Car stereo trick

[paigeoliver]

Is it possible to use a relay on the ACC line out of a car stereo to disable the starter if the radio isn't turned on?

Specifically the idea is a detachable face stereo, if the face is out then you can't turn the sucker on, if you can't turn the sucker on then you can't start the car. Obviously the stereo would need to be wired directly to the battery instead of through the usual stereo circuit.

I figure such a trick is esoteric enough that it might not easily be figured out by a potential thief. They would be looking all over for the kill switch, never realizing that the radio IS the kill switch.

Or would it just be simpler to route some innoculous control as a kill switch, such as a map light, or perhaps rewire the cigarette lighter to do the same thing?

Or maybe install an entire bank of switches in clear view, but they would all need to be in the correct position (like a set of 4 10 position rotary switches, and have like 50 wires coming out of the box!).

Can you tell I am a bit paranoid after losing a car? People totally ignore car alarms due to all the false alarms, so I want a different option. And NOT the Mad Max exploding gas tank trick either.

Hmm, low profile switch installed in the headliner or under the carpet?

How about completely disconnecting the NORMAL ignition switch (leaving it non functional) and hiding another one somewhere else?

I know there is always "The Club", but that looks SO STUPID, and isn't really convient to put in all the time.

A remote kill switch would be decent too.

[SOAPboy]

a decent car alarm, comes with a lowjack..

Buy a car alarm with one..

Install it yourself..

you can get "decent" car alarms on ebay under 100 bucks.. while they are CHEAP alarms, the lowjacks on em are really decent..

but yeah, you can go so far as rigging your starter to a switch under a dash panel if one were so inclined.. so it wouldnt be to terribly hard to rig it to a car radio.. just would require you tapping into the lead for the radio..

[ChadTower]

You don't go to all that trouble of buying an old pickup, doing dozens of hours of work yourself to keep cost low... just to drop a lot of money on a lojack.  He's looking for a solution with little to no cost.

[tommy]

That sounds like a good idea paige, but the problem is they would have damaged your car trying to get inside, with the club they see it and dont bother.

2 cents.

[ChadTower]

Someone tried to steal my convertible with the Club on it.  They DID steal my Civic with the Club on it.

[TOK]

Someone tried to steal my convertible with the Club on it.  They DID steal my Civic with the Club on it.

You can defeat the Club in under 10 seconds by snipping the wheel rim with bolt cutters. The car is getting gutted anyway and this doesn't hurt the valuable airbag, so the Club is just about worthless protection from anything other than a joyrider.

For a kill switch, I'd go with a standard toggle switch under the dash. Don't put it near the fuse box/ignition wires (thief is going to be there anyway), but make sure you can easily reach it from the drivers seat or you'll never use it.  If you leave the truck sit for periods of time, you can also install a pre-made switch that goes on the battery terminal. Very simple to install, and pretty effective if you combine it with the under-dash kill switch. Once someone has defeated one simple security device and still can't get the truck started, they're not going to linger long troubleshooting.

Edit to ad link to switch: http://www.mustangandfords.com/techarticles/9414/index5.html

[ChadTower]

Adjust the carburetor so it only starts with a random amount of pumping of the gas pedal.  They'll never figure it out.

[SOAPboy]

You don't go to all that trouble of buying an old pickup, doing dozens of hours of work yourself to keep cost low... just to drop a lot of money on a lojack.

[DrewKaree]

I once threw one of those things that attached to the battery terminal on a car.  A big circular piece holds a bolt, and once you unscrew the bolt, unless they have a bolt to fit in there, they won't be making contact and probably won't think to pop the hood, find their handy dandy bolt, and screw it in to make the car work again.

Of course, it IS a pain in the ass to have to keep opening the hood yourself to do the exact same thing But I can almost guarantee it wouldn't be stolen.

[crashwg]

Run it through something like the hazzard lights or something so you have to click them on before you can start the car.

