Thieves hacking the keyless entry system

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by bobby2000

No with the Inscription you need to press the unlock button on the key to open doors, but you can then just keep the key in your pocket and start car with twist knob. Lock car in same way with key buttons .

Which surely means that your car is keyless and therefore vulnerable if you just "twist and go"?

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by Lexman8

Many people leave their keys near the front door making it very easy for thieves to be within range of the fob's transmitter. A simple solution is to keep your fob somewhere in the house which isn't within easy range or place it in a container that acts as a Faraday cage. A microwave oven would be ideal except that I'd think it would lead to many cooked (and knackered) fobs

My colleague puts his Fpace key in the microwave at home at night. I forsee it ending in tears.....

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by Lexman8

There's no denying it's a problem but is it any more widespread than thieves breaking into your house and stealing the keys or you getting mugged? I don't lose any sleep over it as I like the convenience of keyless operation and in any case my car is in a locked garage at night.

On our estate, anyone leaving their car keys near the door is likely to lose the car but mainly due to fishing through the letter box.....

[bobby2000]

Originally Posted by Philip Fisher

Which surely means that your car is keyless and therefore vulnerable if you just "twist and go"?

Yes I agree up to a point, but total keyless means you just need to have the key in your pocket and touch a sensor on the door handle to unlock the car, at least thats my knowledge of it from my test drive with the Inscription pro.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by KNVXC90

Someone pointed me to this article

I wonder if Paige, 23 from Essex is on this forum and would like to comment about the loss of her 35k Merc?

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by bobby2000

Yes I agree up to a point, but total keyless means you just need to have the key in your pocket and touch a sensor on the door handle to unlock the car, at least thats my knowledge of it from my test drive with the Inscription pro.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

I guess so thinking about it some more. So your key might still transmit and that signal can be received and amplified, but when the transmitter of the thief's device is put next to your car it wouldnt unlock as your car wont unlock when the key is just in the vicinity of the car (as it would on full keyless).

The bit I dont get is surely the thief needs to have their radio amplifying kit right next to your key? Mine will only unlock the car when I am right next to it, so the transmission range must be tiny......

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by KNVXC90

Anyone here thought about this issue, and taken any measures to protect against this hack?

I must admit when we went to London earlier this year and parked on the street outside the hotel I did take my 20 year old Disklok off the motorhome and use it on the XC90. Would have been properly ****ed if I had got home and found someone had nicked the van......

[Lexman8]

Originally Posted by Philip Fisher

The bit I dont get is surely the thief needs to have their radio amplifying kit right next to your key? Mine will only unlock the car when I am right next to it, so the transmission range must be tiny......

Yep, the fob has to be within ~1 metre of the car to activate the unlocking, thus my comment about keeping it near the front door and therefore putting it within range of the amplifier/relay. It's possible that the kit the thieves use is more sensitive and able to pick up the fob's signal at a greater range but even then I can't see it being more than a few metres max.
_

[bobby2000]

Originally Posted by Philip Fisher

I guess so thinking about it some more. So your key might still transmit and that signal can be received and amplified, but when the transmitter of the thief's device is put next to your car it wouldnt unlock as your car wont unlock when the key is just in the vicinity of the car (as it would on full keyless).

The bit I dont get is surely the thief needs to have their radio amplifying kit right next to your key? Mine will only unlock the car when I am right next to it, so the transmission range must be tiny......

Mine unlocks just like a conventional key remote system, the only difference is that I haven't got a ignition key hole, I can just keep the key in my pocket.
Whether it's more secure, I'm not 100% sure, just seems that way to me.

[Bernard F]

Originally Posted by bobby2000

Mine unlocks just like a conventional key remote system, the only difference is that I haven't got a ignition key hole, I can just keep the key in my pocket.
Whether it's more secure, I'm not 100% sure, just seems that way to me.

It sounds as close to keyless as makes no difference. Personally I would not want a car unless its keyless, it's kept in a locked garage overnight with the key well away from doors and elsewhere it's well insured providing I do lock it.