Question: Is there an easy way to check if my car has a kill switch? I know they can help prevent theft, but I’ve also heard they can be dangerous.
Answer:
A kill switch is pretty much what it sounds like—a “switch” in your vehicle that can toggle your car from on to off, or in other words, “kill” the engine. This can help prevent theft and make your car safer in certain situations. It can also be a major headache if you have one and don’t know it.
Kill switches are often intentionally hard to find, which makes them more effective at deterring thieves. If you know your vehicle has one but you can’t find it, you may need to seek the help of a mechanic.
Kill switch locations to check
But if you want to save the trouble and find the kill switch yourself, there are a few places you may want to check first. Five common types of switches include:
- Car battery disconnect switch: This switch works by removing the negative battery wire and hooking the switch to the negative terminal. Flipping the switch will complete the circuit or break the circuit, either allowing or killing electricity to the vehicle and preventing it from starting. To find out if you have one of these switches, pop your hood and check the negative battery terminal for any oddities.
- Fuel-line kill switch: These switches act to shut off fuel to the engine. Without fuel, the engine will not turn over and will not start. These switches are connected to the fuel line and are often found under the vehicle.
- Fuse box kill switch: These switches act to kill power to the fuse box by replacing the ignition fuse with a kill switch. No ignition fuse, no ignition—it’s that simple. Fuse boxes are usually easy to access, making this a convenient option for car owners. You can find which fuse location is your ignition fuse by looking in your owner’s manual. Once you find its location, check to see if the fuse has been removed and replaced with a kill switch.
- Ignition wire kill switch: These work by putting a splice in the ignition wire so the car will not start. This can be easily hidden, but also easily messed up. A wrong cut of the wire could lead to a massive repair bill. To see if you have one of these kill switches, find your ignition wire and search the length of it for any breaks or splices.
- Remote control battery switch: These work like a car battery kill switch, but you don’t have to open the hood to manually flip the switch. As the name suggests, it is operated by remote control. Using the remote flips a switch that completes the circuit that sends electricity from the battery to the engine. Like a normal car battery disconnect switch, you can find this near your car’s battery.
Chris Burkhardt is a writer and editor with over a decade of experience across various storytelling mediums. With Jerry, Chris hopes to help anyone with a question about their vehicle easily find the answers they are looking for. Whether you need to know how much insurance costs for a classic car, how to replace a broken light or tell if you need an oil change, Chris wants to help you find solutions the best he can. Prior to joining Jerry, Chris was a digital content producer and writer for NBC and a freelance editor for NerdWallet. A graduate of the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication, if Chris is not working on content, he’s sure to be found cheering on his Ducks!
Expert insurance writer and editor Amy Bobinger specializes in car repair, car maintenance, and car insurance. Amy is passionate about creating content that helps consumers navigate challenges related to car ownership and achieve financial success in areas relating to cars. Amy has over 10 years of writing and editing experience. After several years as a freelance writer, Amy spent four years as an editing fellow at WikiHow, where she co-authored over 600 articles on topics including car maintenance and home ownership. Since joining Jerry’s editorial team in 2022, Amy has edited over 2,500 articles on car insurance, state driving laws, and car repair and maintenance.
