I've got an on/off switch under the dash for the fuel pump on my hunting rig (Suburban). Works great, when I leave it parked somewhere, flip the switch, and I know it's pretty secure from theft. A thief could probably drive 1-2 minutes before it died...and then he/she would have no clue as to why it won't run...just enough time for me to hear it and catch up to the soon-to-be worm food.

 

do you really think the FJ is going to be high on the theft list though? I don't. That's not to say it's not smart to add stuff to prevent it, but still...

 

sure, it won't generally be high.. but pacific beach aka 'missing beach' here in SD **** get's lifted left and right, i've had 3 bicycles stolen already (recovered one) and just this past week my recruiters h2 was stolen. most likely by a corrupt towing company.

 

I'm interested... someone post up some wires to interupt...

 

My buddy always had kill switches in his sports cars. Downtown Boston at night was a thieves paradise. When I asked he said he and his dad just connected the switch to the ignition wiring and hid it under the dash. Just problematic enough for the guys with slim jims that pop the door lock and pull out the entire key entry on the steering column. No matter what they can't start the car. Worked once when we were out partying on Beacon Hill and returned to his Supra. The steering column was a mess but the car was still there.

Not sure about fuel line kill switches - that seems a bit more involved as far as installation.

Of course none of this will stop the corrupt tow truck guys. But they tend to go after popular cars for parts. Whereas joy riders are plain and simple opportunistic. Good luck.

 

one very simple way to do this is to install a HD relay between the +12V battery and starter with a switch in the truck that activates it. flip the switch, it wont start, turn it on, and away you go. the only potential problem with this is that to a would-be thief with a little brains it screams "kill switch" so they may be prompted to start looking around for it. Yet another use for those handy OEM switches.... just order one that fits in the stock holes in the dash, say fog lights, for example, or possibly the sonar button, if you dont have it on your rig. then it looks completely stock so there would be less chance of them figuring it out. Alternately there is the fuel pump cut-off option. You do essentially the same thing, but with the fuel pump instead of the starter. put a relay in-line with the +12V lead going to the fuel pump so that it doesnt get power unless you flip the switch. this is nice because it makes the would-be thief think he is successful, but the engine dies after the fuel already in the lines runs out, leaving them stranded a few blocks away. I'll go draw up a schematic and post it in a few minutes.

 

Pretty simple, really. Just be sure you use a relay that is rated for the current the starter is rated for. the FSM (factory service manual) should have those figures in it, otherwise you could check with the service department at your stealership.

the +12V to the switch can come from anywhere you like, its not going to have hardly any load, so you could use a piggyback fuse lead or something like that.

another good alternative is to go with an aftermarket setup from a company that specializes in automotive electrical, such as painless wiring.

 

might be easier to simply kill power to the ECU or something else not requiring a relay...

just a thought,.

 

why not just use a battery kill switch like in race cars and put it somewhere clever?

 

why not just use a battery kill switch like in race cars and put it somewhere clever?

because if you disconnect the battery you cut the memory power to all the computers in your car. The ECU, radio, etc.

 

because if you disconnect the battery you cut the memory power to all the computers in your car. The ECU, radio, etc.

ahh true i should have thought of that.. im not used to having stuff like the radio and etc. im still used to my 240 which is stripped to the bone.

 

beyond that, you'd need a relay. I'm betting that there's a few easy to get to wires that you can interrupt sans relay that will disable the vehicle.

 

Thanks for the posts....
It's sad, but nowhere is safe anymore if you travel (and I do). When you come from a "low-crime" area and drive into a "high-crime" area on vacation...that's the most likely AND worst time to have your rig disappear. I'm very interested in a kill switch.
Are you doing Lo-Jack or some other retrieval gadget, too?

 

personally I dont care that much... I'll lock mine up with an insurance policy.. if they take it.. I'll just get another.

 

personally I dont care that much... I'll lock mine up with an insurance policy.. if they take it.. I'll just get another.

The inconvenience and deductable is enough to want to install a $20 switch though wouldnt you think?

 

when wiring up the kill switch, try and make the connections out of plain sight and hide the relay as well. it makes your work a little harder, but it adds a good level of complexity that could foil a would be thief. dont cheap out on the relay either. they do fail. bosch has always been good to me.

another tip. wire it up normally open. this means the kill is always active so you have to press a button deactivate the kill and then start your car. you can put a momentary switch under the carpet or something of the sort.

itll take some getting used to, but it would suck to find your car missing because you forgot to turn the kill on. just my .02

 

Throw in a half dozen inactive switches under the dash too...that way even if they look they'll never figure out what's going on...just don't forget which one is the correct one...

 

Throw in a half dozen inactive switches under the dash too...that way even if they look they'll never figure out what's going on...just don't forget which one is the correct one...

What if you threw 8 wires through a bit switch like this:

Then you can put it right on the dash and hide the wires somewhere. have like 6 dummy wires and two that need to be active.. or whate ver combo you want... hmm ?

 

The inconvenience and deductable is enough to want to install a $20 switch though wouldnt you think?

wrong.. deductable is the same whether car is stolen or vandalized. If they break in, trash it cuz they cant start it then I'm stuck with a f$cked up FJ and most likely a sh1ty repair job.

If it's stolen I get it replaced with a brand new one, no depreciation (total replacement coverage) plus they put me in a top of the line rental for free while I wait.


I'll stick with the insurance and not spend my nights worrying.

 

wrong.. deductable is the same whether car is stolen or vandalized. If they break in, trash it cuz they cant start it then I'm stuck with a f$cked up FJ and most likely a sh1ty repair job.

If it's stolen I get it replaced with a brand new one, no depreciation (total replacement coverage) plus they put me in a top of the line rental for free while I wait.


I'll stick with the insurance and not spend my nights worrying.

don't forget you get increased insurance rates even moreso if you're keeping it in the same neighborhood! Oh yeah, and if they do get away with it and go wheelin' and dealin' in it.. redlinin' the engine and then it is recovered by the cops, you get your car back all nice and worked in sweeeet

 

not where I live... vandalism, comprehensive and theft claims are "no fault" and will never effect my rates...

sorry buddy, but I got ya beat on this one. I lock my FJ up with a full replacement insurance policy. Steal 20 of em from me fer all I care.. they'll just keep given me brand spankin new ones.