Strange morning

wilko

wilko

Top Gear
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Hello all, it has been sometime since I've posted anything on here, but I've still been around.

I've had a very odd morning. I work up today to find the A3's drivers door open. My first thought was sh!t where is the broken window... there wasn't one. The glove box and arm rest had clearly been opened and gone through - luckily I don't leave anything in the car.

So my question is... how the hell did they get in the car? No broken glass, no sign of forced entry and I have both sets of keys, and the car was locked after I moved it yesterday. Are there any stories of people hacking into the remote sensor to unlock the doors or using some kind of device to mess with the central locking? The other strange thing is that next doors Focus was exactly the same - door open and glove box open. So clearly someone know's what they are doing cos the alarm didn't go off on either car, and my car is parked under my bedroom window so I would have heard it if it had gone off. And how can i stop it from happening again?

Any knowledge anyone has would be gratefully received.
Wilko
 
Jeez, that's pretty scary stuff, to think that someone can just get into your car, regardless of how secure you've left it, ..locked and alarmed etc. Don't know how they could have done this, but obviously they've found a way. You should contact your local police and make them aware of what's happened. I know there wasn't any damage or anything stolen, but if there had been and you had to claim on your insurance, they may not have believed that you had secured your car properly and voided your claim. If you at least contact the police and tell them what's happened, they'll have it logged for any further incidents that may occur and if you or anyone local to you has to make a claim on their insurance, the police being aware could help with the insurance paying out. :(

Paulie
 
I have no idea how they got into either car but I believe there is some way to get into nearly every car on the road without using the key. I lost both keys for a previous car (2004 model Honda) and the auto locksmith that finally got me in opened the car by removing one of the number plate lights and tapping into the central locking system via the boot lock even though the car was dead locked. Nothing more advanced than a screw driver and a set of pliers were used during the process. Had a good chat with the guy and he assured me there is a way into every car. He phoned several people including the RAC for a wiring schematic to figure out the Honda as he'd never done one before. Granted, most people don't have the ability, knowledge or contacts of this guy but it just goes to show, nothing is 100%.

I doubt the above really applies in this instance but thought it might be of interest. It's a bit weird to break into the car, not take anything then leave it so obvious that it had been broken into. Paulies advice is good, i'd be worried the person could return and actually take something the next time. I hope they don't.
 
There is a way in, an RAC man told me once. I think it involved getting under the car and forcing something open, cant for the life of me remember what he said now!
 
I remember my brother locked himself out of his RS turbo years ago and poping the lock open using half of a tennis ball...
 
welshwoody said:
I remember my brother locked himself out of his RS turbo years ago and poping the lock open using half of a tennis ball...
Click to expand...

Worst lock ever? That was on the youtube episode of Mythbusters, and it was busted!

I've heard that number-plate light thing before, but thought it was just to unlock the doors (that the alarm would still go off since it's on a different circuit)?
 
Check your locking wheel nut key is still there or you may come back one day for find the 4 round things missing
 
This happened to a neighbour of mine, it was on a brand new Ford Focus. I think there is a way of blocking the signal from the key fob by scrambling it somehow..you think you have locked your car and you walk away without checking..seems to be happening more and more these days.

The advice to me was to lock it on the key first then use the key fob.
 
Interesting post as a similar thing happened to me the other week. I assumed (might well have done!) that I had stupidly left the car unlocked or accidentally unlocked it when I locked the front door at night and hit the unlock button.

My boot and drivers door was opened along with the glovebox. Thankfully the only thing they took was my USB stick with my music on it. They left behind my expensive sunglasses!!

A very unnerving experience though :(
 
Phil76, f**k I didn't think about that. That will be the first thing I check when I get home.

I had assumed that they were looking for SatNav or iPod's or something... damn, now I wish I'd have driven to work today instead of cycling cos at least I could have checked these things and not got home to a car on bricks. :unhappy:

I have the police coming to visit me later too. They seem very interested for some reason, shame they didn't pay this much attention the last time I called them about fraud.
 
I know some cars used to have a knock sensor that unlocks the doors in the event of an accident but it needs to be hit pretty hard. I bit worrying though.
 
On my old MK4 Golf there was actually a delock kit you could buy from VW because it was way too easy to get into.
The kit was basically a blank cover where the door lock would have been (like the one without the keyhole on the passenger side), a new metal barrel replacement and a disc that covered the vulnerable bit inside the lock that could be turned with a screwdriver. I assume this issue has been sorted on the Audi?
 
Good one!! I didn't notice that either for a while... :D

Thanks for all the advice above guys. Just one more question on the subject... is it possible for the stealer to change the code that my keys use to communicate with the car? And does anyone know how much such a thing would cost?

I'm just concerned that they might come back again if they have some device to open the car. I'd prefer to wake up to the car being on the drive to waking up to it have been towed away or something.
 
When you recode the immobiliser, only the keys that were coded in that 'cycle' will open the car, all previous ones will trigger the immobiliser and cut the engine.
 
When I thought my car was only coming with one key I enquired about getting a new one from Audi. I was advised to take any keys I've got for the car with me and they'd recode them all when they do the new one. This was so if the missing key was ever found by someone then they would be able to open the door, but the alarm would sound if they didn't put a properly coded key in the ignition. The immobiliser couldn't be disarmed either.

I was quoted about £150 to £200, but this included a new key. I can't imagine it would take very long to recode your existing keys, so it shouldn't be that expensive as it'll just be a little bit of labour charge.
 
The security flaw that the Mark IV Golf had can be disabled by coding on the A3 and that is all I will say on the subject, however it doesn't sound like this was the cause in this instance as the Mark IV flaw would only result in open windows - not doors due to the deadlocks.

