AM I CRAZY -- KILL SWITCH for security / anti-theft

[Apple Blossom]

If your Bronco is stolen, it's far more likely to me stolen by being put on a rollback or tow truck. The tech to clone key FOBs isn't cheap and range on most of the stuff that Law Enforcement is encountering is not far at all.

Here in Canada they are cloning big time.

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[NORCALGXP]

Watching

 

[acetdeucy]

My Insurance gives discounts for immobilizer and that special breaking feature my outerbanks has. I don’t even know if it’s turned on haven’t noticed any of that tech actually work yet. I believe it’s on my LUX package .

Hmmm... My insurer doesn't even understand what a Kill Switch is!

 

[JoeSpeed]

So, we all want to keep our new Bronco's safe right? I just picked up my new Badlands and I want to keep it even safer!

My build has the overhead switches, and I expect that I will be using at least two of them for aftermarket stuff... so I'm thinking: what about all those other switches that aren't being used? I would think the overhead switches could also be used as a "kill switch" for the starting circuit. For instance, what if a couple (or a few) switches were wired into the Start circuit, in a way that required switch # 3 and #4 to always remain in the ON position, to complete the starting sequence?

Has anyone done anything like this?

Does anyone think this is just a crazy idea?

Does anyone have any experience as to how this could be done?

Yes

 

[Shamalama86]

Hmmm... My insurer doesn't even understand what a Kill Switch is!

Well it’s also called an immobilizer. I believe that’s what it said on my last Insurance papers

 

[GaryB2220]

you just hide a toggle somewhere and run a jumper to and from it between the fuel pump power and fuse box

 

[Silver-Bolt]

The switches are not powered unless the "key" is on. Might be a challenged to make them interrupt the start circuit when it is non-functional without power.

 

[Rimrattle]

I saved my 56 Ford pickup from being stolen back in the 60's. I had a row of toggles on the dash for various accessories. One of them interrupted the ignition circuit so the car would turn over but not start. I was at my girlfriends house (still my wife) and heard the truck turning over and over. They gave up and took off in frustration by the time I got there. I failed to do this in the 70's with my Triumph TR3 and never saw it again.

 

[‘21OBX]

Hmmm... My insurer doesn't even understand what a Kill Switch is!

Tell them immobilizer that’s how it is usually rated.

 

[yippeekiyay]

This has been on my to-do list for a while actually / wired up fuel pump kill switches in the past and might park in some sketchy places, seems cheap insurance that might help avoid another 18 month wait for a replacement

I'm going to interrupt the starter, not the fuel pump this time, mainly for safety - I don't want to lose fuel while crawling up something because someone bumps something or one of my wires comes loose (not a pro mechanic here)

I'd say just use the circuit that powers the starter relay. Pull the fuse and use a fuse tap. Wire one of the AUX switches in line with the fuse tap.

Fuse 18 in the under hood box is the starter circuit. It's 30 amps. AUX 1 is the only 30 amp rated switch. Fuse 34 in the interior box is the run/start relay. It is 30A as well. Or maybe fuse 19 in the interior box, which is just 5A and powers the ignition switch. Fuse 19 would allow use of any AUX switch.

I'm nervous about touching the circuits that involve the vehicle running (though the ignition switch idea could work, idk) so I had been planning to add a NO relay (normally open, ie no power flows through it unless you send it power to close the circuit) inline with the power to the starter solenoid (just assuming we have one and it's not all ecu controlled or something, have not done the research yet). That way I have to turn On the switch (upfitter, hidden toggle, etc) to power the relay, to close the circuit to the solenoid, then start the vehicle, then go ahead and turn off that circuit so when I park again it is safed.

Bonus points: daisy chain one switch & relay to another to even another so several have to be 'on' in order to start >: )

The switches are not powered unless the "key" is on. Might be a challenged to make them interrupt the start circuit when it is non-functional without power.

