Key Fob Warning
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 1,339
From: Havre de Grace Maryland
Key Fob Warning
If you use the key fob to lock/unlock your vehicles, by using it, it could ‘open the doors’ to someone breaking in and stealing the car with no alarms going off. My son had his pride and joy ride, 2014 Q60 Infinity Convertible, stolen from the front of his home. The doorbell camera clearly shows a car pulling up behind his car at 3:00 a.m., a person exiting the passenger side and then unlocks the door (car lights flash) without touching the vehicle. The car starts and both vehicles drive away. The police suspect his car was targeted by the thieves that had previously followed him until he used his key fob to lock or unlock the car. Using a key fob reader that can be purchased on line, the entry and starting the car was a snap. Although our C5’s do not have OME electronic keys like the Q60 had, I suspect a car thief could have a work around the key issue once inside.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2021
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Silent Pocket has many different bags that will prevent this, or you can get an rfid protected box.
Some cars are susceptible to a fob signal being copied, then played back later.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 756
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From: SC
Our C5's have the resistor pellet in the key to prevent starting without the proper resistance in the key slot. That can be bypassed when adding remote start, I've done it to other cars, but most probably not these corvettes. From all I've read remote start is possible but frowned upon electronically for our cars because of the myriad of electronic systems that activate at start up. Unless the C5 has had a resistor pellet bypass, I'm reasonably sure these hi tec devices will not work. I'm sure if I'm wrong I'll hear about it. Lol
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 1,339
From: Havre de Grace Maryland
Here is the workaround that I suspect the thrives are aware of for the C5 once inside. No doubt they will have all the 15 resistors to use for the by-pass. Your choice. Me, I use the key to unlock in public places.
Last edited by rrwirsi; Apr 28, 2024 at 09:09 AM. Reason: add more info
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 756
Likes: 172
From: SC
Here is the workaround that I suspect the thrives are aware of for the C5 once inside. No doubt they will have all the 15 resistors to use for the by-pass. Your choice. Me, I use the key to unlock in public places.
c5 corvette vats bypass - YouTube
c5 corvette vats bypass - YouTube
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 1,339
From: Havre de Grace Maryland
If they have a reader and copy the key fob signal, at their timing, they can open the doors without the alarm sounding. Once inside, they can do what is necessary to drive off. ASB, your choice.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 756
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From: SC
ok so I thought the theif could walk up to the car, say in the middle of the night with no fob around, the device would disable the need for code or electronically insert a code (there are only 13 on a c5), open and start the car. But your saying the device only reads the code from the fob as the fob holder momentarily presses it to unlock, and they must be relatively close at that fob press moment. Is that correct? Ty
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2021
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ok so I thought the theif could walk up to the car, say in the middle of the night with no fob around, the device would disable the need for code or electronically insert a code (there are only 13 on a c5), open and start the car. But your saying the device only reads the code from the fob as the fob holder momentarily presses it to unlock, and they must be relatively close at that fob press moment. Is that correct? Ty
Replay is when the thieves are nearby when you use your fob. They have a device that records the signal from the fob (and somehow prevents the car from responding to it) and then later will approach the car and "replay" the recorded signal, unlocking (and potentially starting) the car. There are mitigations available, iirc replay attacks are not possible anymore on 'modern' auto security systems.
Relay attacks are when the thieves basically trick the car into thinking the fob is nearby when in reality it's hundreds of feet away still in your pocket or hanging on your wall. Thieves devices send a signal, the fob responds, then the thieves device relays the fob signal to the car.
Neither of those will work to start any car that requires a key but they could be used to unlock and disarm the alarm system in some cases.
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There have been a number of threads posted about this happening. Thieves suck.
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You don't have to use your fob for them to "steal the signal"
if your (newer) car is outside and your fob is inside the fob and car are always checking in with each other. All they need is the device that intercepts the transmission so it can broadcast it then boom, they can open doors and start it. Yea, it's that simple.
Best thing to do with your car that unlocks / starts with a fob and not a key is to get a faraday pouch to keep your fob in while it is outside and your not in your car. Look it up on Amazon. It blocks the signal your fob broadcasts while it's in the pouch.
if your (newer) car is outside and your fob is inside the fob and car are always checking in with each other. All they need is the device that intercepts the transmission so it can broadcast it then boom, they can open doors and start it. Yea, it's that simple.
Best thing to do with your car that unlocks / starts with a fob and not a key is to get a faraday pouch to keep your fob in while it is outside and your not in your car. Look it up on Amazon. It blocks the signal your fob broadcasts while it's in the pouch.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2022
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From: Nappytown MD
Most modern key fobs can be set so they don't transmit with a series of button pushes on the fob. Now the down side is, you can't use the fob to lock/unlock or use the door handle lock/unlock unless you put the fob back in transmit and you will have to use the fob itself to push the start button if you have the transmit secured. I did this with my AMG fob and it works as advertised.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 1,339
From: Havre de Grace Maryland
To test your insight of not wanting the C5, come to Baltimore City or any high crime city and park your C5 on a back street overnight and leave it locked. Most of the car thefts in Baltimore are done by young teens that very savvy on stealing particular makes since they know they will not get jail time if caught. They steal the cars not because of the value, but use then for racing areas for bragging rights. Then the cars get trashed.