Theft Prevention/Key Fob Hack PSA. . .

[Dryfly24]

I used the hack of keeping your key fob wrapped in aluminum foil. The purpose is to keep the barbarians from intercepting and copying the generated electronic signal in order to steal your truck. It was a spare fob that I kept stored in the gun safe. While it did work, it also killed the battery in the fob.

The fob I use on a daily basis is working fine. The one that was never used and stored in the foil is dead as a door nail. I don’t know, but I suspect that when it loses contact with the truck, it sends out continuous pulses to try to establish contact? Again, just a guess as I really have no idea?

Any of you smarter than me guys (@ShadowsPapa ?) care to weigh in?

Sponsored

 

[JTenn]

I used the hack of keeping your key fob wrapped in aluminum foil. The purpose is to keep the barbarians from intercepting and copying the generated electronic signal in order to steal your truck. It was a spare fob that I kept stored in the gun safe. While it did work, it also killed the battery in the fob.

The fob I use on a daily basis is working fine. The one that was never used and stored in the foil is dead as a door nail. I don’t know, but I suspect that when it loses contact with the truck, it sends out continuous pulses to try to establish contact? Again, just a guess as I really have no idea?

Any of you smarter than me guys (@ShadowsPapa ?) care to weigh in?

I keep my spare in a gun safe as well. With it being in a big metal box what would be the need for additional protection using aluminum foil? As it's used as a spare just remove the battery and keep it on the shelf inside the safe. Quickly insert it and snap the case back together if you need to use it.

 

[PuddleJumper]

I just keep my truck in my garage with alarms on the bay doors and a 10mm on the night stand. Come and Take it Buddy. Though odds are my 70 lb dog (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouvier_des_Flandres) may get em first. She loves a good chase.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I used the hack of keeping your key fob wrapped in aluminum foil. The purpose is to keep the barbarians from intercepting and copying the generated electronic signal in order to steal your truck. It was a spare fob that I kept stored in the gun safe. While it did work, it also killed the battery in the fob.

The fob I use on a daily basis is working fine. The one that was never used and stored in the foil is dead as a door nail. I don’t know, but I suspect that when it loses contact with the truck, it sends out continuous pulses to try to establish contact? Again, just a guess as I really have no idea?

Any of you smarter than me guys (@ShadowsPapa ?) care to weigh in?

If that were the case, then key fobs kept at the other end of the house away from contact with the vehicle would see dead batteries....

 

[Gvsukids]

I keep my key fob by the door. The second one died.

 

[Great Offender]

I believe it's the truck that looks for the key but only after an action initiated by the key holder? A button press or a door opening. The Jeep may wait for a signal but it is not actively searching for it. I think I've seen this topic before on a thread about motorcycles.

My bike wouldn't look for the key until I pressed the starter or unlocked the bags without the key inserted (button push).

 

[rharr]

THIS INFORMATION IS INCORRECT AS NOTED BY OTHER FORUM MEMBERS.
PLEASE REFER TO THIS LINK UNDERSTAND FOB FUNCTION

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...now-thy-jl-key-fob🪛.88719/page-2#post-1855159

The RFID chip is not powered by the FOB battery. It is a stand alone chip with no electrical connections that gets it's power from a pulsed radio ping when a request is made to unlock something. The truck sends the ping when you pull on the handle to unlock, the ping hits the RFID chip, which energizes the chip and the chip then pings back. There is no battery involved. Fob battery is used only when you push fob buttons which in turn transmits a signal to the truck. It is a separate system then the RFID keyless system.

putting a fob in foil, a metal box or what every will have no effect on the battery unless the covering you are using has somehow depressed one of the fob buttons in the process of wrapping it.

 

[Great Offender]

Thank you @rharr for saying it more eloquently.

 

[starrskream]

If you’re truly worried you can buy a faraday box on Amazon for under 20$. In case you wonder how it works, google faraday cage. Same principle smaller scale. It’s the same way wallets block card signals.

It will completely block the signal. Maybe not from a cell phone but the key fob for sure. I’ve been using one for years.

@ShadowsPapa. Does the truck charge the fob somehow? Not sure why leaving out of the vehicle would kill the battery.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If you’re truly worried you can buy a faraday box on Amazon for under 20$. In case you wonder how it works, google faraday cage. Same principle smaller scale. It’s the same way wallets block card signals.

It will completely block the signal. Maybe not from a cell phone but the key fob for sure. I’ve been using one for years.

@ShadowsPapa. Does the truck charge the fob somehow? Not sure why leaving out of the vehicle would kill the battery.

No, these have batteries in them, not charged. I can't see any reason a fob away from a vehicle would go dead. A lot of people drop them in cabinets, drawers away from the garage and so on with no issue.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The RFID chip is not powered by the FOB battery. It is a stand alone chip with no electrical connections that gets it's power from a pulsed radio ping when a request is made to unlock something. The truck sends the ping when you pull on the handle to unlock, the ping hits the RFID chip, which energizes the chip and the chip then pings back. There is no battery involved. Fob battery is used only when you push fob buttons which in turn transmits a signal to the truck. It is a separate system then the RFID keyless system.

putting a fob in foil, a metal box or what every will have no effect on the battery unless the covering you are using has somehow depressed one of the fob buttons in the process of wrapping it.

There ya go............. well said.

 

[GWolgamott]

No, these have batteries in them, not charged. I can't see any reason a fob away from a vehicle would go dead. A lot of people drop them in cabinets, drawers away from the garage and so on with no issue.

My wife has my spare on her keys, it is always dead for some reason regardless number of time I put new batteries in it. Think something with the fob is just defective. Hell I have no remote start or electronic locks in the doors so not even buttons. It is only for proximity when starting the truck.

Oddity but write it off as a bad fob (Not sure how it drains the battery, short maybe?), still starts truck if you hold it near the start button so never bother to get new one or look at it further.

Maybe same issue with the op extra fob.

 

[Viper501]

10mm on the night stand. … 70 lb dog (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouvier_des_Flandres)

Two unusual but large and effective choices (assuming the 10 has full house rounds). Well done sir.

 

[biplaneguy]

Fob battery is used only when you push fob buttons which in turn transmits a signal to the truck. It is a separate system then the RFID keyless system.

Nope. My fob has no buttons but still has a battery. The RFID is very short range; if the battery is dead you have to have the fob very close to the start button (the manual says to use the fob to push the button in this case).

 

[Threedom]

Nope. My fob has no buttons but still has a battery. The RFID is very short range; if the battery is dead you have to have the fob very close to the start button (the manual says to use the fob to push the button in this case).

Indeed, your buttonless factory JT fob, as well as all JT factory fobs, does have a fob battery.

We explained a bit here:
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/?-fob-101-know-thy-jl-key-fob?.88719/post-1855159

www.mythreedom.com

Sponsored