Cars in Project Zomboid: Where to Find and How to Start a Car Without a Key

Surviving in Project Zomboid without a car is nearly impossible, so sooner or later, you'll need to learn how to break into cars, repair, and refuel them. Finding a working car in the game is not difficult, but gaining access to the vehicle is much harder. In this guide, we'll answer all your questions about cars in the game and give you several useful tips on leveling up the «mechanics» skill.

Where to Find a Car. Types of Cars in the Game

Cars in Project Zomboid can be found almost everywhere: on highways, near residential houses, on farms, and in cities. Cars are most commonly found in settlements and public parking lots.

There are three types of cars:

  1. Standard: average maximum speed, three passenger seats, and a small trunk.
  2. Heavy: average maximum speed, five passenger seats, and a large trunk. Perfect for supply runs.
  3. Sport: three passenger seats, increased maximum speed and acceleration, but the trunk is no larger than in standard cars.

These categories differ not only in trunk capacity and maximum speed but also in basic auto parts. Parts are not interchangeable, so parts and body elements from one type of car cannot be installed on another type. Using any car, be prepared to attract the attention of nearby zombies.

Standard and heavy cars can be found in the city, while sport cars are mostly hidden in «wealthy» suburban homes or parked nearby.

How to Get Into a Car if the Doors are Locked

To check if the doors of a car are unlocked, approach any door and press the «E» key. If the doors are locked, you will hear a characteristic sound (unless, of course, your character is deaf). In this case, you can enter the cabin in two ways.

  • Break the window: This method is unsafe, as the noise of breaking glass will definitely attract zombies.
  • Dismantle the window: A more humane and safer way to get into the cabin. For this, you will need to find a screwdriver and read any car enthusiast magazine (you will get the «advanced mechanics» recipe). If your character has the «Mechanic» profession, you can do without reading the magazine.

Once inside the car, press the «V» key and select «Unlock all doors» from the menu that appears. If you dismantled a window, you can then reinstall it to protect yourself while driving, as windows protect you from scratches and zombie bites.

A locked trunk cannot be opened without a key, even if you have unlocked all the doors. In this case, you will have to dismantle the trunk lid or the rear doors (in the case of heavy vehicles).

I Found the Key, But the Car Won't Start

First, when looking for a vehicle, pay attention to the condition of the car's components. To do this, approach the hood, face it, and press the «E» key. While near the car, you can also press the «V» button and select the «Mechanics» section in the menu that appears.

Now you can track the condition of all car parts in percentages. Finding a nearly undamaged car is difficult, most often such transport can be found at homes, in parking lots in front of supermarkets or other stores.

The engine will start under the following conditions:

  1. The engine's condition is above 0%.
  2. The condition and charge of the battery are above 0%;
  3. The condition of the fuel tank is above 0%, and the fuel tank is filled.
  4. The car has at least three wheels installed (two rear and one front). In this case, the car will move, but not quickly. If the car is missing at least one rear wheel, it will hardly move from its place.

Other parts, such as «brakes», «suspension», and «muffler» do not affect the engine start but can negatively impact the car during driving.

  • With bad brakes, you won't be able to reduce speed quickly and will likely crash into a barrier or another car;
  • A good suspension allows the car to travel longer «on momentum», without using the engine;
  • The condition of the muffler directly affects the sound the car makes. The louder the sound, the more zombies will hear you.

Where to Find Car Keys. How to Start a Car Without a Key

If you've found a car with working parts and a filled gas tank, the only thing left is to find the key or pick the ignition lock.

Where to Find Ignition Keys

Car keys can be found in various places, and for some cars, you might not be able to find the key at all. When searching for ignition keys, always check the following places:

  • Glove compartment: to inspect the glove compartment, just sit in the car, hover the cursor over the item search panel and select the first icon from the bottom;
  • Trunk: in Project Zomboid, we've found keys in the car trunk as well;
  • Corpses near the car: one of the zombies near the car might turn out to be its former owner. This also applies to corpses in houses next to which cars may be parked.
  • Establishments near the car: if there is only one car parked at a supermarket, laundry, or any other establishment, in some cases, the keys can be found on tables or in other containers inside the building.
  • On the ground near the car: turn on search mode (the «magnifying glass» icon in the left menu) and examine everything around.

