Remote kill switch

Quote: kenarman

Once all the vehicles have kill switches better pay your parking ticket, they will be able to disable your vehicle until you do.

They can already put a boot on it. I've never had a boot put on, but I've seen a few unlucky owners with boots awaiting their return.

One other idea to deter thieves is creating the appearance of security. On my bicycles and motorcycles I did that in addition to regular locks. Had people steal the nice seats for bicycles so I wrapped the quick release handle in solder wire. It looks like it's wrapped up in heavy wire that you're either going to have cut off or spend time upwrapped, but solder is soft and easy to work with and take off when you need to. No one ever stole them again anyway.

For a motorcycle or car, you can go to home depot and buy a foot or more of heavy tow chain, and for instance drape it through the steering wheel of a car, so if the thief looks in the car they think they may have to deal with that.

I feel like I used to see these all the time in the 90’s. Haven’t seen one in years, probably because cars are much more difficult/impossible to Hotwire nowadays.

Quote: gamerfreak

I feel like I used to see these all the time in the 90’s. Haven’t seen one in years, probably because cars are much more difficult/impossible to Hotwire nowadays

Milwaukee police offering free locks in response to car thefts
By FOX6 News Digital TeamPublished May 8, 2021

Milwaukee has seen a spike in car thefts in 2021 – described by one police captain as an "epidemic of motor vehicle theft" – with Hyundai and Kia vehicles being targeted, specifically. They are available to Milwaukee residents who own a Kia (2011 or newer) to Hyundai (2015 or newer). According to MPD, there have been 2,949 vehicle thefts in the city as of April 30. Of those, 973 were Kia and 947 were Hyundai vehicles. This time last year, there were 1,201 thefts -- 34 Kia and 58 Hyundai. Police are also urging the automakers to recall the brands they say have been causing the trouble.

Milwaukee officials, faced with police cuts and a record wave of violent crime, have called on the automakers to fix what they perceive as defects and have threatened to sue them.

They had flaws. You could just saw the steering wheel and pop it off if you wanted.

I worked at a place in the city somewhat an area for property crime. I found an old memo to the employees. They had concerns about property crime to their cars and the company owners said a solution was "The Club" with an offer of payroll deduction to pay for it. Talk about copping out.

I had a similar device that went on the clutch on the floorboard. It was a hassle to put on, but it actually did keep my car from being stolen. They still left a screwdriver jammed through my ignition ($300 to repair) Ripped an aftermarket shift light off my dash, but couldn't steal the car.

My Cadillac Allante had a resistor in the key. You could only hotwire it if you brought along a resistor of the proper resistance.

I've googled kill switches and see there's a lot of different ways to go about it.

Me, I am a DIY guy whenever possible so I won't go to a Car Toys or similar store and have them install an alarm.

For a kill switch, the forum posters often suggest having the switch affect / immobilize either the ignition, the computer, or the fuel pump.

I'd briefly considered the starter solenoid but passed on it ... til the post by AZD brought it back to mind: my truck has an easily accessible solenoid but it's a bear to access the other suggested areas, so I think I'll go with the solenoid.

Next: trying to figure the best place to put the kill switch so a thief cannot locate it yet at the same time keep it easy to access by the driver.

Quote: DRich

My Cadillac Allante had a resistor in the key. You could only hotwire it if you brought along a resistor of the proper resistance.

And if you got it wrong the car had a "reset" period where no key would work, which got longer the more failed attempts. By 1996 it was on my Pontiac.

Quote: missedhervee

I've googled kill switches and see there's a lot of different ways to go about it.

Me, I am a DIY guy whenever possible so I won't go to a Car Toys or similar store and have them install an alarm.

For a kill switch, the forum posters often suggest having the switch affect / immobilize either the ignition, the computer, or the fuel pump.

I'd briefly considered the starter solenoid but passed on it ... til the post by AZD brought it back to mind: my truck has an easily accessible solenoid but it's a bear to access the other suggested areas, so I think I'll go with the solenoid.

Next: trying to figure the best place to put the kill switch so a thief cannot locate it yet at the same time keep it easy to access by the driver.

This is a good video of somebody going through the actual legislation:

https://youtu.be/XvqdJRpELSg




If you don't feel like watching the 30 minute video, short summary: There is nothing mandating remote kill switches, this is something drummed up by the media based on one random comment by some Congressman who thought it was in there....