How to Hot-Wire a Car

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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There might be a time when you'll need to know how to hot-wire a car

Hot-wiring a car is generally done as an illegal activity. However, there are times when there is a legitimate need to start your vehicle without turning the key—maybe your ignition lock tumbler has failed or you lost your keys. The specifics of hot-wiring a car will vary from model to model, but the general method should remain similar. The method provided takes more time than ripping and cutting up wires and panels, but it eliminates damage to the car’s interior.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Screwdriver
Wire strippers
Insulated gloves

Step 1

Locate the ignition tumbler, the spot where you normally put your key. Remove the covers and panels around the tumbler.
Step 2

Examine the ignition setup. There should be a panel with five to eight wires clipped to the rear of the tumbler. Remove the panel and try to manually turn the ignition switch using a screwdriver. If you can do this, then you are done! When you turn the ignition switch (usually with a key), it rotates a pin or lever on the back side of the tumbler. The panel is essentially a switch with four positions: off, accessories, full on and ignition. The different positions of the key correspond to each of these positions.
Step 3

Research the color coding of the ignition wires for your specific car model. If you are not able to manually turn the ignition switch with a screwdriver, you will have to strip wires to "hot-wire" the car.
Step 4

Locate the “on” positive and negative wires in the steering column. They should run up to the ignition tumbler and be color-coded.
Step 5

Pull those wires from the ignition, strip a portion of each and twist them together. The car will now be on and ready for ignition. This is where you truly hot-wire a car. These wires carry a charge, which is why they are called “hot.”
Step 6

Find the starter wires and pull them from the ignition tumbler as well. Strip the ends and touch these wires together briefly. This should activate the starter, firing up the car. If you have done everything properly, your car will now be running. Do not leave these wires touching each other once the car is running.
Step 7

Cover up any exposed wires to avoid painful electric shocks. Drive away and have your ignition repaired or a new key made so you do not have to hot-wire the car regularly.

Comments

chuck93101 said

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on 10/3/2009 Alright I have a 1977 Doge Van that has shorted out whirs someplace under the hood that I am unable to find. My question is: is it possible to hot wire it under the hood. bypassing all the electrical systems? I know I won’t have any lights I only need to be able to move it around some.

JD818 said

on 10/25/2008 You guys are seriously stupid. You think this is info any car thief doesn't already know? What do you think someone is gonna steal a car just because they read this? Hate to tell you if people are going to commit a crime they already had there mind made up long before they would search out this info. Information isn't the enemy it's how you use it.

johnequickiii said

on 10/15/2008 See... The thing is, some people really do need this info. (Ya... I'm sure thieves find it novel...)

My question is, Can I place a push button switch between the ignition wire, and the power wires, and just turn the key to on and push the button to start the car?

I have a 96 VW Jetta that just recently decided that it didn't wanna start up anymore. Key turned to on, power to everything, but when turned to start, it just does nothing.

Tazrice said

on 7/12/2008 very useful info as my ignition switch has just gone US. Thanks

Susancnw said

on 4/6/2008 Does this work on newer models as well as older cars? My older sister taught me to do this in the '70s (she dated interesting guys:D) but I've never tried it on a newer model car?