Paul
 
With the mk4 Golfs the flaw enabled you to unlock the car as if you had the key, and this also disarmed the alarm. When I was fitting the de-lock kit and had the covers off I tried it with a screwdriver and it worked. It basically let you turn the lock part without going through the barrel. Quite a worrying oversight by VW really. Hopefully all the mk4's have had the mod done now.

Without posting any details, is there something I need to do to make my A3 more secure? I have VCDS so can do it myself, or would it have been done by Audi at one of the services?
I know it's not safe to post it on an open forum, but is it a known coding change that I can ask Audi about, or will they look at me blankly?

You've got me worried now.
 
Please let me know what you find out from this DanB986 - Private message or otherwise will be fine. :)
 
I once locked my keys in my car in a car park and went down all the usual routes to get in but nothing doing.
Then this guy turned up as I had raised a bit of a crowd and said he could get in for me and I was like, oh yeh he'll stick the window in!!!
but no, he put his hand in his pocket and rubbed the material against my door and hey presto he was in!!!
I said how'd you do that and he said it was easy he had Khaki trousers on!!!
Sorry guys just couldn't resist that hopefully you all take it how it was intended and no harm comes to your motor. We all work ****** hard for some scroat to just think they can take your things just isn't on
 
Do you & neighbour share a common thing like garages, mechanics used, as keys can be copied in minutes tbh with the right equipment, the remote scanning is fairly high tech, the codes are constantly changed anyway afaik with the locking etc systems, so unless vag use the same code for 1 lock/unlock cycle so they read it when you lock the car & then use there reader to send the same code to unlock, then its near impossible.

Rather worrying this tbh.

You could try desyncing the keys & resync with vcds for locking systems, immo cant be done unless you have skc or goto dealer, of course resync wont help if they are using a high tech reader etc.
 
No both cars were on the drive outside both houses. No shared garages and/or mechanics... their car is a 2008 Ford Focus, and my car always goes to the local Audi dealer :(

I think I might call the insurance company and explain what's happened and see if they'll foot the bill of resyncing the keys or replacing the keys. I just simply have no idea what to do to stop it from happening again... i mean what if they drive it away next time? I'll be gutted and if they can do it to two totally different cars in the same night they must have some serious equipement, so i would assume they would be had to stop.
 
audi upgrades
No... I haven't. :S I have made sure that things like the doors lock, the sunroof closes using the key fob, etc...

What's the best way to test the alarm? Sit in the car, lock it and wait for it to enable and then move around? :) Or is there a more scientific way?
 
wilko said:
What's the best way to test the alarm? Sit in the car, lock it and wait for it to enable and then move around? :) Or is there a more scientific way?
Click to expand...

Pretty much that.

I would test it if I were you though. Maybe they somehow disabled it before entering, which could be why you didn't hear it go off.
 
Something high tech is going on here, for them to do 2 cars next to eachother with nothing in common at all, no keys, no car theft, it must be scanning of remote signals, but have you noticed anyone in area recently, vans etc?
 
It could simply be some kind of key blocking technology, that stopped both cars from being remotely locked. Some sort of development of those mobile phone blockers perhaps. Time to activate the audible confirmation of locking ?

I would imagine that both of the cars having rolling code remotes, unless there is some way of decoding when you lock it and predicting what the next code would be.

Paul
 
Given the A3 does self lock itself aswell, then cant imagine they blocked it tbh as self lock happens fairly quickly, but anythings possible.
 
NHN - no, nothing out of the ordinary anyway (surely they've have to be sat quite close?) - that's a similar question as the dumb *** police officer asked me. The police were 100% totally useless if I'm honest, they just made out that we both must have been stupid and left the cars unlocked or dreamt that it happened, cos apparently there is no way of getting in a car without a key or a brick... and if they did get in why didn't they steal anything. It would seem that the only thing missing are some insurance documents from the Focus - don't ask me why they keep there docs in the car... But maybe the scum were looking for paperwork for fraud type acts?

How do you get the car to self lock? I know it will lock if you unlock the car and then don't open a door. But self locking would be a great feature, especially if it would deadlock it also and set the alarm.

I however have started paying much more attention when locking the car, to make sure that the indicators flash and I hear the deadlock and bolt lock the fuel cap.

Still need to ring the stealer actually...
 
Just spoken to the stealer and they have quoted me £55 +VAT for the recode of both of my keys. Which doesn't seem too bad. But it wouldn't stop the scum from rescanning and getting the code again. Hmm...
 
wilko said:
How do you get the car to self lock? I know it will lock if you unlock the car and then don't open a door. But self locking would be a great feature, especially if it would deadlock it also and set the alarm.

I however have started paying much more attention when locking the car, to make sure that the indicators flash and I hear the deadlock and bolt lock the fuel cap.
Click to expand...

As suggested before fella - get the beep on lock reactivated through VAGCOM. It reassures me.

I think what you refer to where the car locks itself again if you don't open a door is actually the self locking. It certainly puts the alarm on on mine - the other day when I was changing tyres around, the car bleeped shut & locked the doors. The alarm tilt sensor then activated the alarm when I jacked the car up.
 
NHN said:
Given the A3 does self lock itself aswell, then cant imagine they blocked it tbh as self lock happens fairly quickly, but anythings possible.
Click to expand...
But if they blocked it from being locked - self locking doesn't come into it as the car had been in use, they just stopped you from locking it when you got out - leaving the car unlocked and vulnerable.
 
Thats possible, but they would have to be fairly close I should think.
 
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