New BMW's getting stolen using blank BMW keys

[AndyHCZ]

It will be the same old story with BMW.

They will say they comply with the various industry practices/guidelines on car security etc etc

[Elroy Blue]

They may well comply. But when you can freely buy a piece of equipment on the continent that bypasses all the security, it makes all their efforts a mockery.

BMW, Audi and Jaguar/Land Rover are being hammered at the moment. Unfortunately, the sentences being passed down to the gangs responsible aren't much of a deterrent.

[anonymous-user]

Billyray911 said:

Watchdog this Thursday at 8:00 pm (30th) has a follow-up article on the keyless theft issue.
From the Watchdog website...The team investigate the major security weakness that leaves hundreds of thousands of popular cars, from around 30 different makes and models, vulnerable to theft. Is your vehicle safe?

So are there any makes that are safe?

[Munter]

garyhun said:

So are there any makes that are safe?

Those with the unique security feature of being undesireable....

[Cheib]

Munter said:

Those with the unique security feature of being undesireable....

Given I park on the street in London I am quite happy that my X5 is seven years old.

[FazerBoy]

Cheib said:

Munter said:

Those with the unique security feature of being undesireable....

Given I park on the street in London I am quite happy that my X5 is seven years old.

That's pretty desirable in Africa....

[Fox-]

uknick said:

My other half's X1, purchased in 2013, has a fob which needs to be put into the dash to start.

I wrongly made the assumption all BMW models had the same "standard" system, i.e. comes with the car. Clearly not.

This is because the X1, though purchased in 2013, is the oldest car left in the BMW model range. It is based on the 2004 generation 1 Series and as a result retains the old style key system.

All new models introduced since the F01 7 Series in 2008 have the newer style partially keyless system.

[Zyp]

My 2011 Alpina had a fob that had to be put into the dashboard hole.

[Fox-]

Yes, because it was a D3 BiTurbo, based on the E90/91/92 3 Series introduced between 2005 and 2006.

All totally new models introduced since the end of 2008 have the newer system.

[Zyp]

Ah, get it, cheers.

[5to1]

Fox- said:

This is because the X1, though purchased in 2013, is the oldest car left in the BMW model range. It is based on the 2004 generation 1 Series and as a result retains the old style key system.

All new models introduced since the F01 7 Series in 2008 have the newer style partially keyless system.

Which I much preferred as it gave me somewhere to put the key, with the new system it takes up a cup holder. I then have to leave the cupholder access open (which looks unsightly), because switching off the car doesn't involve touching the key so I sometimes get out and realise its left in the cupholder:/

Keyless is probably ok if you carry a handbag, or have a jacket/etc but with the current trend for skinny trousers/jeans having that brick in your trouser pocket (plus mobile and wallet) isn't really great when driving And it makes absolutely no sense if you don't also have comfort access, as you still need to find the key to get into the car, then find somewhere to put it because they took away the slot/ignition barrel. Really by making comfort access optional the current standard system is a step back from a users perspective IMO.

I recall hiring a renault years ago where they made the key credit card size, which would be far better for this type of system and make comfort access standard.

Edited by 5to1 on Thursday 30th October 09:47

[river_rat]

Cheib said:

Given I park on the street in London I am quite happy that my X5 is seven years old.

My E92 335d was 6 years old. I thought no thief would want it, how wrong I was....

[paulmoonraker]

Bring back proper keys. It's not like it's hard to put a key in hole, is it.

[5678]

BMW just took a bit of a pasting on watchdog.

[Billyray911]

Article was a bit misleading in respect of the average BMW owner maybe under the impression that this an X* issue.Its pretty much across the entire range.
Better than nothing though...

[Fox-]

Billyray911 said:

Article was a bit misleading in respect of the average BMW owner maybe under the impression that this an X* issue.Its pretty much across the entire range.
Better than nothing though...

It's not across the entire range at all - it's only old generation E Series cars with the slot-key arrangement. The reason why Watchdog presumably picked on the X Series is that they were pretty much the only E Series cars left in production more recently.

2010- 5 Series, 2010- 3 Series, 2011- 1 Series are all unaffected by this?

[28i]

Have a 2012 328i. Whatchdog suggested that this model was included in the problem. Rang BMW (0800 083 4397 open until 22.00)They stated my car had all the updates, (do we believe them?)
Also what watchdog showed was an open car, the thieves still have to go through the alarm system of a locked car, not that the alarm is very loud.

[Fox-]

28i said:

Have a 2012 328i. Whatchdog suggested that this model was included in the problem.

Watchdog didn't suggest it was included at all - it's an F31 so it uses a different key system to the affected vehicles which are all the older design.

[AndyHCZ]

All modern BMWs are affected.

The tools are easily available online:

"Preparing a keys by dump for BMW models with CAS4 - newest BMW 1, 3, 5 GT, 6, 7, X3 series ( body Fxx)"

[28i]

I will stand corrected, but they did say it was not only the the earlier models but also later than 2011. my hearing may not be as it was years ago. :-)