Security Flaw - Attempted theft
11-09-08, 07:26 AM
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Security Flaw - Attempted theft
Someone broke into my 08 ES350 last week. Week day night. No alarm sound. I understand from the Lexus dealer that the alram will make noise only when some one breaks the window. I find this very distrubing.
The theif didn't take anything from the car but he messed up all the stuff in glove compartment and storage box. Probably he was looking for a gps.
All they (?) did was to open the **** at the end of the handle and removed all the mechanical stuff. I understand when someone does that the windows and sun roon opens. When I saw the car in the morning all the windows were down and sun roof was open. The estimated cost to repair is $1200.
Lexus dealer is try to sell me LoJack.
Has anyone gone through this. What else to do to protect the car from theft or someone to break in.
Please help
The theif didn't take anything from the car but he messed up all the stuff in glove compartment and storage box. Probably he was looking for a gps.
All they (?) did was to open the **** at the end of the handle and removed all the mechanical stuff. I understand when someone does that the windows and sun roon opens. When I saw the car in the morning all the windows were down and sun roof was open. The estimated cost to repair is $1200.
Lexus dealer is try to sell me LoJack.
Has anyone gone through this. What else to do to protect the car from theft or someone to break in.
Please help
11-09-08, 10:23 AM
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I wonder if the Lexus dealership can completely disable the "all windows down" feature and if so would that preclude a thief from breaking into a Lexus ES350 using the technique described above by Marlex.
In our case we do not use the "all windows down" feature so we would not miss it.
In our case we do not use the "all windows down" feature so we would not miss it.
11-09-08, 10:47 AM
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Someone broke into my 08 ES350 last week. Week day night. No alarm sound. I understand from the Lexus dealer that the alram will make noise only when some one breaks the window. I find this very distrubing.
The theif didn't take anything from the car but he messed up all the stuff in glove compartment and storage box. Probably he was looking for a gps.
All they (?) did was to open the **** at the end of the handle and removed all the mechanical stuff. I understand when someone does that the windows and sun roon opens. When I saw the car in the morning all the windows were down and sun roof was open. The estimated cost to repair is $1200.
Lexus dealer is try to sell me LoJack.
Has anyone gone through this. What else to do to protect the car from theft or someone to break in.
Please help
The theif didn't take anything from the car but he messed up all the stuff in glove compartment and storage box. Probably he was looking for a gps.
All they (?) did was to open the **** at the end of the handle and removed all the mechanical stuff. I understand when someone does that the windows and sun roon opens. When I saw the car in the morning all the windows were down and sun roof was open. The estimated cost to repair is $1200.
Lexus dealer is try to sell me LoJack.
Has anyone gone through this. What else to do to protect the car from theft or someone to break in.
Please help
No point submitting an insurance claim, they'll just jack up my rates for daring to submit a claim.
Everything is one big scam. YOu work hard, achieve some success, pay a buttload of taxes (i pay around $30,000 year in deductions) and then some a$$shole jacks your Lexus, which I'm paying about $1500 year to insure (with a perfect driving record btw) and then to get it fixed you get to go back to the dealer who overcharges you yet again.
11-09-08, 11:33 AM
#6
Most all OEM car alarms today do not have a shock or impact sensor, thus if a thief does not physically open a door, trunk, or hood, the alarm will not go off. If they open any of those zones and also try and start the car the alarm will go off. A thief can even throw a brick through the window and shatter the glass and most OEM alarms (Not just Lexus) will not go off. The stock alarm systems today with the ignition ECU immobilizer is good for protecting your car from getting stolen as most thieves wont be able to start the car. They are not too good at protecting the contents in the car though as often there is no audible warning.
The auto window and sunroof open/close I believe is a C-Best setting and can be disable at the dealer. Also, if you want to protect those other areas and give you additional warning, just buy an aftermarket alarm.
There is one thing you have to remember about all OEM alarms from all manufacturers. It is installed the exact same way in all of the same model cars. All the wiring diagrams for it can be found in the service manuals electrical diagrams. If a thief can figure our where certain parts are located and figure out a quick and easy way to defeat it, they now can do it on every single OEM alarm for that model car if they wanted to. OEM service manuals can be bought by anyone and even found on CDs on ebay.
The auto window and sunroof open/close I believe is a C-Best setting and can be disable at the dealer. Also, if you want to protect those other areas and give you additional warning, just buy an aftermarket alarm.
There is one thing you have to remember about all OEM alarms from all manufacturers. It is installed the exact same way in all of the same model cars. All the wiring diagrams for it can be found in the service manuals electrical diagrams. If a thief can figure our where certain parts are located and figure out a quick and easy way to defeat it, they now can do it on every single OEM alarm for that model car if they wanted to. OEM service manuals can be bought by anyone and even found on CDs on ebay.
