Cars - How to Turn on a Car Without a Key

How to Turn on a Car Without a Key

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There are a few different ways to start a car without a key.

 

key image by Bosko Martinovic from Fotolia.com

Starting a car without a key is often attributed to illegal car theft. However, there are valid, legal instances when a car may need to be started without a key. Starting a car without a key may be necessary when purchasing a junker, when the ignition lock goes bad or when the vehicle's key is lost. A car can be started without a key by using either a screwdriver or by hot wiring the steering column.

 

 

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Knife
• Philips screwdriver
• Flat-head screwdriver
• Electrical tape

Screwdriver

1. Remove the plastic cover around the steering column using a Philips screwdriver. Place the screws in a plastic bag or cup to keep them from getting lost. Set the plastic covers aside.
   
   
2. Break the lock cylinder by inserting a screwdriver behind the cylinder and prying outward until it pops free. Discard the lock cylinder.
   
   
3. Insert a flathead screwdriver into the slot where the cylinder was positioned. Turn the screwdriver as if it were a key and the vehicle will start.
   
   

Hot Wire

4. Remove the plastic steering column panels using a Philips screwdriver. Set the panels aside and place the screws in a safe location.
     
   
5. Pull the bundle of wires from beneath the steering column until they are all visible. Remove any tape or binding that may be holding them together.
   
   
6. Locate the two wires that are identical in color. Pull these wires free of the steering column. Strip a small amount of plastic off the exposed end of each wire. Twist the two exposed wires together. Wrap the wires together using electrical tape so that they cannot come apart.
   
   
7. Trace the wire from the ignition coil to identify the ignition wire under the steering column. In the majority of vehicles, the ignition wire is brown. Pull this wire free of the harness and strip the end.
   
   
8. Touch the end of the ignition wire to the end of the two stripped wires. This will cause the car to crank and start. Separate them as soon as the engine starts. Do not allow them to touch each other or the metal of the vehicle.