New BMW's getting stolen using blank BMW keys

New BMW's getting stolen using blank BMW keys

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Zyp

14,712 posts

190 months

Friday 21st September 2012
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ITP said:
Why bother with giant steering wheel locks or expensive secondary alarms. Until BMW comes up with the fix why not just unplug, or take a small part off your engine that stops the car from being driven away? It's free too. Won't stop the excrement breaking your window or doing a bit of damage but at least it will still be there. Got to be worth doing if your car is on your drive overnight at least.
Why bother with a steering lock?

Hopefully it will put the scotes off attempting to get in your car causing damage.

There are 1000's to choose from - they'll just move onto the next car that doesn't have a steering lock on.

M3333

2,265 posts

215 months

Friday 21st September 2012
quotequote all
ITP said:
Why bother with giant steering wheel locks or expensive secondary alarms. Until BMW comes up with the fix why not just unplug, or take a small part off your engine that stops the car from being driven away? It's free too. Won't stop the excrement breaking your window or doing a bit of damage but at least it will still be there. Got to be worth doing if your car is on your drive overnight at least.
Exactly, just pull the fuel pump fuse/relay.

Just dont forget it or loose it.......


smashy

3,052 posts

159 months

Friday 21st September 2012
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youngsyr said:
Flat6er said:
t8cmf said:
Why do you think the alarm will go off if the glass is pushed 4" inside the cabin?

The blind spot on these alarms is massive. I can wave my arms pretty much anywhere inside the front of my cabin (E92 M3) and the alarm doesn't go off. It does go off if you wave behind the headrests.

The film is a good idea but I'm not sure how effective it would be on frameless windows though.
Ah, I read on the reports, and Im sure somewhere on this thread, that the blind spot is 4" inside the window. If its less sensitive than that the clearly anti shatter film would be a waste of time and potentially cause issues in emergency services trying to gain access in an emergency.
Not to mention that quite a few of the cars that are reported as stolen and recovered on here have had their locks drilled and their windows haven't been touched, so the film is an expensive waste of time.
From my local Chiswick forum I quote


I have a BMW "US" Import and they have tried to steal mine in the past few weeks in Chiswick...
The method to get in the car at least on my car was to drill out part of the lock so @ a later time they can come with plane flat headed screw driver and get in the car to copy the Program through the OBD ...
Second time they came they left the OBD port open and all the windows down, but for some reason they weren't able to drive the car away. Police does nothing even after the 2nd report. I guess they feel if you got insurance got nothing to worry about.

ashway

532 posts

166 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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just a thought.....

are Minis affected by this issue, they run the same BMW stop start, push button start system?

anonymous-user

55 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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What about all the cars on BMW dealer forecourts? Have they had the ports disabled or does every dealer lock away every car at night?

Xtype

2,789 posts

199 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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what year BMWs does this effect again? would a 2006 5 series be at risk?

WeirdNeville

5,969 posts

216 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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Xtype said:
what year BMWs does this effect again? would a 2006 5 series be at risk?
If it has a push button start then yes.
It's late 2005 cars to 2011 cars.

ashway said:
are Minis affected by this issue, they run the same BMW stop start, push button start system?
No, they're not.

obdsecurity

2 posts

140 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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I can confirm the BMW mini is effected with this issue

Boogsie

124 posts

152 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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WeirdNeville, I've had my car stolen and recovered. It's a 56 plate september 06 registered M5 with comfort access.
I don't have it back yet, but I was told that the only damage is to the driver's window.

I called BMW after the initial watchdog show, but they categorically told me that the car was not at risk.

Within a week it was gone.
When I called them back and told them that I suspected that this was how it was taken based on the damage, they again told me that all of their testing showed that cars built prior to march 2007 were immune due to different systems.

Do you have proof that this method is effective on pre march 2007 cars, or do you have the equipment to prove that this method is effective on my car?
If so I will be extra annoyed with BMW as I had an opportunity to go out and get a steering lock which would probably have put of the theft, but they were so sure that it was not at risk that I didn't (more fool me...). I will sue them for my excess and increase in premium if it is actually at risk, but I'd need proof that it was taken using this method. To me, it seems clear that it was.

Simes205

4,551 posts

229 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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Even though our 06 E91 is push button start, BMW have told me that they aren't going to do anything about rectifying the issue.

CMOS

32 posts

141 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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obdsecurity said:
I can confirm the BMW mini is effected with this issue
Based on?

