New BMW's getting stolen using blank BMW keys

New BMW's getting stolen using blank BMW keys

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Discussion

t8cmf

342 posts

159 months

Wednesday 14th November 2012
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eastsider said:
Its not a comfort access issue, its something to do with the door key (who uses that anymore) / alarm that can be easily made to drop all two/four windows if you know how. On all models whether CA fitted or not. This also disarms the alarm, hence quiet entry leaving them to code key without being disturbed.
Ahh, I got you now.

Hopefully BMW cover their arses by releasing a viable firmware fix. If they have delivered a half-arsed update that doesn't actually disable the OBD port then the thieving scumbags out there will find a way around it again. BMW will be back to square one with another big headache.

Kuroblack350

1,383 posts

199 months

Wednesday 14th November 2012
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Rotten Egg said:
I've this afternoon received a call from a nice sounding young lady at S****r (won't name and shame wink) to book in my E92 330D

She assures me that the upgrade is a software fix and it is something to do with disabling the OBC port to prevent key cloning.

I'll feedback more after next Wednesday when it will supposedly be theft resistant . . . . .

SMP
Cool, I'm in the same boat and same car wink What's your build date out of interest?

pingu393

7,645 posts

204 months

Wednesday 14th November 2012
quotequote all
Are the insurance companies paying for these thefts or are they being compensated by BMW?

Gra76

28 posts

250 months

Thursday 15th November 2012
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Had my call from my BMW dealer too - car is going in for the 'security enhancement' (that doesn't address the problem in any way, shape or form as far as I'm concerned) on Monday.

I'll continue to use my Disclok and will be getting my OBD port moved asap.

What a rediculous situation.

Steffan

10,362 posts

227 months

Thursday 15th November 2012
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pingu393 said:
Are the insurance companies paying for these thefts or are they being compensated by BMW?
No in a word.

If this continues (which I fervently hope it will not for all the BMW owners) then the insurance companies will decline all such business and the models affected will become uninsurable except at stratospheric premiums.

I do suspect this is much more of a problem in urban areas where there are rich pickings for the toe rags. If you live on the Isle of Skye I cannot see much of a threat. I suspect the insurers will take the same view.

The real culprits in this are the toe rag thieves. Nothing effective has been done about these scrotes in my lifetime and I doubt it will. Therefore I think for very desirable cars, this will become an ongoing problem. I do think the BMW brand will take a battering, which given the appalling inadequacy of the security on these cars, and the dreadful failure by BMW to be honest about the extent of the problem, will damage the brand. With good reason.

But the failure of law enforcement to prevent these thefts is the real problem.

as7920

723 posts

200 months

Thursday 15th November 2012
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as7920 said:
FWIW, just spoken to BMW CS and they have said the update is available for my June '11 plate 1 series and my dealer will be calling me to book it in by early next week.
Dealer called today, car is now booked in. About an hour to "fix".

Gra76

28 posts

250 months

Thursday 15th November 2012
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Steffan said:
But the failure of law enforcement to prevent these thefts is the real problem.
Short of deploying a police officer to guard every car I don't see how the police can be blamed in any way. I'm under the impression they've already been putting out 'bait cars' to see if they can catch the people doing it. The root cause of the problem is the 'security' the car provides in the first place making it easy for any Tom, Dick or Harry to drive the car off in 2 minutes flat.

I lay that firmly at BMW's door.

Rotten Egg

1,146 posts

246 months

Thursday 15th November 2012
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Kuroblack350 said:
Cool, I'm in the same boat and same car wink What's your build date out of interest?
Not sure of build date but it was first registered Jan 2009 - '58' plate.

pc.iow

1,879 posts

202 months

Thursday 15th November 2012
quotequote all
Steffan said:
But the failure of law enforcement to prevent these thefts is the real problem.
I’m happy to carry out my day to day on either side of the law, but to blame them for this is laughable!
Do you work for bmW?

Swervin_Mervin

4,408 posts

237 months

Thursday 15th November 2012
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youngsyr said:
Swervin_Mervin said:
Do we really think they'll be hit more than other manufacturers? Colleague of mine had his Scirocco broken into the other night and emptied. No damage done at all to get in. And it was one of 8 cars done on the street that night without damage.