Who would think of that?  Besides me of course! 

Not quite sure how you'd hook that up but I'm sure it's possible.

[danny_galaga]

when i was an apprentice, we installed a kill switch in the cigarette lighter of a car. ive forgotten how it went but obvioulsy if the lighter was pushed in it would be on or off. the circuit through the lighter would be on but i think it would be preferable to have the reverse and it could be we installed a relay on the lighter to do that. i like the stereo idea though. sounds like it would end up being a bit of a hassle to set up though. how much are car immobilisers in the US? why not install one of those? cheaper than an alarm...

oh, and one more trick which my dad did with his car. he wired the car horn to the door switch and and another switch to turn it off under the bonnet, which he left unlatched for access.

[quarterback]

You don't go to all that trouble of buying an old pickup, doing dozens of hours of work yourself to keep cost low... just to drop a lot of money on a lojack.

[SOAPboy]

You don't go to all that trouble of buying an old pickup, doing dozens of hours of work yourself to keep cost low... just to drop a lot of money on a lojack.

[ChadTower]

Lojack is sure as hell not $50.  You're talking a two way GPS unit and third party service to track it if activated.

[SOAPboy]

Lojack is sure as hell not $50.

[ChadTower]

how about reading it again..

How about a little humility and considering the fact that my post wasn't directed solely at you, Mr It's All About Me.  Thanks.

[Shape D.]

Is it possible to use a relay on the ACC line out of a car stereo to disable the starter if the radio isn't turned on?

sounds like a good idea, until someone steals your radio.

[ChadTower]

sounds like a good idea, until someone steals your radio.

 

[danny_galaga]

i doubt anyone would steal a removable stereo, after that was the whole idea of them in the first place wasnt it? to make them useless to steal?

i had a think back to when we installed the kill switch in the cigarette lighter. it was an older car with points, so the switch was shorting the points out when the lighter was depressed. what i never found out though was what happened if the thief spent more than a few minutes at it? because then i reckon the lighter would pop out once it was hot enough (like it normally does) and in so doing allow the car to start...

[danny_galaga]

Adjust the carburetor so it only starts with a random amount of pumping of the gas pedal.

[paigeoliver]

I think I figured out exactly what to do. 12 volt relay on the stereo ACC line, relay enables the fuel pump. It should still be able to start then, but should die in seconds if the radio isn't on.

[ChadTower]

Great idea until something causes the stereo to blow its fuse while you're on the highway.

[lordsaryon]

i doubt anyone would steal a removable stereo, after that was the whole idea of them in the first place wasnt it? to make them useless to steal?

i had a think back to when we installed the kill switch in the cigarette lighter. it was an older car with points, so the switch was shorting the points out when the lighter was depressed. what i never found out though was what happened if the thief spent more than a few minutes at it? because then i reckon the lighter would pop out once it was hot enough (like it normally does) and in so doing allow the car to start...

Think again,  it is very easy now-a-days to get new faces.  The companies are supposed to require original documentation, blah blah blah, but I would guarentee any radio shop could do it with zero hassles if you worked there.  I had a $700 radio stolen, with no face plate, I guarentee they got about $50 for it, and paid $50 for a new face plate.  Then they had to worry about the security code, but oh yeah, it can be circumvented.  The only way to keep your radio is to not have one.

[screaming]

... So now if I ever want to go car-jacking in St. Louis, I know what to look for.  Thanks!

-sab

[xar256]

i doubt anyone would steal a removable stereo, after that was the whole idea of them in the first place wasnt it? to make them useless to steal?

After what I went through last year...I could believe it.  To make a long story short, I lost my faceplate 2 weeks after buying the $400 Kenwood stereo.  I went back to the store I bought it from, they sent me to a website for the supplier of thier components, and i was able to order a replacement faceplate for my stereo for $45CDN.  No questions asked, no serial numbers required.
Needless to say...I don't have a lot of confidence in these removable faceplate options anymore   Back to the Viper alarm system for me <for all that's worth  >

Xar256

[SirPeale]

i doubt anyone would steal a removable stereo, after that was the whole idea of them in the first place wasnt it? to make them useless to steal?

