March 29, 2020

How To Hotwire A Car In An Emergency 2 Surprisingly Easy Techniques?

By Jeffrey Howie

When in a survival situation, it can be hard to know which way is up. Some skills that are frowned upon in conventional society actually come in handy in times like this. For instance, have you ever heard of hotwiring a car? This is the process where someone starts a car but without a key. It's something that is often seen in blockbuster movies and will be useful if you have misplaced your keys or if you must get out of town during an emergency or survival situation.

Interested in learning more? Keep reading for instruction on how to hotwire a car in an emergency so you can get moving once again.

What You Need

Before we begin, it's important to note that, while hotwiring is an important skill to have in your bag of tricks, it's also illegal and can land you in jail if used for nefarious purposes. We are not promoting any such activities here.

Also, the following methods are better suited for older model vehicles, especially the ones that don't need microchip activation to start.

When you are learning how to hotwire a car in an emergency, it's good to know about certain parts of the car as well as how they function i.e. what to touch and what to leave alone. In this way, when it's necessary, you can start your car easily and safely.

But, that's not all - you must also learn about the tools that you will need for the job. Thus, the second thing you must do is gather the materials that you will need - every car owner should have these on hand in case of emergency:

** Insulated gloves

** Driver's License

** Proof of ownership

** Wire stripper

** Flat-bladed screwdriver

The Screwdriver

This method is much simpler and thus, should be tried first. But you should also know that although it's a relatively effective method used to disable the lock pins, it's use will permanently damage the key mechanism. In other words, any screwdriver, key, or even flat piece of metal will be able to start the car from now on:

** Drill about 2/3 of an inch into the keyhole, where the inner flap starts.

** Remove the drill bit and let the lock bits fall into place

** Repeat as needed, until all the bits are in position

** Insert a flat head screwdriver into the keyhole and start the car normally.

If this method doesn't work, don't worry. You can use the screwdriver again for step two - as long as it didn't get stuck in the ignition cover.

The Literal Hot Wire Method

Before we delve deeper into this particular step, it is important to note that you must use extreme caution when undertaking this task. Take your time so you will be sure to avoid painful electrical shocks and discomfort.

If you choose to use this method, you will have to rewire the car and bypass the ignition system, hence the name. The directions are as follows:

** The first thing you must do is to figure out if you can disable the steering wheel lock. Simply, remove the steering shaft from the back of the steering wheel. You will be looking for a little disk that looks like it can fit a key, remove it if possible.

** Use a screwdriver and remove the access cover that's beneath the steering wheel.

** Next, look for two red wires, remove a ½ inch of insulation off of each end and twist the wires together, making sure that the exposed wires aren't touching any metal. These wires must stay connected at all times.

** Find the brown wire and strip about ½ inch insulation of the end.

** Touch the end of the brown wire against the twisted ends of the red wires until the engine ignites.

Once you have the engine going, it is important to note that you must keep the red and brown wires separate, to avoid sparks which can drain the battery.

Important Considerations

To put it simply, the actual process of hotwiring a vehicle is easy. But there are certain precautions that you should take before undertaking this task to ensure a successful result. For instance:

** Use caution when you are messing with the wiring and check with the Owner's Manual for specific instruction about the wires and color coding for your specific model.

** Always wear insulated gloves when you are working on wires, as their exposed ends carry a powerful live current which can hurt you.

** After you get the car started initially, pull the wires apart and tape your ends to avoid getting electrocuted when you are driving.

** Modern cars feature microchip and transponder systems for getting the ignition unlocked, and if you try to hotwire them, it may set off an alarm.

The Conclusion

There's nothing worse than being in a terrifying situation - where you have to move quickly - but you can't find your car keys. Before panic sets in, take a step back and breathe. The above steps should provide you with all you need to hotwire your car in an emergency where staying put is just not an option.