How to Start a Car Without a Key

This can be done in several ways, but it's worth noting that this is not the best way to acquire a vehicle in the game. Here are a few obvious reasons:

  • Often, after picking the ignition lock, the car alarm may go off and attract a large number of zombies.
  • On «elite» cars, when picking the ignition lock, the alarm does not go off immediately, as on regular cars. It can activate after a few minutes, and it would be very unfortunate if by this time you have already parked the vehicle not far from your shelter.

Burglar

When creating a character, choose the «Burglar» profession. In this case, you will be able to start cars without a key and without improving any external skills. To do this, simply:

  1. Sit in the car, make sure all the important parts of the car are in order, and the car is fueled.
  2. Press the «V» key and in the vehicle menu select the «Hotwire» icon.

In some cases, the character may not be able to pick the lock on the first try. Keep trying until two wires appear in the ignition lock, like those shown in the screenshot below.

If you are playing in co-op with friends, we recommend choosing the «Burglar» specialty for at least one of the players.

Picking the Ignition Lock Using «Mechanics» and «Electronics» Skills

Even if your character does not know how to pick locks, with certain skill upgrades, they can learn to do so. For this, you need to upgrade the «mechanics“ skill to level two and the ”electronics» skill to level one.

How to Upgrade the «Mechanics» Skill

The «mechanics» skill can be upgraded in several ways:

  • Removing and installing parts on a vehicle;
  • Watching TV shows and tapes.

To gain more experience from installing and removing parts, read «Mechanics Courses». If your basic skill is zero, you must first read «Mechanics Courses. Volume 1». After reading, the skill accumulation multiplier for levels 1 and 2 will be increased by 5 times.

All mechanics textbooks:

  • Mechanics Courses. Volume 1: provides a skill accumulation multiplier for levels 1 and 2;
  • Mechanics Courses. Volume 2: provides a skill accumulation multiplier for levels 3 and 4;
  • Mechanics Courses. Volume 3: provides a skill accumulation multiplier for levels 5 and 6;
  • Mechanics Courses. Volume 4: provides a skill accumulation multiplier for levels 7 and 8;
  • Mechanics Courses. Volume 5: provides a skill accumulation multiplier for levels 9 and 10.

You can find textbooks and instructional videotapes in auto repair shops, in the garages of private homes, and in car trunks. Often, manuals can be found in bookstores and «garage cooperatives».

It's worth noting that installing and removing car parts at a low «mechanics» level will inevitably lead to a decrease in the quality of these parts. Therefore, we recommend upgrading the skill on damaged vehicles that can be found in cities and on highways.

How to Increase the «Mechanics» Skill When Creating a Character

First and foremost, to get a character with an upgraded «mechanics» skill, you can choose the corresponding profession.

Mechanic:

  • Mechanics: 125%
  • Blunt: 75%
  • Strength: 4;
  • Fitness: 4.

In the available traits, you can also choose the «Gearhead» trait, which adds +1 level to «mechanics», but subtracts 1 point from the overall traits.

Additionally, in the traits section, you can find two skills that will affect your character's driving style:

  • Speed Demon: Prefers to gain speed from high engine revs, maximum speed of all cars is increased. This trait subtracts 1 point from the overall traits.
  • Sunday Driver: Gains maximum speed almost twice as slowly as without this trait. The maximum speed of the car is reduced to 30 km/h. This trait adds 1 point to the overall traits.

How to Upgrade the «Electronics» Skill

To gain the first level of «electronics», you will definitely need a screwdriver. With this tool, you can disassemble various electronic devices.

  • Radio: 1 experience point;
  • Small kitchen appliances (in diners and cafes): 2.5 experience points;
  • Payphone: 2.5 experience points;
  • Household TV: 3.5 experience points;
  • Modern electric stove (in diners and cafes): 5 experience points.

How to Refuel a Car. Where to Find Gasoline

You can refuel a car in several ways:

  • Using a gasoline canister: An empty canister can be found in car trunks or in a «garage cooperative“. Finding a canister with gasoline is more difficult. You can fill an empty canister at a gas station or siphon gasoline from other cars.
  • At a gas station: If your car has enough gasoline to reach a gas station, then head to the pump, approach the rear of the car, and in the car menu select ”Refuel from pump».

