Questions and Answers
Hot Wiring A Car
Q. I would like to know how hot wiring a car works. Both, to help prevent burglary, and in case of an extreme emergency. Any assistance would be appreciated.
Sincerely,
JasonA. Hot wiring a car is not as simple as it used to be. In fact, on most cars it's impossible to do anymore.
Basically hot wiring a car means running a wire from the battery positive terminal the coil positive terminal. Then jumping the starter to crank the engine. With 12 volts to the coil, the engine would run. Of course that's all that it will do. You would not have any gauges, heater or radio since they are powered through the ignition switch.
The steering column lock came about to help prevent the driving of a hot wired car. After all, what good is starting a car if you can't steer it and drive it away? The inside the car hood release also help prevented hot wiring and battery theft.
If the car has a standard ignition system, is not fuel injected and doesn't have an electric fuel pump, hot wiring will usually start a car and keep it running. If you have the key to unlock the steering, you'll even be able to drive it.
It is difficult to prevent your car being stolen by hot wiring since by it's very nature it bypasses all the cars electrical systems. But if your car was built from like the early 80's, you don't have much to worry about as far as hot wiring a car goes.
Additional Information provided courtesy of ALLDATA
