# Why would you want a "high-security" car that couldn't be opened from the inside? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 13, 2008, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-you-want-a-high-security-car-that-couldnt-be-opened-from-the-inside/459848 "2008-08-13T14:46:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-you-want-a-high-security-car-that-couldnt-be-opened-from-the-inside/459848/21 "2008-08-14T03:48:42Z")
[QUOTE=Santo Rugger] The horn on a lot of cars doesn’t work if the ignition isn’t on. [/QUOTE] :eek: Seriously? I did not know that. I have no reason to disbelieve you but…seriously?!? ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-you-want-a-high-security-car-that-couldnt-be-opened-from-the-inside/459848/22 "2008-08-14T03:50:23Z")
Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-you-want-a-high-security-car-that-couldnt-be-opened-from-the-inside/459848/23 "2008-08-14T09:30:29Z")
My understanding was that switching the ignition off kills pretty much everything that requires electricity to operate with the (bizarre) exception of the headlights, although in modern cars these increasingly seem to be wired up in the same way so you can’t kill your battery by mistake. There’s usually a half-on ignition setting that switches on the electricity and lets you run the wipers, radio etc. without actually starting the car. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-you-want-a-high-security-car-that-couldnt-be-opened-from-the-inside/459848/24 "2008-08-14T11:13:28Z")
Bye bye back window. Shame I had it kick it out when you locked me in thinking it was a funny joke. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-you-want-a-high-security-car-that-couldnt-be-opened-from-the-inside/459848/25 "2008-08-14T13:24:49Z")
[QUOTE=slaphead] My understanding was that switching the ignition off kills pretty much everything that requires electricity to operate with the (bizarre) exception of the headlights, although in modern cars these increasingly seem to be wired up in the same way so you can’t kill your battery by mistake. [/quote] Switching off the ignition kills the power to **switched** circuits, those which are powered directly or indirectly through the ignition switch. **Unswitched** circuits are always live, getting power directly from the battery. Which circuits are unswitched varies with the make and year of car. For decades, most American cars had the horn, headlights, and brake lights unswitched. Many still do. Other cars, most typically European ones, had some or all of these items switched. Nowadays, there’s quite a variety in which cars do it which way. Some circuits, such as clocks and computer memories, are necessarily unswitched on every car. > [@](#): > > There’s usually a half-on ignition setting that switches on the electricity and lets you run the wipers, radio etc. without actually starting the car. It’s ususally called the “accessory” position. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-you-want-a-high-security-car-that-couldnt-be-opened-from-the-inside/459848/26 "2008-08-14T13:27:50Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] Psst. Look in the glove box for the owner’s manual. 🙂 I have done it more than once with a rental car. [/QUOTE] Did you read it cover to cover at the beginning of your once a year vacation in the tropics? I’m not trying to be snarky - I just think it’s unlikely that anyone would do so. The rental place hand you a key & fob. One button has a little padlock symbol on it. You press it, the doors lock. I’d have no reason to read the manual (well, until this thread) to see if doing so prevents someone inside the car from unlocking it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-you-want-a-high-security-car-that-couldnt-be-opened-from-the-inside/459848.md?page=1)