hot-wire

v. t.

1.

to start (a car) by using a wire instead of a key, as when stealing the car; the wire is connected to points in the ignition circuit that bypass the key.

Verb

1.

hot-wire - start (a car engine) without a key by short-circuiting the ignition system; "The woman who lost the car keys had to hot-wire her van"

start, start up