutes to drive it up the driveway and into the back yard. When I went to turn off the ignition by pulling the safety pin, I figured out the other reason it is called HOTwiring!!!

Cool safetypin shaped burns on my thumb and finger!!!

HOTwire > skin

[Ubernoober]

There is a lockout pin. Push the pin in, make sure there is no tension on the steeringwheel (the lock pin for that must retract) and turn the base of the cylinder. Should engage. I highly doubt a thief would be toodling around with 50 different master cylinders depending on which car he finds to steal. The relay isn't in the lock portion of the master cylinder, its in the base, so thieves just screw a body-dent puller into the key slot and hammer (one quick pull. Total time from entry to start... 30 seconds) out the locking cylinder leaving the relay behind.

[yellow_jacket]

I assume you are not referring to the Removal of the damaged steering wheel lock/ignition switch requires that you drill out the anti-tamper bolts that hold the steering wheel lock/ignition switch assembly to the steering column.

If i get a new lock cylinder , will i need a new key? Also, is this a job for a locksmith or can I do it? Do mechanics do this? thanks.

The anti tamper bolts do not need to be drilled out. Just get a chisel and notch them. Then use a slotted screw driver to remove them. Any competant mechanic can do this. A locksmith can rekey the new lock cylinder for you.

[vancouverbc]

thanks, yellow_jacket. I assume the thief had his own lock cylinder he placed in hole to get car started because i could not get it started with screwdriver.

Chilton says the steering lock/ignition switch/warning buzzer switch assembly can be removed by disconnecting negative terminal of battery, removing steering wheel, removing steering column cover, removing combination switch, disconnect switch wiring, break self-shear screws with drill or other method, remove the steering lock from column.

They say the ignition switch and/or warning switch can be removed without removing the assembly. They don't say whether the cylinder lock can be removed without removing assembly.

[vancouverbc]

The ignition switch behind the lock cylinder came off very easy . just unscrewed a small gold screw. The always hot wire was not hot. THe 30 amp ignition fuse was blown. I think another fuse is blown too. I replaced the fuse and I have power but I'm only get a click when i give power to starter. Not sure if battery is weak. I read 12 volts across battery terminal.Head lights come on. The ignition switch is very easy to operate with screw driver. I don't know why people cut wires when they can just use ignition switch.