Car Theft

[Grriff]

Maybe this is is a stupid question and I haven't thought it through, but isn't the keyless function separate from the push button locking function?

Or do they both use the same tech?

By 'keyless' do you mean the Bluetooth function? I presume that is separate from the key functions.

 

[securespark]

By keyless, I mean the ability to open the doors and drive off without touching the fob.

As opposed to locking or unlocking the car with the buttons on the fob.

 

[Grriff]

I presume the technology is the same but pressing the key fob just amplifies the signal. But that's a guess.

 

[johnb80]

I don't know if this test will work.

It will.

Thieves use repeaters to relay the signal further the radius of the standard omitted signal.

Absolutely correct but if the key is in a metal box the signal wont get in or out no matter how close they are.

If you could park the car right up against the front door (or nearest outside area to where the key usually sits) then test it I think that would work.

Just take the tin box out to the car and see if it unlocks with key inside the box, it wont.

 

[emmrecs]

Although my car is a pre-facelift MG5 (so not directly applicable to this thread/forum) before I took delivery of it I bought two Faraday Pouches from Amazon Amazon product ASIN B07B3R5FLG.

One for "everyday use" and one for the spare key.

Taking either key right next to the car but inside its pouch, door will not unlock/open. Removing either key from the pouch, door can be unlocked.

 

[Retsiba]

Just watch with the Faraday pouches, some of them "lose" the signal block feature after a while or maybe depending on how far in your fob is in it, or if you close it properly or not.

I'm too lazy to carry out a proper check but mine has sometimes not blocked signal even though key is in it though strangely enough, the door will open but the car has never started.

I already got into the habit of killing the signal omitted once I lock my car, so not looked into it too closely or thought about replacing and if I had known of being able to kill it before I got my pouches probably wouldn't have bothered.

It's belt and braces anyway, so not too bothered.

 

[fnegroni]

How do you kill the signal emitted after you lock the car?

 

[Retsiba]

Sorry, I should have said not MG brand.

There is a combination on fob I use for mine. Hold lock, press unlock twice.

Not sure if MG has it, check Manual. More cars having it now.

 

[Ian Key]

Remember to check your Faraday pouch is working regularly as where the flap bends can break the wire mesh rendering it useless.
I put my key in a Faraday box and the spare in the free pouch that came with it as it just hangs up in a cupboard.

 

[tsedge]

Remember to check your Faraday pouch is working regularly as where the flap bends can break the wire mesh rendering it useless.
I put my key in a Faraday box and the spare in the free pouch that came with it as it just hangs up in a cupboard.

A metal key box is also a good idea

 

[wandle MG4 trophy]

I keep a faraday bag in the car. It came in useful when the AA recovered my car after a battery fault (long story). The car was left for long periods in motorway service station car parks as the AA transports the car in relays to the final destination. In between relays they leave the key hidden under the wheel arch. I asked them to use my faraday bag to stop any opportunist thief trying the car doors which would of course open as the key was close by.

 

[fnegroni]

Just tested faraday box yesterday. Three years later and daily use, still going strong.

 

[Kithmo]

ISTR reading something years ago about remote key fobs using a "rolling" code so if somebody captures the code as you press the fob they can't use it to unlock the car later on as the code has changed.
I must admit this totally confused me as to how it works, can anybody explain it in simple terms ?

 

[siteguru]

I don't know, but my guess is that there is a cycle of codes and when the fob is used/door button is pressed the car sends the next code to the fob ready for the next time.

But that could also be nonsense, else how would the backup fob still work?

 

[Martinonline]

I can think of a number of ways but perhaps the easiest is:

Fob says I want to open the car;
Car sends randomly-selected code to Fob;
Fob processes code and returns open code;
Car checks reply code and opens door if correct.

A more complicated answer would be the encoding process that is used to connect to an "Https" website.

 

[Croxden]

ISTR reading something years ago about remote key fobs using a "rolling" code so if somebody captures the code as you press the fob they can't use it to unlock the car later on as the code has changed.
I must admit this totally confused me as to how it works, can anybody explain it in simple terms ?

My garage door has a rolling code, when I open or close the door the LED security light will flash. Life is complex for us old ones.

 

[tsedge]

My understanding is that relay attacks essentially amplify and relay the signal both ways so that your key is effectively next to the car door and so they can just open the car door without coming in the house. Then they use an ODB2 dongle to tell your car to start up (works with most cars unless there's a security pin device) and drive off.

Because it is a pure radio attack, they don't need to decode any signals, rolling codes makes no difference.

Rolling codes work by having both the car and the key able to synthesise a sequence based on a common key. Without the key you can't predict the next code. This is like some banks use, with the little pin pads. It is true that this means a code is useless later on, but obviously relay attacks relay the live code anyway.

 

[Palolem]

Disklok is the only one I would consider. It's what I use on the RS.

Will a Disklock work in a 4 with the wheel shape being unusual? I’m in the market for a steering lock, would prefer a Disklock, wondering if anyone has one?

 

[Alb]

As long as it's the right size, the wheel shape won't affect its functionality.

 

[Kithmo]

We keep our keys in Faraday pouches. However, this morning as an experiment I tried unlocking the car (with the key out of the pouch) when I was in the hall and the car was in the garage. The car unlocked. Would it have been possible for someone sitting in a car nearby to have picked that signal up and therefore clone a key, thus limiting the effectiveness of the pouch? What's the range of the key signal?
Our local police are advising the use of steering wheel locks. Remember them? Can anyone advise of a suitable make?

Using the fob to unlock it is different to keyless entry.
The key fob has a long range whereas keyless entry doesn't. It's keyless entry that the thieves are breaking in with.
The fob also has a rolling code so they can't clone a key from the one signal they picked up.