I have a friend whose 10-year-old daughter has several times gone out to her mom'* van to get something and instead has gotten in the driver'* seat and cranked it up. One time, she even put it in gear, with her foot on the brake, fortunately. I suggested installing a hidden kill switch to keep the kid from doing that. Taking a switch to the kid'* butt probably wouldn't be a bad idea, either but that'* her mom'* job, not mine. My friend thought the kill switch would be a good idea so now that means I get to figure out how to accomplish it. Any suggestions on how to wire it in and where to hide the switch?

I'd wire it inline with the main power feed to the PCM.

Where to locate it, your gonna have to get creative.

This begs the larger question, why in the world does this child have access to the keys? Is the car parked in the garage with the keys left in it or if parked outside and locked is the mom giving the child the keys because mom is to darn lazy to access the vehicle for her daughter? I'm a believer in spare the rod, spoil the child, but the parents deserve a trip to the woodshed too for child endangerment..

The mom puts them on a shelf next to the front door of the apartment. The kid grabbed them to go get something from the van, which was parked outside. I agree, the mom should keep tighter control of the keys. If she had a remote key fob, the problem would be moot, since the vehicle could then be unlocked from inside the apartment but I don't even think she has a spare key. She'* barely scraping by, so the kill switch was a solution that could be done for little or no cost.

Human, this mom is indeed fortunate to have such a good friend as you. I am once again reminded not to rush to judgement, the old saw "walk a mile in my shoes".

It'* all good. I recognize my limitations in this situation and I'm just doing what little I can to help.

If the kill switch ever has a problem, you should have a backup kill switch . . . even if it is right next to the first one. I'd put the switch(es) under the dash where your friend can flip it by feel, and toward the left side of the steering wheel where kid can't see friend get to it when friend is driving.

I like Mike'* idea to really disable things, but personally I'd put the switch inline between the PCM and the starter relay.

I was thinking something like this concept:
Cole Hersee-Cole Hersee SPST Normally Open Foot-Operated Signal Switch 12V 12A with Two Screw Terminals - Boxed - 7792-01-7792-01-BX

I agree with others at the mention of putting it in line with the starter relay trigger (from the pcm in this case?) tucked up in the footwell. Switch must be held for starter to operate, and function isn't immediately apparent.

Looks like a high-beam dimmer switch from an old GM car from the '60s or '70s before they moved that function to the turn signal lever, which became totally overworked by the early '80s. Turn signals, high beams, windshield wipers and cruise control all on one stalk—whew!

In looking at the van today, there'* an interesting little cubby to the left of the steering wheel that has possibilities since she doesn't put anything in there. I'm thinking of maybe a push button mounted back in there so it'* not not readily visible and she can be subtle about turning it on and off. I like the idea of interrupting the starter relay trigger so the starter just does nothing when you turn the key and you can't kill the battery–or the starter–trying to crank the vehicle.

I also just had another idea as I was typing the above paragraph that might even be a simpler solution. When my mom gave me my late father'* 2002 Oldsmobile Silhouette to sell, she could only find one key and fob, so I had a spare key cut that didn't have the security chip in it and would thus unlock but not start the vehicle. If I recall correctly, it cost around $3.75. Since I really didn't drive the van all that much in the brief time I had it, I kept the key and fob in the house and the spare key that just opened the doors on my key ring. If that were the only key accessible to the ten-year-old, she could go and get things from the car as needed but would not be able to start it.

On the surface I like this idea . . . then I thought about it: If mom can keep the normal key and fob hidden and leave the mechanical-only key out, then mom can keep the normal key and fob hidden and leave no key out.