Thieves Figured out How to Easily Steal Keyless Cars
You may have thought that you were safe with an engine immobilizer. The Kia Boyz were able to make off with older Hyundai and Kia models that didn’t have immobilizers installed. But now thieves have found a new hack for stealing keyless cars.
Thieves are stealing keyless cars
Before I dive into how thieves are stealing keyless cars, if you have an older Hyundai or Kia model visit your local dealership or police station for free anti-theft equipment such as steering wheel locks.
Now, I love keyless entry and push-button start. I can leave my keys in my pocket or bag and don’t have to fish for them upon entering my vehicle in a parking lot.
They work by sending a signal to your car to unlock the doors and or start up the engine. But the signals always stay active, some thieves can come into your neighborhood or parking garage with devices that pick up your key fob’s signal.
Then they can clone the signal and use it to enter your vehicle and drive off. This process is known as relay attacks.
To protect your car from relay attacks, use tin foil or a chip bag to block your signal. Put your keyfob in a metal mesh to prevent thieves from finding your signal. You can test it out by walking to your car and seeing if the doors automatically unlock.
Some sources suggest putting your keyfob in the microwave or freezer, but they’re trolling you. These activities can damage your key.
Also, physical locks that are placed on the steering wheel or pedals are a great way to deter thieves. They may not want to take the time to cut through them.
You can also adjust your vehicle settings to disable the wireless unlock setting. Some vehicles, like Fords, have touchscreen menus for these settings.
With a Toyota, you can disable the fob by holding the lock button down and hitting unlock twice. Touching any buttons will reactivate it.
Some automakers are making fobs with motion sensors. If no motion is detected because the key fob is on a countertop, then it goes into sleep mode. Talk with your local dealer to see if your fob can be upgraded to stop thieves from stealing keyless cars.
