Basic Security

[New2Zed]

Caught a report on Sky News yesterday about car security and the ease with which bad men can know gain access to, and steal modern cars.
Apparently, the gizmo that your local dealership uses to re-programme new keys is available on the internet and is being fully utilised by your local car stealer.
On the report they demonstrated its effectiveness on a Lexus but also exampled a Z4 as a probable target.
A car security expert was then wheeled out to explain that the best form of security in the 21st century is a physical deterent i.e. a steering wheel lock
Not wanting my new Z to become another statistic, I decided I would invest in one of these uncool pieces of equipment and so trotted off to my nearest Halford for a 'Stoplock'.
Unfortunately, these would not fit my M sport steering wheel.
Does anyone have any recommendations on what make of decent quality wheel lock might fit?

 

[markeg]

Have you contacted your dealer? IIRC 2AlpsAde investigated this for his 'other' BMW model, and there was a software upgrade available, as the issue has been around for some time.

 

[Angie4m]

As you have a car built after 2012 bmw have made it 'supposedly' impossible for it to be stolen via the OBD. You may have been aware of this rearing it's head on watchdog in the autumn of 2012. It was identified by BMW in 2011 and a fix made but for people will cars built prior to this date they needed a security upgrade via diagnostics. The other drastic action some BMW owners have taken is to have the OBD II port disabled by having it cut off.

Incase you missed the issue http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/bmw/60264/bmw-owners-offered-fix-hi-tech-theft

 

[flybobbie]

So how many others have caught that stupid obd door cover with their foot.
Sometimes i think i will find some way to screw it closed.
I read on other models its hidden away under ashtrays, etc, not right next to the door in apprent blind spot for the alarm.

 

[Angie4m]

So how many others have caught that stupid obd door cover with their foot.
Sometimes i think i will find some way to screw it closed.
I read on other models its hidden away under ashtrays, etc, not right next to the door in apprent blind spot for the alarm.

In all my BMWs and minis it's always been there and not once have I caught it. I've never found it flimsy to open. Should close shut quite solidly. I know I hit that area on occasion with my foot cause I've seen some dirty marks, I even hit by the side of the steering wheel last week, god knows how but never had any OBD issues.

It being fitted there is what caused the security issue in the first place because if the window was broken down by the wing mirror they could get their hand in without setting off the alarm, get the OBD hooked up, unlock the car and start getting the key coded.

 

[toonmal]

OK, I give in...what is the obd door cover?

 

[Angie4m]

OK, I give in...what is the obd door cover?

Cover in the footwell located very near the bonnet release. It's where you can access the ECU and run diagnostics on the car with the right tools.

 

[toonmal]

Ahhh..wondered what that was

 

[New2Zed]

Thanks everyone.
So what you are saying is that the report on Sky News, which they ran every hour through out the day, is out of date and misleading and my Z4, built in 2014, is not affected.
Or have the crims got one step ahead again? :evil: and Sky are on the button.

 

[matsmith749]

I thought that this whole issue was related to 'keyless entry' vehicles (an option on the z4) - not OBDII port access?

The scanners are grabbing the code & allowing thieves to unlock & drive away vehicles with no damage (ie not breaking the window at all) unless I have it completely wrong.

Matt

 

[Angie4m]

I thought that this whole issue was related to 'keyless entry' vehicles (an option on the z4) - not OBDII port access?

The scanners are grabbing the code & allowing thieves to unlock & drive away vehicles with no damage (ie not breaking the window at all) unless I have it completely wrong.

Matt

Those scanners have been about since the 90s however once they get the car open they need to be able to re program a key which needs to happen via the OBD II port and BMW changed this from being allowed to happen in this way from 2012 onwards.

I would have hoped folks on here will have had the security update done on their cars and if not be looking to have it done soon.

 

[flybobbie]

If you have long gangly legs like me, i keep catching the door, to the point the hinge has broken. Just flimsey.

 

[Angie4m]

Im gonna get my alarm to electricute or a flame thrower the crims like in Robocop ( the classic 1987 not the 2014 cow dung version )
I think the steering wheel lock is a good shout, low tech is always better in my mind :!:

Shame we can't fit such solutions. My other half is so paranoid that someone will steal the R32 is fitted with a blackjack alarm system with permitter alarm which sound rather loud if you get next to the car, also puts off drivers who can't park from parking next to him as they tend to keep setting it off just trying to park! He also has a removable steering wheel, yet another thing that puzzles people when they look at it. And even after all that he still thinks someone might nick it! Although it has been joked about with the insurance company that he parks next to a bmw so they'll steal that first cause it's easy.

I'm sure they did bigger versions of the stop lock before, I think it's possibly the big massive one that covers the whole wheel you would need now and as E89s haven't got a proper handbrake your can't use the gear leave to handbrake one.

 

[Angie4m]

If you have long gangly legs like me, i keep catching the door, to the point the hinge has broken. Just flimsey.

You should be able to screw it shut I would think or just ductape it. Black mind.

 

[ric19]

I bought a disklok for my 1 series cos of the OBD issue and it fits my 2012 Z4 just fine and it goes on every night

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[ric19]

I was thinking as a cheap alternative how about a padlock through the handbrake lever switch as once its engaged if you cant press it down to disengage because of the padlock the car isnt going anywhere

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[ric19]

the issue on the 1 series was that they could break a drivers side window and lean in to access the OBD port without the alarm going off and then reprogram the car to accept the key they had and they would use this to steal the car

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[lux]

If your car is yellow you're safe, coz no one is gonna want to pinch it! :rofl:

 

[New2Zed]

I was thinking as a cheap alternative how about a padlock through the handbrake lever switch as once its engaged if you cant press it down to disengage because of the padlock the car isnt going anywhere

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I like the concept and it would stop you or me from moving the car, but I suspect your determined crim would just cut the handbrake handle as it doesn't look that substantial.
A specifically designed padlock with some sort of protective shield to prevent access to the handle, now that might work.

If by 'Disklock' you mean the big yellow dustbin lid that goes over the steering wheel, I accept that these are effective but they are a little bit cumbersome.

Back to the Sky News report. I don't recall any reference to the need for windows to be broken to gain access to the OBD but maybe they omitted this detail to prevent their report turning into a training course. Wish someone else had seen it.

 

[ric19]

well mine is silver and it takes all of 10 secs to fit or take off and I also got it from Halfords..its says it's small if thats any help..yea I agree they could even snap the handbrake switch off but since the mechanism is inside that would just hinder them more and as I understand crims just want an easy steal its just one more deterrent

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