People will steal anything, esp. if they think they can get money for it.

I lived at a hotel back in '95.  When the tiny dishes first came out for satellite TV, a guy on my floor got one.  Set it up on the roof.  It was stolen within a day.  Sad thing is, it's absolutely worthless without the rest of the unit.  It cost the guy $50 to get a new dish.  He mounted that one right outside his window.

[danny_galaga]

Great idea until something causes the stereo to blow its fuse while you're on the highway.

thats a good point. maybe you should go with your switch in the headliner idea...

[Bones]

I seen something recently on TV where some dude wired a bullet into the fuse box. They installed heavy duty wire and caused a short circuit.

The wire got hot and the bullet fired out in the direction it was aimed with enough force to do some damage.

I see two advantages.

1) You can shoot the guy in the act when he turns the ignition and is trying to steal your car.
2) You can shoot the guy in the act when he turns the ignition and is trying to steal your car.

Just don't forget to remove the bullet when YOU want to drive...

[lordsaryon]

This actually came from a huge myth.  It was disproven on mythbusters(if that counts for anything)  They did get it to fire with liek 24v and 0 gauge wire, both if which is hard to find on ANY fuse in the car.

It could be done, but the liabilities are way too high.

[Bones]

Yeah that's it!!! That's the show I seen it on. Cool show...

Bugger the liabilities, you touch a mans car and you deserve to get shot in the nuts with a bullet.

[hyiu]

just wire an extra switch in the fuel pump....

you can put the switch in the glove compartment, under the chair, under the dash,... whatever.

my uncle use to put it behinf the rear seat...
someone stealing the car will NEVER look in the rear seat...
(well... not too convinent anyway...)

[ChadTower]

Just leave your dog in the car.

[Hoagie_one]

I LIKE THE IDEA OF MAYBE A COMBINATION LOCK \ KILL SWITCH COMBO THAT REVEALS 4 ROTARY SWITCHES THAT WILL DETONATE THE GAS TANK

[Dartful Dodger]

I prefer the sharp long stake and a heavy spring under the driver's seat.

Just incase you accidentally release the spring, you need to remember to put the thick metal sheet down before you sit in the car.

[ChadTower]

I prefer the sharp long stake and a heavy spring under the driver's seat.

Awesome.

I still say a dog is the best solution.  You want to keep people out and every other solution here is for what to do once they're in.

[DrewKaree]

I LIKE THE IDEA OF MAYBE A COMBINATION LOCK \ KILL SWITCH COMBO THAT REVEALS 4 ROTARY SWITCHES THAT WILL DETONATE THE GAS TANK

You could just caps lock 'em to death

Chad, the only problem with your canine security system is that sooner or later, your car will get a tad rank...then you've gotta make sure everything's waterproofed so you can take a pressure washer to it and get the funk out. 

[ChadTower]

Chad, the only problem with your canine security system is that sooner or later, your car will get a tad rank...then you've gotta make sure everything's waterproofed so you can take a pressure washer to it and get the funk out.

[DrewKaree]

Chad, the only problem with your canine security system is that sooner or later, your car will get a tad rank...then you've gotta make sure everything's waterproofed so you can take a pressure washer to it and get the funk out. 

He bought YOUR car, it's too late to prevent that now. 

How come the Glow never works?  I hate that!

Meh.........it's not that he's got my car now and I funked it all up, it's that cheese I put under the seat and the fish in the hubcap that stunk it up

[ChadTower]

How come the Glow never works?

[DrewKaree]

How come the Glow never works?  I hate that!

It works in IE but not Firefox.

Correction.  I hate that it doesn't work in Firefox.

I DO hate IE.