Refueling from the pump is only possible if there is electricity. If electricity in your world has already been cut off, you will need to find a generator, install it near the pump, and supply power to refuel the car.

How to Charge a Battery

There are times when the battery in a good car is discharged. It can be charged in several ways:

  • Using the car's generator;
  • Using a jump starter.

If you already have a working car, any discharged battery can be charged using the car's generator and a jump starter. In the early versions of the game, it was possible to remove the battery with the engine running, but now this is not an option. Therefore, first, you need to find a jump starter, connect it to the discharged car battery, and plug it into a power source (the device must be within an electricity supply area). While the engine is running, the battery will be charging. A regular screwdriver is required for the installation and removal of the battery.

To save gasoline and avoid attracting zombies with engine noise, the battery can be charged at your shelter if there is electricity. Set the jump starter on the ground, and place the discharged battery next to it. Over the course of a sleep cycle, it will charge sufficiently to start your car's engine.

In addition to your shelter, you can charge the battery at power stations and using a portable generator. Set up the jump starter next to an electronic converter at the power station or next to a generator, place the battery nearby, and charge it.

Where to Find Car Parts

Previously, we noted that parts for different types of vehicles are not interchangeable. Thus, a part from a regular car will not fit an elite or heavy vehicle.

With adequate «mechanics» skills, you can dismantle the necessary parts from other cars and install them on yours. But in the game, you can also find new parts with a 100% condition. New parts are usually found on shelves in auto repair shops or in «garage cooperatives“.

Auto repair shops can be found on the interactive map using the filter ”Auto repair shop». Most often, next to auto repair shops, you will also find «garage cooperatives“, which can be tracked using the filter ”Self-Storage buildings».

How to Inflate Tires, Replace Windows, and Other Car Parts

To inflate the tires, find a car pump. This item can often be found in trunks and at auto repair shops. The pressure in the tires directly affects the car's coasting movement, as well as tire wear.

To dismantle a specific part, tools and a certain level of «mechanics» skill are required. Here is the complete list:

  • Battery: screwdriver;
  • Hood: adjustable wrench, «advanced mechanics» recipe (reading any car magazine), recommended «mechanics» skill level — 3;
  • Wheel: jack, lug wrench, recommended «mechanics» skill level — 1;
  • Windshield and Rear Window: screwdriver, «advanced mechanics» recipe, recommended «mechanics» skill level — 5;
  • Side Windows: screwdriver, «advanced mechanics» recipe, recommended «mechanics» skill level — 3;
  • Suspension: jack, adjustable wrench, «advanced mechanics» recipe, recommended «mechanics» skill level — 7;
  • Brakes: jack, adjustable wrench, «advanced mechanics» recipe, recommended «mechanics» skill level — 7;
  • Muffler: adjustable wrench, «advanced mechanics» recipe, recommended «mechanics» skill level — 5;
  • Fuel Tank: adjustable wrench, «basic mechanics» recipe, the fuel tank must be empty, recommended «mechanics» skill level — 5;
  • Doors: adjustable wrench, «advanced mechanics» recipe, recommended «mechanics» skill level — 4.
  • Engine: the engine cannot be dismantled as a whole, it can either be disassembled into parts or repaired. This requires an adjustable wrench and a mechanics skill above 3 (recommended 5).

If your skill does not meet the recommended requirements, the chance of success will be small. During unsuccessful dismantling and installation, you will definitely severely damage the part. An experienced mechanic will cause minor damage to the part. Therefore, we recommend first leveling up your «mechanics» skill on broken cars, and only then proceed to repair your vehicle.

How to Tow a Car

If you often travel the same road, wrecked cars on the highway can become an obstacle for you. After all, you might collide with such vehicles at high speed and damage your own car. Besides, towing can be used to transport cars with good parts to your shelter for further disassembly.

To hitch the desired car to your vehicle, park your car rear-end near it, approach the back of your car, and in the car menu select «Attach». If your car has enough power to tow another vehicle, then you will be able to drive it away without any problems.

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