I believe the local plod are currently investigating a recent spate of thefts from VWs, BMWs, Mercs and Audis that have been done without forced entry, so they're finding a way into all of these permium brand German vehicles.
I know a BMW M3 that was recently broken into on a street that hadn't had a reported car crime in the past 10 years. Plenty of other nice cars on the street too, Audis, Mercs, even some newer but lower spec. BMWs. His was the only car targetted.

Anecdotal obviously, but just more support for the fact that it's only BMWs of a certain age and model type that are being targetted.
See, to me it doesn't sound that straightforward. Seems like the trends are area dependant. Manchester thieves obviously aren't so picky and are willing to break into any premium motor. I appreciate that's different from taking but the same fundamental entry issues obviously prevail across vunerous marques now.

BMWTech

13 posts

138 months

Friday 16th November 2012
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SOLUTION NOW AVAILABLE.

There was an announcement made to our dealership this afternoon that re-programming is now available for ALL models from 2005 onwards.

It is a 20 minute programming job that all main dealers will have the software for. The programming is also completely free of charge regardless of age. It adds a new layer to the encryption that is unaccessable to anyone except a BMW dealer.

It has been announced that work will be carried out ONLY when requested by customers, so don't expect your local dealer to be on the phone to you on Monday morning (unless you have already contact BMW customer services, at which point you are already on a "to contact" list).

Spread the word.

noodle151

4 posts

136 months

Friday 16th November 2012
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my x6 was stolen without the keys earlier this year. unfortunately recovered minus seats and all interior panelling. £15k of damage and no claims bonus cratered - my insurance went up 4 x at renewal. the scum struck again last week but fried the cas unit and couldn't drive off - still cost £1.5k to fix though. this time they got in by somehow opening all the windows (last time a smashed drivers window). final straw for me and taking the advice of the police to get rid of it and not buy another bmw have just part exchanged it for new range rover - good riddance! spoke to BMW customer services a lot this week - their attitude is appalling and I hope the disgraceful way they are dealing with this damages their undeserved reputation.

five50

488 posts

185 months

Friday 16th November 2012
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Is this relevant to minis?

r999

78 posts

153 months

Friday 16th November 2012
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BMWTech said:
It adds a new layer to the encryption that is unaccessable to anyone except a BMW dealer.
How can that be, when the EU laws that are at the heart of this issue stipulate that people other than main dealers must have access to create new keys?

Is there a service bulletin you can refer us to? Or some fuller explanation?

I'm afraid that after the months of rumour from all and sundry, vast amounts of inadequate information in this and other places, and outright denials from BMW, anyone posting new claims about a solution needs to provide some evidence and detail if they are to be believed.

va1o

16,028 posts

206 months

Saturday 17th November 2012
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five50 said:
Is this relevant to minis?
This has been raised a few times before, was last discussed 2 pages ago http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Agent Orange

2,194 posts

245 months

Saturday 17th November 2012
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noodle151 said:
...to get rid of it and not buy another bmw have just part exchanged it for new range rover - good riddance!
I thought a Range Rover had the same system?

Moley RUFC

3,608 posts

188 months

Saturday 17th November 2012
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Cue Noodle running outside in his pyjamas to check his Rangie is still on the drive....

B10BRW

356 posts

220 months

Saturday 17th November 2012
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Just been to my local BMW dealer Cooper, yes sir the "update" only takes an hour, but we need to have it all day in case we Cock it up, and have to try again banghead

Why am I not surprised, has anyone else been told their dealer wants it all day.
Looking for another dealer to do it now mad

r999

78 posts

153 months

Saturday 17th November 2012
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B10BRW said:
Just been to my local BMW dealer Cooper, yes sir the "update" only takes an hour, but we need to have it all day in case we Cock it up, and have to try again banghead

Why am I not surprised, has anyone else been told their dealer wants it all day.
Looking for another dealer to do it now mad
This is quite normal. If the car has not had software updates for quite some time, it may require many others before the latest one gets applied. Consider yourself lucky they did not say it might go into a second day, as updates sometimes have to be left running overnight.

If you don't like it, go back to the 1980s and get yourself a software-free car.

loose cannon

6,028 posts

240 months

Saturday 17th November 2012
quotequote all
Another angle for anti theft,
Get yourself a superchips bluefin,
As well as a remap you can use it to remove ecu mapping rendering it immobile, no way there stealing it then unless they put it on a transporter.
Just another avenue of thought for you all,