How Safe is Your Car

[Raywood]

"So, best keep the keyless entry fob as far away from the car as possible, and as suggested in an aluminium container."

Is there anything special about the box being made of aluminium as opposed to being kept in our safe which is a steel box?

Not sure if you need aluminium. The thing was aluminium foil can be easily used to line a box, but they did line a tin with it, so it might be a better alternative. I would think the thick walls of a safe should be enough to block signals, but cannot guarantee it.

 

[ChrisUK]

Considering the small size of the key fob batteries I'm surprised that they emit a continuous signal. However I do believe this from what is said. How far I wonder do these radio signal amplifiers have to be to the keys? I might have to think again as to where I keep the keys for both of our keyless entry cars. My wife's car is a keyless fiesta, any one know when / if Ford moved the diagnostic port?

 

[Raywood]

Ford do say that the newest models have additional security to overcome the problem. Moving the port would not work as the thieves would soon work out where it has moved to.

 

[Parksy]

Considering the small size of the key fob batteries I'm surprised that they emit a continuous signal. However I do believe this from what is said. How far I wonder do these radio signal amplifiers have to be to the keys? I might have to think again as to where I keep the keys for both of our keyless entry cars. My wife's car is a keyless fiesta, any one know when / if Ford moved the diagnostic port?

There's some information about security devices Here
The neighbours son who works in the motor trade moved my port, it only took a few minutes and if the potential thieves now find it they will set the alarm / immobiliser off if they reach in to get to the port.
I bought one of These, hopefully it will deter thieves, especially now that I park my Sorento behind the Fiesta every night.

 

[ChrisUK]

Thanks Parksey. Removing the OBD fuse seems a good idea which was referred to. I must confess we don't normally double lock the doors which would help being lazy and leaving the key fob in my pocket and using the door button - must do better. I can see the advantage of a steering lock but too much trouble for me.
Someone post that the key fob has up to 100m, range, that can't be true can it? I would be amazed if a CR2032 battery could support that kind of signal continuously for at least 3 years. Or, is the key fob triggered by the proximity of the car / illegal device?

 

[Parksy]

My key fob works as a point and shoot remote fob, which has longer range, but to open the doors using the door handle as keyless entry the fob has to be adjacent to the side of the car that I want to open.

 

[otherclive]

Thanks Parksey. Removing the OBD fuse seems a good idea which was referred to. I must confess we don't normally double lock the doors which would help being lazy and leaving the key fob in my pocket and using the door button - must do better. I can see the advantage of a steering lock but too much trouble for me.
Someone post that the key fob has up to 100m, range, that can't be true can it? I would be amazed if a CR2032 battery could support that kind of signal continuously for at least 3 years. Or, is the key fob triggered by the proximity of the car / illegal device?

As I explained in my post, I have two old fashioned cars that require me to press the Lock button on the key fob. One we have had for 10 years and I can still unlock or lock it at 100 metres (or more) and haven't changed the battery (or exhaust) yet. The other is just the same but only three years old.

 

[Craigyoung]

It's true you can open the door on ours from halfway up the street but it wouldn't start because you've got to be within a certain distance to start it with it being keyless ignition but you still need to press the button to open it, but if it was left unlocked on the drive someone could jump in push start the button and be away , don't know what would happen when it is out of range with the key not being there whether it would cut out or not as I have never tried this scenario ?!?! Hence - keys kept well away from front door now , you never know who could be reading these posts hmy:

Craig

 

[Martin24]

Friends just been broken into.
Broke in through the back door. Grabbed what they wanted from downstairs, phones, laptops, including car keys that were kept away from any doors and windows and took both cars. This is while everyone was asleep at about 3am, as cars recorded on cctv about then. Rather scary for those involved but at least they didn't venture upstairs .

 

[Raywood]

See how it is done, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-42132804/relay-crime-theft-caught-on-camera

 

[emmerson]

We've been giving serious thought to having a new car, but reading that lot, we'll stick to the oldies that no-one wants to steal!

 

[KeefySher]

See how it is done, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-42132804/relay-crime-theft-caught-on-camera

Double click your key fob, and the spare; then put in a tin. Or have the Keyless Entry/Go switched off by the dealer. Are simple ways to counter this. In a Merc you can remove the 'button' that is the remote bit in the ignition switch.

Or as my wife and daughter said just now after seeing this article and wanting a CD from my car, 'ask Dad to open his car as we can't'. Although they had the key in range of the car, because I had double clicked it earlier when parking on the drive, even the pukka key emitting it's code wouldn't just open the car. That in turn defeats the object of Keyless Entry in opening the car as you need to operate the button on the key to unlock the car, but still allows you to start it with the key on your person.

Although they got into the car, notice it stopped running and they had to 'restart' it to drive it away. Once the car stops, which could be the stop/start or pushing the 'stop/go' button the key code will be required to restart it.

Sometimes the sensationalism of the meedja needs to be examined. :evil: :evil:

 

[otherclive]

Don’t you just know it. After years of my wife carting a full cover steering wheel lock around, and never using it, I tried to sell it on EBay. No success so I gave it away on Freegle. After WM Police advice I could have found myself sitting on a potential nest egg. Better fetch the other steering wheel cover lock out of the boot and offer it to local owners of prestige cars !

 

[Martin24]

One of the first things I ordered for my new car was the steering wheel lock. I had got rid of the last one when the 110 Defender went. Of course the best line of defence that I've got is the fact there is rarely a drivers seat in place.

 

[Hutch]

One of the first things I ordered for my new car was the steering wheel lock. I had got rid of the last one when the 110 Defender went. Of course the best line of defence that I've got is the fact there is rarely a drivers seat in place.

I were going to say that, Martin that your best detterent was a lack of drivers seat, but having driven a mini using a milk bottle crate many years ago, if there is a thought there is a way.
Oh and is the new wagon Tree Frog Green?

