CSixDude

Anyone else here see the recent news stories about car thieves breaking into and stealing cars that use passive key fobs? Apparently they are now hiding devices on cars to record the last code used by your key fob and then retransmitting them before the rolling code has changed.

Sounds to me like cars with old fashioned keys you put into an ignition lock may actually be more secure.

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/thie...-cars-39121081

<edit> link to news story added

4SUMERZ

Seeing that most newer vehicles have this FOB technology, it's seems very unlikely that it would be that simple to gain access to the vehicles.
It's blown way out of proportion IMO.

If thieves are able to steal a vehicle by the method that you mentioned, so be it. Isn't that why we carry theft insurance on our cars?
Besides, nothing is theft proof. Anyone can gain access to a vehicle by breaking a window, or a house, etc etc. Having a key tumbler (old fashion key) has been proven to be ineffective as well to preventing theft of vehicles. They simply tear it out, and bypass it.
I'm sure where there is a way, thieves will find it.

Don't worry about it.

dmk0210

Maybe the ones with the chip, but the old fashioned keys are easily defeated with a dent puller.

That's how they got my Jeep. SlimJim got them in the door and dent puller yanked the column lock. Started it with a screw driver. They were gone in the 15 minutes it took me to go in a mall store and pick up a package waiting for me. Luckily, it was recovered with an arrest two weeks later.

EVRose

I'd have to see this work IN PERSON before ever believing it. All the videos floating around claiming such mean nothing to me.

J3TVETTE

Same way they broke into mine.

Fairly easy. The use a signal booster so the car things the fob is near the car. They open the door, start the car and drive away. They just cant restart the car, but if there is enough gas in the tank thats all they need.

EVRose

Did your car actually get stolen?

unixcorn

Here is an article that outlines how it is possible but highly improbable due to the actual cost of the devices necessary to carry out the unlocking:

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/201...ice-not-exist/

J3TVETTE

No they weren't after the car, just my belongings.

Vette_DD

Been reported here before and it's not happening to C6s. Scary news, but most of us are not worried about it.

Let's go back to phone booths on every street corner and phones that you just lift the receiver and tell the operator what number you want.

Can you say "hot wire the ignition?"

torquetube

I admit I'm not worried but this is only because I never hear about it happening outside of demonstrations. It's certainly possible.

If it reaches the point where RF break-in devices are so effective and available that they're everywhere, this will be a real problem. Jimmying a lock, breaking a window, or towing the whole car is more suspicious - and takes more nerve - than merely opening the door and driving away.

pokerpro

It's not the devices that are at fault for stealing cars, it's the laws that punish them.

If they put these car thief's in prison for life without the possibility of parole (in other words they would die in prison although I would love to see them die before they get locked up) then stealing cars would be a thing of the past.

CSixDude

It appears to be happening more and more. It was on the national news a few days ago. Law enforcement has caught some of the people using these devices and confiscated them, and they showed them on the news. The thieves appear to have found a vulnerability in the system and are exploiting it.

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/thie...-cars-39121081

Take a look at the video in the link above and see for yourself. It appears to be currently in use by thieves. Another story reported that in addition to breaking in, any cars with keyless ignitions could be started and stolen using this same device.

owc6

Much ado about virtually nothing.

HBsurfer

Welker1

+1

Mad*Max

I see these threads once in a few months - is there anybody here that can confirm their car has been stolen this way??

EVRose

I would bet you thought your car was locked when in fact it was not.

CSixDude

Never mind, put your blinders on and go back to sleep. Just cause you've never personally seen it, it obviously can't exist.

EVRose

And just cause you've seen it work in a years old video on a Toyota means it will absolutely work on a C6.

owc6

No one says it does not exist, but the way the Corvette fobs work, it would be darn near impossible to pull off .

This is yet another example of media hyping something up, and the only reason that article keeps recurring is because it's a paid thing to this site.

No one has yet proven that this is possible with the RKE on either the C6 or C7.