Locks Open for 100 million VW cars

phaser

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2004
Location
Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta PD - 490k
Time to remove the batteries in the fob, and just use the key the old fashion way.

edited to clarify FOB, Thanks Mark SF

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jims2321

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2013
Location
Sugar Hill, GA
TDI
2013 VW Jetta TDI 6mt, sold back, replacement 2017 Golf GTI Autobahn
The hits keep coming. At what point does VW, just turn off the lights and lock the doors, and walk away. This seems to be a systemic issue right now with the auto industry in general. What next, that the turn indicator causes brain tumors?
 

tadawson

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2013
Location
Lewisville, TX
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL, 2015 Passat TDI SEL
So let me get this straight . . . the auto industry adopts a keyless technology, likely developed by a third parts, and it has holes. And you blame VW? Same as the airbag deal with Takata . . . no single car mfg. owns that - just the supplier/designer of the system. So why, again, would VW "turn off the lights and walk away" from something that likely wasn't their tech in the first place?

Some of the attitudes here are really out there . . . sheesh . . .
 

jkowalski

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2011
Location
Arkansas/Northern Illinois
TDI
2012 Jetta Premium 6MT
At what point does VW, just turn off the lights and lock the doors, and walk away.
Don't bother locking the doors, someone can just break them down.

Yes, the car industry should re-visit some stuff and make sure it's secure; I wonder if this truly just affects the several brands listed?
I mean, you can get all kinds of information about your car via the OnStar app or whatever (GM advertises that), wonder what flaws could be found in that?
 

Armourbl

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2016
Location
Phoenix
TDI
2012 Golf TDI 4DR
You should probably also just stop using the Internet -- as it is far from safe and I bet most aren't doing even the basics to stay protected.

If a thieve wants into your car, you can't stop them. Don't live in fear. You have insurance for these kinds of things.

ben
 

Mark SF

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2015
Location
SF Bay Area
TDI
2013 Passat TDi
Time to remove the batteries in the FOB, and just use the key the old fashion way.

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It's a fob, not a FOB.

fob = "a chain attached to a watch for carrying in a waistcoat or waistband pocket"

FOB = Free On Board, a term used in shipping.

Yours pedantically,
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
My car is usually unlocked, too. Right now it's unlocked and keys are in it. And no, I won't tell you where it is.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
Yup, My car sits unlocked w the keys in it 90% of the time. Shoot, I leave the hatch popped half the time because my dog likes to come and go.
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
I leave nothing in my car usually and leave it unlocked. They can have whatever paper trash they find in there and pennies under the seat I have dropped (Probably a french fry or 2). Cheaper than having to replace windows and locks that have been destroyed only to find nothing in there they wanted anyway. Having an old car goes a long way in deterring thieves as generally they don't want the car, as much as they want what is inside it.
 

Louis_TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2008
Location
Gatineau QC
TDI
2003 Golf Gls
The only reason I keep my car lock is since my municipality has a bylaw on it. I kid you not cops go around checking if your doors are locked if there not they give you a ticket. They usually do this at the mall but I have seen them do it once in are neighbourhood. And besides at the moment we have the best anti theft device, the three letters on the back TDI who the hell would want to steel that car now.
 

millerman61

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2012
Location
Chesapeake, Virginia
TDI
'13 Jetta TDI Premium w/Nav, DSG. Bought back on 12/23/16
This isn't just old news, it is very old news that is cycling through a slow news cycle of another way to bash VW. I read about this at least six months ago.
 

Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
If they're so easy and cheap to hack how come replacement keys cost so much? :)
Because the key has an immobilizer chip in it that acts like a digital key that if not paired to the car will not let the car run for more than 5 seconds.

If someone hacks your fob and unlocks the doors, they still can't drive away because of the immobilizer chip.
 
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