Vanagon ignition kill switch?

[targis58]

Hi, there.
As car theft rate is rising fast in my town lately, I started thinking about installing a hidden ignition kill switch on my vanagon where you can easily reach but hidden to turn it on before you start the engine. Has anyone done this or any good suggestion? Any links? I did a quick search but no return.

Thanks

Allen
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90 westy 2wd w/ TBD

[fxr]

I wired a relay in series with the fuel pump ground wire. The coil has power from the 'key in' circuit. A momentary switch in the ground of the coil closes the contacts, which are also connected to the coil ground. This latches the relay on until the key is withdrawn. The momentary switch is hidden from cursory eyeballing.
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Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300

[bobhill8]

I typed in "vanagon ignition kill switch" to the box in the upper right (enhanced by Google) and got many many hits. There are lots of options and there has ben quite a bit of debate, so you have plenty of ideas and options to explore. I think some folks don't want to be too specific because then they are providing info to possible vanagon thieves on where to look.
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1986 Westy
1971 Squareback

[goubeaux]

I've been spinning around this thread on the topic of a "Kill Switch" for a while and have intended to revive it with the idea of installing a latching relay setup on my FP ground:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=706950

[jimf909]

In addition to a kill switch, consider adding a tracking device that alerts you when the van moves and provides location updates.

I use the Spot satellite tracker that works regardless of cell coverage. 30 pages of additional information here:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=568723
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- Jim

[dobryan]

[goubeaux]

[Sodo]

[cmayna]

I installed both a kill switch and tracking device shortly after I got our Westy. Yes, a couple times I have forgotten to activate the kill switch but having a tracker helps me sleep at night.
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'90 Westy / automatic.
If I'm not working on the camper or my '50 Chebbie truck, I'm either fishing with the wife or smoking Salmon.


Craig

[fxr]

I used just one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0752RMB7Q

The relay can be any old standard 30 or 40A auto relay. A normally open SPST is fine.
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Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300

[jwallis]

Hey y'all,
I haven't been back to theSamba for a while, but I have to add a quick plug for my product, developed specifically for Vanagon and other classic VWs. Please let me know if you have any questions. And if you haven't installed the VanAlert app, check it out as well!

Van Tracker: Kill Switch + GPS Tracker with Start Attempt Alerts and Movement Alerts

https://www.thevantracker.com
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TheVanTracker.com - Kill Switch + GPS Tracker + Door-open alerts, made specifically for the Vanagon!
50+ YouTube videos - brakes, bearings, CV joints, 1.9/2.1 cooling system, mods, Bostig and more...

[DuncanS]

Help me understand the kill switch idea. If there is no key how does the thief turn the steering wheel. I know that dedicated thieves have the ability to punch out the key locking mechanism and thus be able to steer after hot wiring. I appreciate the single ground controlled relay works well for the fuel pump. So does this mean, you still have your car, but with a broken window and mangled ignition switch?

I have a friend who used to buy $500 hockey skates and $8,000 bicycles and $1500 skis. He would then go to the basement and find a few colors of latex paint and splash the colors all over his brand new items making them look pretty terrible. A fella could faux paint rust all around the rocker panels and put the "broken window" decals on the glass and splash paint around. The interior with Recaro seats and brand new truck fridges and 9,000 AH house systems would all still work just fine. But who of us other than my friend would want to drive such an apparent rolling dumpster fire.

Duncan
P.S. I live in a rural area where I don't ever bother to take the key out of the ignition. I plan to install the grounded relay kill switch, but with a toggle switch on the hot side, so when driving around home, the key will start the car normally. Then when I go to cities or more populated area I can throw the switch to activate the kill switch with the hidden momentary button. It just seems for us non urban guys or not with an obviously fully tricked out Westy, it's a normally unnecessary starting step. I'd rather have a Back to the Future voice recognition system where all I have to do is say "Start".

[dobryan]

[Sodo]

[Abscate]

A locking gas cap is defeatable in about 5 seconds.

I’ve linked my Facebook page “ locked out of your Vanagon?” To these threads for a $25 access fee and just retired on the cash flow.
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.ssS!

[DuncanS]

I'm going to have the "valet" switch right out in the open. It's the momentary that will be hidden. For my garage door opener, the switch has a bunch of chips inside so it had to be indoors. I put a spring loaded dowel through to the outside that doesn't look like a button. I will do something like this with the kill switch momentary so it won't even appear to be a switch. Just an 8 d nail head sticking out of the tin on the inside of my dash cover.

[jimf909]

Duncan, here in the PNW, Vanagons aren't stolen for their good looks or fancy aftermarket parts. They're stolen to move other stolen goods, house some knuckleheads for a half a day, etc. only to be dumped and found w/in a few miles of the scene of the theft. My seam rusty van is at as much risk as a pristine OG '83 or a super modded Syncro.

I like your friend's approach, if nothing else, that fancy bike would be easy to i.d. on craigslist, etc.

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- Jim

[Sodo]

[DuncanS]

As I have been reported to say when I was three; "I dig not know that."

Luckily, I'm far enough away from serious drug issues that we don't get a lot of stollen goods or have a need for crack houses. There are drugs, of course, but nothing like you have. We do have OD deaths, but not common.

Guess I better get that kill switch relay in immediately. Going on a 1000 miler at the end of the week to populated Connecticut.

We keep hearing that thieves don't tend to be too smart. If I were going to steal stuff that needed transporting or a crash crib, the last vehicle I'd choose would be something that's 30 years old and might have Vanagon Syndrome or Sudden Death Tranny things right while in the middle of a heist. I'd grab a soccer mom van first. I don't have curtains. I wonder if that is a plus for the bad guys as they can hide their loot during the transport?