Lock up your keyfobs!!

you are correct, thanks for the reminder about just shutting it down.

 

I can see thieves doing this for high end cars, but for a Tacoma? Doesn’t seem worth the effort if they get caught. Go to prison for GTA for a $30k truck?

 

It’s all about supply and demand and volume. Not to mention high end cars stick out more on its way to the chop shop.

We have about 100 cars stolen a month here. One of the highest rates (per capa) and there’s no way we have that many “high end” here. One hundred doesn’t seem like a lot, but for a city that’s just over 100k, it is.

 

I've had rental cars with that kind of key system and something about it made me un easy. Sure there is some convience to it, like not having to fish the key out of your pocket when carrying stuff. I couldn't get used to not having to put in the key to start the car, out of habit had them in hand anyhow and got all messed up as to what to do with them in the car. I guess being over 40 I'm old and not used to new ways yet. Seeing the reports and videos on how a car with this can be taken now I know why I was in easy with it and being that I work in technology I had a feeling it could be compromised. Yeah you can turn off the fob I know now but that's a procedure I have to remember every time I park. I will probably be getting an SR5 that still has a real key when I get my gen3 .

 

Slim Jim to open door and tech stream to just program a key is all it takes any more,

 

Yeah I thought the chip keys were much more secure because something that is already set up to work with the vehicle has to be physically present to operate the vehicle. With my Jeep you can start the engine with a non chip key but it won't stay running long enough to get the vehicle in gear and more than a few feet. Of course if you have a dealership or locksmith level tool you can plug in to the OBDII port and set up a new key. That's a bit rare and hard for most thief's to aquire.

I bet if theft of cars with proximity keys increases it is going to soon drive up insurance rates if it has not already.

 

I’m not sure they are that rare

 

Yikes if that really works it could be very easy to electronically steal a car.

 

I’m not a mechanic or car thief so don’t know what all that will do but I saw the tech stream mentioned being involved reprogramming cars and keys

 

I have done some of my own work on other vehicles not Toyota so I can't say what that can do. I have used other consumer level scan tools and also that app torque pro with a Bluetooth dongle. Some of them can see lots of data, dtc codes and reset many codes but none I have seen could get you in to the key security program section. But then I'm an honest person not looking for such things and how to take advantage of them for gain.

 

There was a thread here that was started by someone who got his Tacoma stolen. He said police asked to him what was the last time he visited the dealer.

I think even if you get these kinds of tools to reprogram key, you still need to get a VIN associated code from Toyota’s servers to do it. This code is not public and only available if you can connect to Toyota’s servers. Only an official dealer should be able to do this (since I assume it at least needs a login/password and if not more). At least this is how it was explain to me why a locksmith or independent repair shop can’t program new keys if you loose both. Police’s concern about an insider from a Toyota dealership might root from this.

 

With Toyotas with a chipped key, you need a working key in hand to program a new one, even with techstream. I'm not sure how that translates to push button start keys...

 

Wrap the fob in tin foil and the signal is blocked. I’ve tested it. It works. Placing the fob in a metal box does not work.

A Silent Pocket faraday bag works also. It’s handier than tin foil wrapping.

 

I will just keep my fob in my microwave.

 

That would be similar to Chrysler chip keys then but with my Jeep I can user program a key if I have two working keys present. Only a dealership can do it if you lost all the keys so you would have to be towed in. I'd bet Toyota chip keys are similar. Who knows about the keyless keys. Probably need one to do it too.

 

Interestingly, I felt the same way when I read Mr. Mercedes (part of the Bill Hodges trilogy) by Stephen King 5-6 years ago. While the tech was still perhaps in a bit more infancy back in 2014-2015, the way this "killer" gains access to steal the "Mercedes" in the books is similar in that they can actually sit within range of your vehicle and, actually, pick up the fob signal when you, say unlock or start your vehicle and replicate the signal on a stand-alone device. I felt this was a bit science fiction at the time, but have since seen reports on the news demonstrating this very thing being possible and even prevalent in some locations across the world.

In this scenario, no faraday or metal box is going to be of much help if someone is lurking nearby without your knowledge and picking up the signal as you are using the fob.

 

They're rugged and dependable, wanted for the middle east. And with how many are sold and around, it's worth it to figure out how to compromise. It wouldn't be worth it to compromise, say, a Frontier (as an example of the concept) since there are less of them, so when you compromise it, great, now you spent the time and get, let's say, a thousand vehicles you can work with. Tacomas, though, you work the compromise and now you have a pool of 5 thousand to work from. So the best seller is incentive for theft rings to spend their time finding a compromise to security.

You can only do so much. Don't leave my work computer in it overnight, hose clamp on the tailgate, at a certain point there's a risk to just having something and it being stolen that you have to accept, otherwise you'll go mad trying to keep it safe and it'll consume you.

 

same here in July 2019

 

Good ole manual transmission and keyed ignition strike again for two added layers of projection hopefully.

 

So it looks like our lines of defense are:

• Turn off the fob
• Keep the fob in a Faraday bag/microwave
• Opt for a manual transmission
• Buy an SR5 or SR
• Use a steering wheel lock