How to Hotwire a car in Project Zomboid

Having a working vehicle opens up a lot of doors in Project Zomboid. Better transportation allows you to get out of danger much faster and explore more of the world without having to slowly walk there. 

However, not every vehicle you come across will be ready to drive. If you need to know how to hotwire a car in Project Zomboid, we’re here to show you how.

How to hotwire a vehicle in Project Zomboid

To hotwire a car, you’ll need to first enter the driver’s seat of the vehicle. You can do this by walking up to the car and pressing the E key. If the vehicle is locked, you’ll need to break a window with a weapon or your elbow to get inside.

Once you’re in the driver’s seat, you’ll see the car’s dashboard. You won’t be able to turn it on without the key, so to hotwire it, open the vehicle’s radial menu using the V key. You can choose to hotwire the engine from the top right side of the wheel.

To successfully hotwire a car, you must be at least level one in the electrical skill and level two in the mechanics skill. Without these, the option will not show up in the menu. Anyone who has chosen the burglar profession will start out with this ability, so you won’t need to level these skills in that scenario. 

Hotwiring the engine takes a moment to complete, with a progress bar showing how far along you are. Then, two wires will stick out of the ignition, and you can turn on the car as normal using the W key, and the car will run as if you had put the key in the ignition.

Hotwiring cars in Project Zomboid

Once a car is hotwired, you will not need to repeat the process. However, it does carry some risks, such as damaging the vehicle or alerting zombies to your position. Occasionally, hotwiring a vehicle can also set the car alarm off.

You also cannot hotwire any car that you come across. Some are simply too damaged to get running that way, while others will have anti-theft protections. Luckily, though, some cars might have the key already in the ignition, or you can find it nearby. Nevertheless, hotwiring is always a great backup option.