TX1

2,388 posts

184 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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I am also looking for confirmation regarding my 2006 e92 as I was also told that my car was not effected when I rung up.
Let us not forget we are talking to the same people who a day earlier ( before Watchdog broadcast )where telling us they were not aware of BMW's being stolen in this manner.
Are BMW so irresponsible or greedy as to say these cars are not effected ?
Would like to get to the bottom of this as from what I have read over these last few months I am pretty convinced these cars are also effected.

stevensdrs

3,213 posts

201 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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Can we say that these cars are affected and that BMW say that they have effected a change in the software to correct the problem.

ph grammar/spelling police wink

contracttor

919 posts

186 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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Boogsie, see my earlier post

contracttor said:
That conflicts with the info I was given on the 01344 number yesterday. Both of my vehicles will be fitted with the measure: (e63 M6 built 2005-10-27 and e93 built 2007-07-06)

SlowDriver

4 posts

140 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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Hi guys,

I have a 2007 BMW 335i SE Coupe and phoned BMW customer services today to ask whether my Return To Value (RTV) insurance from BMW would cover me if my car was stolen in the publicised way.

I was told that
- "There isn't actually a flaw with the security systems in the vehicle, it is affecting many other manufacturers as well"
- "[My] vehicle is susceptible to the particular method that has been highlighted on the Watchdog programme"
- "The method does require that there is a forced entry to the vehicle so they are having to break windows to gain entry"
- "We are looking to release a measure in the next 8 weeks that will prevent the vehicles being stolen using this method"
- "If the car is stolen there is no reason why any insurance company would refuse payment as the thieves are having to force entry into the car first"
- "This is a criminal activity (act of theft) which is breaking and entering"
- "The issue is affecting a lot of manufacturers not just BMW, but because we are BMW our vehicles are highly targeted compared to other manufacturers"
- "At this moment in time BMW are the only manufacturer that has released a measure and we are putting a measure in place to prevent vehicles being stolen using this device"
- "There is no other manufacturer that has taken a measure"
- "If the car is stolen using this method there is not reason why they may not pay out.. However it may take longer to settle these particular claims than it would do a normal claim"
- "The device criminals are using is marketed for the use of 3rd party garages. It is not designed for stealing vehicles"
- "Germany are currently carrying out testing as we speak, and as soon as it is released dealerships will be made aware. We are hoping it will be released ahead of 8 weeks".

As I'm not keen to have my car stolen and BMW have advised that a claim for this loss may take additional time, and the experience on the Radio 4 programme indicated that this was the case I'm keen to ensure that that my car is not stolen so I will:
- Use of a Disklok (small version) which I understand fits the steering wheel on this model.

Hopefully this will act as a deterrent and hope this up to date advice is useful for readers here.

Regards,


SlowDriver

metsta

425 posts

224 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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Yep small size fits my 07 M5 also have car blocked in by wifes car, and have moved and burried the OBD
Also recommend a pillow case over the wheel first to protect leather and buttons, oh the glamour of it all

Edited by metsta on Saturday 22 September 23:18

cathalferris

108 posts

155 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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Have any police BMWs been nicked?
Are there extra security measures in place on those cars that may make the marked vehicles less susceptible than the regular cars to this theft method? (Or is it the fact that those cars are marked police cars that makes them less of a target?)

va1o

16,032 posts

208 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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WeirdNeville said:
ashway said:
are Minis affected by this issue, they run the same BMW stop start, push button start system?
No, they're not.
Why not? Surely they'd have the same system, the interior electrics are very similar to the E87/ E90. Suspect it just hasn't been exploited yet.


CMOS said:
obdsecurity said:
I can confirm the BMW mini is effected with this issue
Based on?
See above, if its running the same electrics then why shouldn't it share the same problem?

I think the actual answer we are looking for is none have been stolen yet, but it is in theory technically possible.

Ocdbeemer

94 posts

142 months

Sunday 23rd September 2012
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Ocdbeemer said:
The reason BMW are not updating pre march 2007 cars is because they believe newer cars are being targeted and therefore have decided to impose a cut off date.

Forget lci or pre lci, it's as simple as that. If you own a 56 reg your not on the list, but may still be effected !

mrmr96

13,736 posts

205 months

Sunday 23rd September 2012
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Ocdbeemer said:
Ocdbeemer said:
The reason BMW are not updating pre march 2007 cars is because they believe newer cars are being targeted and therefore have decided to impose a cut off date.

Forget lci or pre lci, it's as simple as that. If you own a 56 reg your not on the list, but may still be effected !
It's retarded IMO. (As the owner of a push start 06 plated car.) Surely telling people "if its got a push button it's affected" would be a clear enough message to owners?