Theft Prevention/Key Fob Hack PSA. . .

[kb5zcr]

No offense to all the ideas on here, but if you really want to stop the "key fob cloner" style of theft, install a kill switch just like this guy did on the hot rod Dodge cars (same process for us jeep owners).




Easy to do, makes me fill better when I leave my jeep at the airport for a week (lots of stolen vehicles at DFW Airport).

Just hide your switch well, lots of ideas out there, magnet actuated, fake cb power switch, ect.
Outside of taking the time to find your kill switch (which shouldnt look like a switch at all) I think they would need a tow truck.

Sponsored

 

[redriderjf87]

As explained in the Threedom post earlier that answered my questions,

If you want the most secure way to start the Jeep, take out the fob battery and press the fob's RFID against the start button.

 

[Dryfly24]

Some interesting stuff here. But again, I wasn’t suggesting anything. I was just trying to figure out why the one that was stored away and not being used at all would die, while the one that was active would stay fresh. Maybe it’s just a bad fob, or had a weaker battery, IDK.

I’ll see still works in a few months I guess.

 

[Dryfly24]

Is there a significant threat of theft in your areas or are you just being very precautionary? I’ve always been a bit paranoid of people stealing my stuff (not leaving my bike out, always making sure doors are locked, no valuables in plain sight, etc.) in general because of where I grew up but never considered needing to hide my fob due to an increased risk.

I think it was last year some time, there were reports of a group in town employing the method to steal cars. It since died down and I haven’t heard anything else about it. Don’t know if they were caught or moved on to somewhere else…

 

[dayusmc]

Some interesting stuff here. But again, I wasn’t suggesting anything. I was just trying to figure out why the one that was stored away and not being used at all would die, while the one that was active would stay fresh. Maybe it’s just a bad fob, or had a weaker battery, IDK.

I’ll see still works in a few months I guess.

I have noticed the same thing in other cars, the non-used fobs kill their battery if they are not occasionally used. I just occasionally use the spare fob for a day or two every couple of months and it seems to help them from dyeing. I also keep all our car fobs in a Faraday box I bought on Amazon, it was like $20.

 

[redriderjf87]

You can supposedly, source the exact RFID chip alone.... but you are far better off buying a new fob (do not buy a previously used/programmed one) and have it programmed in regard to your JT.

Thanks, that's what I was wondering. Somehow the RFID tag fell out of my Threedom standalone key (I assume I should've glued it or secured it better), so I was trying to figure out if I would need to buy a new fob to get a new RFID tag, or if I could buy one separately and program / have programmed.

I think for now I'll just take the tag out of my 2nd fob and secure it better, and maybe get another fob later down the road.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I've kept my fobs in bags for over a year now and several states away from the truck.

Isn't that carrying the distance bit to the extreme?
I can see putting a fob well away from the vehicle, maybe not near the doors or windows, but shipping them off to another state?

 

[WILDHOBO]

As explained in the Threedom post earlier that answered my questions,

If you want the most secure way to start the Jeep, take out the fob battery and press the fob's RFID against the start button.

They can still just program a different fob. That really doesn’t stop anything. I concur with kill switches. I just added interrupts for both fuel pump and starter. It’s not going anywhere without a tow truck.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I have noticed the same thing in other cars, the non-used fobs kill their battery if they are not occasionally used. I just occasionally use the spare fob for a day or two every couple of months and it seems to help them from dyeing. I also keep all our car fobs in a Faraday box I bought on Amazon, it was like $20.

They don’t need your fob signal to program a new one. The faraday box won’t deter them at all.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

They can still just program a different fob. That really doesn’t stop anything. I concur with kill switches. I just added interrupts for both fuel pump and starter. It’s not going anywhere without a tow truck.

Yeah, but....... a clever person knowing wire colors and relay operation can even get past that in some cases.

I hotwired a fuel pump relay (earlier Jeep, yes) with a home-made jumper set and old relay parts - pull stock relay, plug in my rig, supply power to relay coil and ground, and you have fuel pump.

LOCK YOUR HOOD if you have any sort of bypass or kill switches or given enough time, I'll find a way..........

?

 

[WILDHOBO]

Yeah, but....... a clever person knowing wire colors and relay operation can even get past that in some cases.

I hotwired a fuel pump relay (earlier Jeep, yes) with a home-made jumper set and old relay parts - pull stock relay, plug in my rig, supply power to relay coil and ground, and you have fuel pump.

LOCK YOUR HOOD if you have any sort of bypass or kill switches or given enough time, I'll find a way..........

?

I totally agree. Nothing I did was rocket science, but it’s all done under a locked hood. It’s not accessible from inside the cab.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Yeah, but....... a clever person knowing wire colors and relay operation can even get past that in some cases.

I hotwired a fuel pump relay (earlier Jeep, yes) with a home-made jumper set and old relay parts - pull stock relay, plug in my rig, supply power to relay coil and ground, and you have fuel pump.

LOCK YOUR HOOD if you have any sort of bypass or kill switches or given enough time, I'll find a way..........

?

The joke is, people joke about Jeep hoods being insecure, therefore easier to steal. But if the hood is locked, they’re more secure than most vehicles, because they have no cable attached hood release.

 

[Flyboy2109]

Isn't that carrying the distance bit to the extreme?
I can see putting a fob well away from the vehicle, maybe not near the doors or windows, but shipping them off to another state?

well, what I was really getting at was the fobs and truck were well away from each other...they couldn't talk and that didn't have any effect on my batteries in the fobs...for an extended period of time.

 

[WILDHOBO]

well, what I was really getting at was the fobs and truck were well away from each other...they couldn't talk and that didn't have any effect on my batteries in the fobs...for an extended period of time.

That makes perfect sense.

 

[dayusmc]

They don’t need your fob signal to program a new one. The faraday box won’t deter them at all.

I know some thieves can program a new fob in without needing to clone an existing fob. Key programing can easily be prevented with a CAN Immobilizer.
But some thieves are still using fob cloning devices to steal cars.
So saying "The faraday box won't deter them at all" is equivalent to saying - don't lock your front door of your house because that won't deter a home invader because they can always break into your house through your back window or don't bother putting a kill switch in because they can always flatbed your car away.
Different thieves steal using different methods, you have to protect yourself from as many methods as you can.

Sponsored