 

[Martin24]

Hutch, they'd have to find out how to turn the hand controls off as well :cheer:

No tree frog green in the end. Wasn't allowed the gold either Cavensite blue, nice colour but already looks filthy.

 

[DrZhivago]

having driven a mini using a milk bottle crate many years ago, if there is a thought there is a way.

I once did that once too, in a car being towed to the scrapyard.

Even if you removed the steering wheel, there was a case where the police stopped a guy steering with a pair of Mole grips on the steeing spindle hmy:

 

[KeefySher]

having driven a mini using a milk bottle crate many years ago, if there is a thought there is a way.

I once did that once too, in a car being towed to the scrapyard.

Even if you removed the steering wheel, there was a case where the police stopped a guy steering with a pair of Mole grips on the steeing spindle hmy:

I once had a Viva HB where the steering wheel came off on a hill with a tight bend, I too used mole grips to get to a pull in to fit the steering wheel back on. Had a gear lever come out on a hairpin bend in my brothers Austin 1100. Those were the days when a full toolbox, trolley jacks, axle stands, spare brake callipers etc was carried at all times, you could re-build the car on the way if it packed up.

Proper driving and learning times, need to re-invent that practical application mindset in the youngsters these days. :evil: :evil:

 

[Raywood]

See how it is done, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-42132804/relay-crime-theft-caught-on-camera

Double click your key fob, and the spare; then put in a tin. Or have the Keyless Entry/Go switched off by the dealer. Are simple ways to counter this. In a Merc you can remove the 'button' that is the remote bit in the ignition switch.

Or as my wife and daughter said just now after seeing this article and wanting a CD from my car, 'ask Dad to open his car as we can't'. Although they had the key in range of the car, because I had double clicked it earlier when parking on the drive, even the pukka key emitting it's code wouldn't just open the car. That in turn defeats the object of Keyless Entry in opening the car as you need to operate the button on the key to unlock the car, but still allows you to start it with the key on your person.

Although they got into the car, notice it stopped running and they had to 'restart' it to drive it away. Once the car stops, which could be the stop/start or pushing the 'stop/go' button the key code will be required to restart it.

Sometimes the sensationalism of the meedja needs to be examined. :evil: :evil:

Not sure if it works on the Merc but on my car there is a dashboard switch that can turn off the idle stop so thieves do not have to worry about it cutting in.

 

[DrZhivago]

Had a gear lever come out on a hairpin bend in my brothers Austin 1100. Those were the days when a full toolbox, trolley jacks, axle stands, spare brake callipers etc was carried at all times, you could re-build the car on the way if it packed up.

I had a gear lever come off in Edgware and had to drive home to Mitcham, 20 miles via central London around midnight. It was my welding that failed, I had converted from column to floor change. I removed the floor plate (they had them then) and changed between 2nd and top with my hand on the gearbox itself. Fortunately it was a big "lazy" engine and could start in second; there were only three gears anyway, and 2nd and top were on the same side of the "H" pattern.

Those were the days when a full toolbox, ... etc was carried at all times, you could re-build the car on the way if it packed up.

I replaced a half shaft in the centre of Bath years ago; but better still I replaced a head gasket in a lay-by (near the Star pub, now "The Pink Olive" in Weyhill on the then A303). Already having a small leak I had the new gasket with me. It took me only from 5am (first light) until 7am; Vauxhall Victor, no elaborate emmissions control paraphanalia to dismantle.

Back then you did not need a very full tool box. I changed that head gasket with only four or five different spanners and a screwdriver. These days it takes all day and an armoury of special tools just to remove the water pump. I still do it though, but not in lay-bys, and I have about six large tool boxes, one for different types of screwdriver alone, and even more tools not in tool boxes.

 

[Craigyoung]

Ray , we also have the option on the dash to turn the eco on - off , but on ours if you drive so far without the key it starts to alarm so Im yet to test to see how far it would go before if it cutt off without the key being present in the car that's the only good thing if they were to get ours there wouldn't get far unless they had a low loaders round the corner :huh:

 

[Raywood]

Craig, There is nothing in my handbook to say turning off the engine stop is only for a limited period so not sure if it is the same.
The news report does not say where the key fob was and therefore I am not sure if it was near where the thieves were and if so if further back and in a room with at least two walls in the way would have made a difference.
The newspapers on this suggest put it in a fridge, freezer or microwave so that it is encased in metal although others suggest a tin foil lined box to prevent the signal being accessed.

 

[Martin24]

Just had a phone call from Phantom. Oh dear says I, forgot to put it into service mode before it was carted off on a low loader. At least it all kicked in and worked within 10 minutes of going from the drive.

 

[Gafferbill]

........most diesel engines have a electronic fuel cut off to stop the engine.
If I want to make sure nobody can steal my vehicle I just fit a hidden switch to this component. Very cheap and since it is bespoke a theif has no idea why the engine won't start when set in the off position.
I used to operate an HGV which was often
worth over £1 million with it's load.
On two occasions such a device prevented a theft although damage was done to the cab and steering lock.

 

[DrZhivago]

If I want to make sure nobody can steal my vehicle I just fit a hidden switch to this component. Very cheap and since it is bespoke a theif has no idea why the engine won't start when set in the off position.

I do similar, but put a switch in the starter motor solenoid circuit. There are two advantages to this : (1) if the switch fails (although I use industrial quality) while you are in the fast lane it won't suddenly stop the car; (2) the thief finding that the engine will not even turn over will be discouraged sooner than if it does.

Actually, my secret switches are multi-pole and disable several things. When I came to remove one from a car I was selling, it took me an hour to figure out how to restore things, and that was using my wiring diagram; I don't think a thief would bother.