My first thought when I read your comment was "duh, of course the truck has to be On to Start so what's the problem?!" but then I tested and my a-pillar lights on upfit2, while they do turn on when the switch is on, they turn off during Start (so that was what you were referring to?), presumably to ensure enough current to turn over. Looks like if I decide to use an upfit will need to rewire. (or use a hidden toggle)

Anyone know if the Run/Start circuit described below will 'dip' like the upfitters do now? (would guess no but need to confirm) This could be an easy tap for the circuit power if not, especially since it's rated 5A and the relay should only need a fraction of an amp to do its thing:

 

[acetdeucy]

This has been on my to-do list for a while actually / wired up fuel pump kill switches in the past and might park in some sketchy places, seems cheap insurance that might help avoid another 18 month wait for a replacement

I'm going to interrupt the starter, not the fuel pump this time, mainly for safety - I don't want to lose fuel while crawling up something because someone bumps something or one of my wires comes loose (not a pro mechanic here)



I'm nervous about touching the circuits that involve the vehicle running (though the ignition switch idea could work, idk) so I had been planning to add a NO relay (normally open, ie no power flows through it unless you send it power to close the circuit) inline with the power to the starter solenoid (just assuming we have one and it's not all ecu controlled or something, have not done the research yet). That way I have to turn On the switch (upfitter, hidden toggle, etc) to power the relay, to close the circuit to the solenoid, then start the vehicle, then go ahead and turn off that circuit so when I park again it is safed.

Bonus points: daisy chain one switch & relay to another to even another so several have to be 'on' in order to start >: )



My first thought when I read your comment was "duh, of course the truck has to be On to Start so what's the problem?!" but then I tested and my a-pillar lights on upfit2, while they do turn on when the switch is on, they turn off during Start (so that was what you were referring to?), presumably to ensure enough current to turn over. Looks like if I decide to use an upfit will need to rewire. (or use a hidden toggle)

Anyone know if the Run/Start circuit described below will 'dip' like the upfitters do now? (would guess no but need to confirm) This could be an easy tap for the circuit power if not, especially since it's rated 5A and the relay should only need a fraction of an amp to do its thing:

Thank you for all of the positive thoughts. If only I was smart enough, I wouldn't need to ask someone else to do this for me!

 

[acetdeucy]

I saved my 56 Ford pickup from being stolen back in the 60's. I had a row of toggles on the dash for various accessories. One of them interrupted the ignition circuit so the car would turn over but not start. I was at my girlfriends house (still my wife) and heard the truck turning over and over. They gave up and took off in frustration by the time I got there. I failed to do this in the 70's with my Triumph TR3 and never saw it again.

great story. I'm old enough to remember those days... but life was a bit easier then. You would just cut the power to the solenoid, and wire a toggle switch in-between.

 

[Dieseldaddy66]

On my 1978 Bronco, I used to remove the coil to distributor wire. Someone could crank it until the battery would quit and it wouldn't start.

 

[fiatlux]

This has been on my to-do list for a while actually / wired up fuel pump kill switches in the past and might park in some sketchy places, seems cheap insurance that might help avoid another 18 month wait for a replacement

I'm going to interrupt the starter, not the fuel pump this time, mainly for safety - I don't want to lose fuel while crawling up something because someone bumps something or one of my wires comes loose (not a pro mechanic here)



I'm nervous about touching the circuits that involve the vehicle running (though the ignition switch idea could work, idk) so I had been planning to add a NO relay (normally open, ie no power flows through it unless you send it power to close the circuit) inline with the power to the starter solenoid (just assuming we have one and it's not all ecu controlled or something, have not done the research yet). That way I have to turn On the switch (upfitter, hidden toggle, etc) to power the relay, to close the circuit to the solenoid, then start the vehicle, then go ahead and turn off that circuit so when I park again it is safed.

Bonus points: daisy chain one switch & relay to another to even another so several have to be 'on' in order to start >: )



My first thought when I read your comment was "duh, of course the truck has to be On to Start so what's the problem?!" but then I tested and my a-pillar lights on upfit2, while they do turn on when the switch is on, they turn off during Start (so that was what you were referring to?), presumably to ensure enough current to turn over. Looks like if I decide to use an upfit will need to rewire. (or use a hidden toggle)

Anyone know if the Run/Start circuit described below will 'dip' like the upfitters do now? (would guess no but need to confirm) This could be an easy tap for the circuit power if not, especially since it's rated 5A and the relay should only need a fraction of an amp to do its thing:

Did you ever end up doing this?

 

[fiatlux]

Alright, I can tell you what didn't work.

I created a harness for myself to plug into the Mcase fuse location for the starter (it's really just 2 2.8mm female connectors) and relocated the fuse inline. That was then connected to a relay so that one of the aux switches would close the circuit. Unfortunately, it would appear that the aux switches are unpowered at startup, so the circuit remains open.

My new approach is to use a 5-prong relay and instead hook up either the ignition coil or fuel pump fuse to 87a. That way when the aux switch is on, the car will still start (since at startup all the auxes are off), but should immediately die once the aux switches are powered and the relay causes the circuit to open.

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