[Craig]

Just read on a GT86 forum about how keyless entry is now proving easy to get past with a hand held receiver that one person walks round your house which detects the signal from your key and another person duplicates it instantly on another hand held device then they both drive off.

This is so far being high end cars but the top level C-HR can be pushing 30k and if it is that easy all they have to do is stand by you as you park up.
Solutions are:
a) when out use a good old fassioned steering lock. I do this at work but will now be doing it all of the time when out.
2) at night my car is in an alarmed garage and keys are in a safe. Apparently, you can buy pouches for your key or put them in tin covered boxes in the house. I could line the safe with a blocker material.

It is another reason why people mustn't just throw their car keys on a table in the house as theives don't even have to break in anymore as all they need is the signal they give off.

I would hope that car companies stop this soon and we may be OK with a C-HR but a lot of makes were tested and Toyota was one of the makes that this device worked with in the Mail article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4977134/Thieves-make-50-000-BMW-MINUTE.html

 

[Karmalakas]

That's why me, while at home, turn off remote signal.
Press unlock twice while holding the lock button. Should see a light on remote flash four times.

 

[ans]

the range of the key i believe is only about 1.5m so unless you leave your key next to the front door you should be fine . try it

 

[Karmalakas]

the range of the key i believe is only about 1.5m so unless you leave your key next to the front door you should be fine . try it

I believe he's talking about retransmitters(?). The range of the key signal is actually tens of meters, but the keyless entry works only in a meter or so. Thieves are using these devices which catch the signal from the key and stand near your car, so the car thinks the key is near it.

 

[ans]

Read my post.. No I'm talking about the keyless transmitter range which is only just over a metre which is what we are talking about.
if it was tens of metres you would be able to open it leaving your key in the living room and unlocking it with the door handle :roll:

 

[holyhead]

As an independent reader, you both talking about the same issue.

 

[Alexr]

As an independent reader, you both talking about the same issue.

I dont think they are. My understanding is that the car emits a signal with a short range (eg 1.5m). When the key detects this it interacts with the car to enable unlocking/ ignition on. The key however has a much wider range ( remember before keyless we took the key and pointed it at the car acriss the car park?)
The theives are exploiting this by getting their own device that they pick up the signal from near the car, and from key (eg inside house) and convince the car that the key is nearby.
Quite worrying I think.

 

[Karmalakas]

My understanding is that the car emits a signal with a short range (eg 1.5m). When the key detects this it interacts with the car to enable unlocking/ ignition on. The key however has a much wider range ( remember before keyless we took the key and pointed it at the car acriss the car park?)
The theives are exploiting this by getting their own device that they pick up the signal from near the car, and from key (eg inside house) and convince the car that the key is nearby.

Exactly. I've heard in Latvia during the past year there were lots of cars stolen this way. The insurance price is also much higher for keyless entry cars there.

 

[holyhead]

There are 2 things
1.continu signal so you can open the Car within approx 1-1,5 meter
2. remote signal that is only in the air if you push the button with a range up to 5 meters or more.
If the transmitter is more then approx 1,5 meter from the Car it means you can,t open and start it.
So if it is in the house for more then 1,5 meter from the frontdoor and outside walls I don,t think that you can pick up the signal with the equipment they are use on the moment.
I suppose there is more sophisticated equipment that can pick up any signal from inside a house (very professional)
So if you want to play it safe use the key battery saving instruction and they can pick up any signal even not with more sophisticated equipment.
So nothing to worried about.

 

[miro]

Before ordering my c-hr i thought about additional immobilizer with RF key. Something like https://www.ugona.net/item1485.html
Left the idea hoping insurance is enough.

 

[asinrute]

Is there a uk website showing this as this link is I guess Bulgarian

 

[Karmalakas]

1.continu signal so you can open the Car within approx 1-1,5 meter

But isn't this continuous signal, as Alexr said, emitted by the car? It wouldn't be a problem for thieves to stand by the car and retransmit the signal for more than 1,5 meters. Then keyfob responds with it's normal signal strength of tens of meters. As far as I know, keyfob doesn't transmit any signal until it gets a command from the car or a press of a button. That's why you can turn off the keyless entry signal transmission (which comes from the car).

 

[holyhead]

1.continu signal so you can open the Car within approx 1-1,5 meter

But isn't this continuous signal, as Alexr said, emitted by the car? It wouldn't be a problem for thieves to stand by the car and retransmit the signal for more than 1,5 meters. Then keyfob responds with it's normal signal strength of tens of meters. As far as I know, keyfob doesn't transmit any signal until it gets a command from the car or a press of a button. That's why you can turn off the keyless entry signal transmission (which comes from the car).

I think you mixed things through each other. 1. is a continuous signal and react within a distance from an approx 1-1,5 meter. Nearer to 1 meter.
2. Is with the key fob so that means the thief has to stand by your car (maybe for hours) and hopes to get the signal from the distance. And if he jumps in the car he still can,t start the engine, So he has to wait to you are approx within 1 meter from the car. Read the continuous signal and start the engine.
The film in Post number one go,s about situation 1

 

[holyhead]

HOW DOES THE TECHNIQUE WORK?
Criminals stand near houses with a device that picks up the signal of the car key and relays it to an accomplice standing near the car with another transmitter, which unlocks and starts the vehicle.

Drivers have been advised to take precautions such as turning off the fob's radio signal - achieved on Mercedes cars by clicking it twice - or storing it in a metal-lined container.

 

[miro]

Is there a uk website showing this as this link is I guess Bulgarian

It is russian site i did not seen a language switch to En but Google translate could help.

This is more worrying:

And bulgarian company that sells it and many other thieve tools:
https://www.turbodecoder.com/prod/emergency-start-key-learning-device-toyota-lehus-2016.html
They wrote contact details on the site, i wonder how such company could exist.

 

[ans]

its only a key programmer ,they would still have to break into the car and here in the uk we get an alarm as standard, its the same way that the dealer would program a key if you lost it ie through the obd port

 

[jacquiandles]

Interesting article here concerning issues with keyless entry systems and theft of vehicles (hope it opens!).

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/seven-ways-hackers-can-steal-your-keyless-car-in-seconds-and-owners-of-high-risk-vehicles-could-see-insurance-costs-spiral/ar-BBNXRkJ?ocid=spartanntp

 

[MarkyMUK]

I've a cat5 tracker on my other (valuable) car so am/control centre is alerted if it's driven off even if the thief has the keys (but not my wallet fob). Ideal solution to those that are security conscious

 

[johnan]

I use one of these "metal lined" pouches which are designed for the job.
Pop my fob and keys into it when I come home and it prevents any radio signal leaving the pouch emitted by the fob.

Seems to work fine.