Some Creative Tricks to Disable a Car from Running

When you have friends, you have the right to do some old-fashioned shenanigans just to piss them off. After all, what kind of a friend you are if you don’t make your friends annoyed on a regular basis? The best way to vex someone is to mess with their car. How about learning some tricks to disable a car from running without damaging it?

What Does Disabling A Car Mean?

When an automobile is disabled, it can no longer be started using an ignition source.

And as a result, the automobile either stops working or sustains damage. Several things might cause a vehicle to become disabled, but mechanical issues and faulty parts are the most frequent causes.

Quick Ways to Disable a Car from Running

Here are some evil ways to stall a vehicle without utterly destroying the engine or any other component. 

These are fun and will not only irritate your friends but are also ingenious ways to take revenge on a plaguy colleague or a pesky neighbor.

Work on the Spark Plugs

Open the hood and remove one or multiple leads from the spark plugs. The plugs do the job of igniting sparks to burn fuel and start the engine. 

Removing the leads will disconnect the plug from the spark plug wire. In that case, the engine may or may not start, but the car is not going to run.

disable a car from running
The plugs do the job of igniting sparks to burn fuel and start the engine. (Photo: Carsoid)

Steal the Coolant

Well, you won’t technically steal it but find a way to empty the cylinder. You can just drain the tank by opening the cap. 

Another way is to stab something sharp through the radiator. It will cause the liquid to leak slowly. 

However, the leaking rate will be faster once the engine starts running. Low-level coolant in the cylinder will overheat the engine, make the warning lights come ON, and eventually stall the engine.

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Block the Exhaust

The popular idea is to stuff a potato into the tailpipe but the exhaust pressure will just blow out the potato. Clamping an exhaust pipe is not an easy task. 

You can use a racquetball or closed-cell spray foam. It will disable a car from running by building up back pressure and halting the engine.

Clog the Air Filter

Put the piece of cloth under the filter in a way so that air cannot get through it. Close the filter and it will look alright from the outside. However, the vehicle won’t run when the air passage is blocked.

Doing the same with the gas filter will also disable a car from running. Blocking the gas filter with some gum will do the job.

disable car from running
Clog the air filter with something to stop a car from running. (Photo: Turf Magazine)

Spray Water in the Air Intake

Jet a great amount of water in the air intake through a garden hose. The possible consequence will be the vehicle running like crap due to the drenched air filter. The worst case scenario could be the engine hydrolocked.

Crimp the Gas Line

It is another evil way to disable a car from running. Crumbling the line underneath the car will supply the engine with just enough oil to start but not run.

Whatever you do, just make sure not to destroy the engine. Besides, don’t do anything with the gas tank because it could set fire to the vehicle or make it stop in the middle of a highway, causing an accident.

Uniflate Four Car Tires

The difficult but effective approach to stop a car from starting for a while is to let the air out of all of your automobile tires. The majority of the time, tire pressure recommendations from automakers call for uniform tire pressure.

How to deflate tires: We are aware that bicycle and car tires are pneumatic and need the correct pressure to function properly.

Keep in mind to regularly check the tire’s air pressure and to properly fill the tire with air.

Locate the tire’s valve stem.

  • To detach the valve stem cap from the stem, turn it counterclockwise with your finger.
  • The metal pin should be pushed inward by placing the flat-head screwdriver’s tip over the top of it.
  • Check the tire pressure after removing the screwdriver from the valve stem.
  • The tires will then start to discharge air via the valve stem.
deflate tires
The effective approach to stop a car from starting is to let the air out of all of your tires. (Photo: Tyres Northampton)

How To Disable A Car From Running Without Opening The Hood

Finding the fuse box in the cab, under the dash, is the first step in disabling an automobile without removing the hood.

When you locate the fuse box, search for a fuse with the labels “ignition” or “fuel pump.” If you remove that fuse, the automobile will immediately stop working.

The fuses in the fuse box control the essential circuits that keep a car running; as a result, if you yank them out, the car won’t start and you won’t need to raise the hood.

More techniques for disabling an automobile without removing the hood are as follows:

  • When starting and running an automobile, a fuse box is a crucial component. Remove the fuse from the fuse box. The automobile won’t start if any required fuses are missing. Find the fuse box in the cab, which is beneath the dash, and slowly pull the fuse.
  • Obstruct the exhaust in any way: You may disable an automobile secretly by blocking the exhaust with anything that prevents smoke from the car from escaping.
  • Every automobile has a unique model and specification. You must first determine the sort of automobile you have before doing anything in it.
  • Furthermore, there are several techniques to prevent an automobile from starting momentarily.

How to Respond if Your Car Becomes Disabled?

There is little you can do if your automobile breaks down for whatever reason.

Because of this, it’s critical to understand what to do if your car breaks down. When your automobile breaks down, a few easy procedures can save your car and time.

What to do if your automobile breaks down is as follows:

Remove the vehicle from traffic

Avoid parking your automobile in the center of the road where it might be hit by other vehicles, which would be quite dangerous. To remove your vehicle from the highway, pull or push it.

Call emergency center

Always let the office know what’s going on. Call 911 and inform them that your automobile is inoperable for this reason. Make sure to let them know where you are.

call emergency center
Let the emergency center know what’s going on with your car. (Photo: Schaefer Autobody Centers)

Activate the hazard lights

If you own a car, you may be aware that putting on your hazard lights in the middle of the road signals an emergency. Therefore, remember to switch on the danger lights.

Contact your insurance assistant

In order for them to assist you in any way, you need to let them know if you have auto insurance.

Disabling vehicles while they are on the road is a highly awful and risky condition. Thus, one of the most important things to do in this circumstance is to maintain your composure.

Which Fuse Will Disable A Car?

The automobile will become inoperable and immobile if the fuel pump fuse is removed. There may be a fuse for the gasoline pump within the cabin.

When the fuel pump fuse is pulled, the car won’t start until it returns to the location.

A car with several blown fuses would not start at all. But there are some critical fuses that must be included in an automobile.

To turn off an automobile, remove these fuses:

Fuse or relay for the fuel pump

Yes, a gasoline pump fuse is one of the most popular and reliable types of fuses or relays. Your automobile can travel anyplace if this fuse is present.

Coil Pack

A coil pack is a group of ignition coils that are electrically controlled and are managed by the computer in the vehicle.

The coil pack stores energy before releasing the power to the spark plugs through the spark plug connection.

ECU

The engine and other systems are managed by the ECU (Electrical Control Unit) found in automobiles and trucks.

The engine computer of the car, which manages all engine operations, utilizing input sensors and output components.

car fuse
The engine and other systems are managed by the ECU. (Photo: Vehicle Freak)

Final Words

The majority of frequent methods for stopping a car from starting include cutting the battery wire. And you may also swiftly disable an automobile by taking out its electrical system.

A car’s electrical system may be turned off or disconnected without opening the hood.

You’d better be informed that some methods of automobile disablement can harm the engine. Additionally, practicing car disabling might affect how well it performs.

Because of this, you need to be extra cautious and certain while disabling a vehicle.