I work graveyard in downtown Portland and my new DD is my first non-beater in quite some time. I would like to add two or three kill switches to prevent it from growing legs...

 

1. Best leads to tap into? I was considering the fuel pump ground as one of them....

 

2. Best locations for the switches?

 

On the same note - I'm a bit torn as to the stereo situation. The car has the factory premium 80w AM/FM CD unit, but I have a Sony bluetooth deck that I want to use as it allows me to wirelessly link to the car for both MP3 and headset action. It seems a pity to tear out the stock unit (if I do I'll keep it for reinstall later), but at the same time it really doesn't do what I want.... maybe a dual install?

 

GD

You could also put a switch on the lead to the starter solenoid, or just pull off the wire; it comes off pretty easily. That would prevent cranking.

 

The fuel pump ground could work as another switch. Then even if the cranking is re-enabled it won't start or won't run very long. You can access the connector under the access panel beneath the carpeting behind the right rear seat.

 

Another could be the put a switch in terminal 3 on the ignitor. This would remove the ground path for coil so the spark plugs could not fire.

 

Another could be to unhook the cam position sensor.

 

Also if there is a tree or light pole or something near by, you could chain the vehicle to that object to help prevent towing.

I plan on using the fuel pump switch. Even if they get in the car and manage to jimmy the ign, they wont get far. Pick a location thats easy for you to get to.

As for the stereo, will it fit in the glove box? Does it have a remote? If so, you can just about put it anywhere.

I have a blank switch insert in the dash (in fact a couple of them since I have a Brighton). I removed it and installed two small bolts about 3/8 of an inch apart with only the head protruding thru the switch insert on the driver's side). I then removed the starter's solenoid wire and connected it to a wire with a blade connector. On the other end (thru an existing grommet in the firewall), this wire is soldered to one of the previous bolts behind the switch insert. I then took another wire soldered to the back of the other small bolt and connected the other end to the starter solenoid with a female blade connector.

What you have is then an open electrical circuit to the starter's solenoid. When I want to start, I take a coin and bridge the two bolts heads. You can also revert to the standard setup in a few seconds.

The bolts heads are very unconspicuous and I think the chances of someone trying to steal the car finding the trick is statistically low.

And much easier to do than to explain .

 

I might add the kill switch to the fuel pump. thanks.

Nice - I like the bolt head idea a lot. That's quite sneaky. Exactly what I was looking for.

 

As for putting the stereo in the glove box - well that's probably possible, but the remote is IR so I don't think it will function :-\ Perhaps I'll try to put it in the center console under the armrest.

 

GD

if it is stick shift put a switch on the clutch switch so it thinks the clutch isn't pushed in to start the car.

If you would like to put the stereo in the glove box there are IR devices you can buy that will pass the IR signal from the outside of the box to the inside.

I've seen cop cars with a relay on the horn switch, so the horn works normally but when you turn the key to start, it switches the horn switch over so it's inline with the starter circuit, so to start the car you have to turn the key and hit the horn... Could be done with just about any other switch too.

 

I used to take my distributor cap off my old 87 hatchback (Not that anyone would steal it anyway) whenever I had to leave it for an extended period of time. Sucked when I'd forget about it and get into my car and be like WTF is it not starting grrrr... and then I'd be like oh yeah duh...

 

And unplugging the cam sensor won't make it not start, the computer will guess where it's at, since with a 4 cylinder there are only two possibilities, three with a six cylinder (although most six cylinder engines won't run with the CMP disconnected)

unhook the coil wire....or take it off and take it along

Im counting my blessings right now. I have 5 vehicles, either in the driveway or the unlocked garage..keys are in every one of them. And Im not the least bit concerned. It must suck to have to worry every time you leave your car, that it may not be there when you get back. Truly is a sad thing....I hope Im dead before it gets that bad here in the 'woods'

I've always had a 'kill switch' in my vehicles.

 

In pre-electronic-ignition days, my kill-switch was wired to short-out across the contact-points in the distributor. With the switch closed, the starter would turn over, but there would be no spark.

 

And now with all that computer stuff under the hood, my kill-switch is wired in series with the clutch-pedal switch. As someone else has mentioned, the starter won't turn over until the switch is closed.

 

I've always located the kill-switch just below the instrument panel, not visible, but within easy reach. Perhaps not the most secure place, but easy to activate without drawing attention.

 

And I usually use a double-pole switch. One pole for the kill-switch. And the other pole to simultaneously light a red LED in a prominent location on the instrument panel. I saw a TV documentary recently, in which a 'retired' car-thief explained that he just ignored cars with red warning lamps, since he didn't know what the lamp meant, and in any case there was another car a few feet away that was less trouble to steal.

And I usually use a double-pole switch. One pole for the kill-switch. And the other pole to simultaneously light a red LED in a prominent location on the instrument panel. I saw a TV documentary recently, in which a 'retired' car-thief explained that he just ignored cars with red warning lamps, since he didn't know what the lamp meant, and in any case there was another car a few feet away that was less trouble to steal.

 

An excelent idea - putting the red LED on the top of the door cards wouldn't be too hard either. Google search for 12v LED flasher module in progress.....

 

GD

Had a buddy who used a minivan door contact on the ashtray. It is used to make connections for power locks when the door is closed. The car would only run if the ashtray was pushed in.

 

Slick! No switch to look for!

Interesting. I once used a cigarette lighter for a kill switch. You had to push it in to start. Be careful though. When you are my age you can forget this stuff.

People used to steal your trailer hitch insert when you were sailing here.

I crawled up under and drilled two hole and inserted screws. Then I bondoed and painted them.

A few years later I was going to sell the Jeep and got all sweaty with the sledge hammer before I remembered the screws. I left the dang thing in there as it was too much trouble to get it off.

I also tricked myself on the same Jeep by coming back tired and forgetting the kill switch I had mounted in a tin can a watch came in and painted flat under the dash. luckily I remembered that before flattening the battery, just....

Also it is hard to get your hood open if you put a padlock on the latch. Trust me on this.