11-09-08, 05:01 PM
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Someone broke into my 08 ES350 last week. Week day night. No alarm sound. I understand from the Lexus dealer that the alram will make noise only when some one breaks the window. I find this very distrubing.
The theif didn't take anything from the car but he messed up all the stuff in glove compartment and storage box. Probably he was looking for a gps.
All they (?) did was to open the **** at the end of the handle and removed all the mechanical stuff. I understand when someone does that the windows and sun roon opens. When I saw the car in the morning all the windows were down and sun roof was open. The estimated cost to repair is $1200.
Lexus dealer is try to sell me LoJack.
Has anyone gone through this. What else to do to protect the car from theft or someone to break in.
Please help
The theif didn't take anything from the car but he messed up all the stuff in glove compartment and storage box. Probably he was looking for a gps.
All they (?) did was to open the **** at the end of the handle and removed all the mechanical stuff. I understand when someone does that the windows and sun roon opens. When I saw the car in the morning all the windows were down and sun roof was open. The estimated cost to repair is $1200.
Lexus dealer is try to sell me LoJack.
Has anyone gone through this. What else to do to protect the car from theft or someone to break in.
Please help
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11-10-08, 08:02 AM
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Someone broke into my 08 ES350 last week. Week day night. No alarm sound. I understand from the Lexus dealer that the alram will make noise only when some one breaks the window. I find this very distrubing.
The theif didn't take anything from the car but he messed up all the stuff in glove compartment and storage box. Probably he was looking for a gps.
All they (?) did was to open the **** at the end of the handle and removed all the mechanical stuff. I understand when someone does that the windows and sun roon opens. When I saw the car in the morning all the windows were down and sun roof was open. The estimated cost to repair is $1200.
Lexus dealer is try to sell me LoJack.
Has anyone gone through this. What else to do to protect the car from theft or someone to break in.
Please help
The theif didn't take anything from the car but he messed up all the stuff in glove compartment and storage box. Probably he was looking for a gps.
All they (?) did was to open the **** at the end of the handle and removed all the mechanical stuff. I understand when someone does that the windows and sun roon opens. When I saw the car in the morning all the windows were down and sun roof was open. The estimated cost to repair is $1200.
Lexus dealer is try to sell me LoJack.
Has anyone gone through this. What else to do to protect the car from theft or someone to break in.
Please help
The alarm will not go off if the window is broken. Believe me. I know. 07 ES350
11-10-08, 09:07 AM
#9
When does this so called "alarm work"..... when the car is hot wired or jacked up and about to be towed!!!!!
11-10-08, 04:39 PM
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Sorry to hear of your break-in. But it seems insurance company's stand by the factory installed alarms. When I asked mine (State Farm) if additional savings could be had with Lo-Jack, I was told they only discount factory installed alarms, no others. They must know something.
11-10-08, 06:14 PM
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Thank you all.
I spoke to the Lexus dealer. They haven't heard of this kind of break in.
I spoke to Lexus. They will talk to the dealer and revert.
Lo Jack is a good solution but my case is not about the car moved or driven away. My problem is someone can easily get into my car irrespective of intentions. The sad thing is that you buy a car for 35 or 40 k and can't sleep in peace.
I spoke to the Lexus dealer. They haven't heard of this kind of break in.
I spoke to Lexus. They will talk to the dealer and revert.
Lo Jack is a good solution but my case is not about the car moved or driven away. My problem is someone can easily get into my car irrespective of intentions. The sad thing is that you buy a car for 35 or 40 k and can't sleep in peace.
Last edited by Marlex; 11-10-08 at 06:55 PM.
11-11-08, 08:06 PM
#12
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Thank you all.
I spoke to the Lexus dealer. They haven't heard of this kind of break in.
I spoke to Lexus. They will talk to the dealer and revert.
Lo Jack is a good solution but my case is not about the car moved or driven away. My problem is someone can easily get into my car irrespective of intentions. The sad thing is that you buy a car for 35 or 40 k and can't sleep in peace.
I spoke to the Lexus dealer. They haven't heard of this kind of break in.
I spoke to Lexus. They will talk to the dealer and revert.
Lo Jack is a good solution but my case is not about the car moved or driven away. My problem is someone can easily get into my car irrespective of intentions. The sad thing is that you buy a car for 35 or 40 k and can't sleep in peace.
- shock and glass sensor
- motion sensor (interior only)
- backup siren (in case the thief disconnects the main alarm to the battery)
- hood and trunk sensors (if the thief pops the hood or trunk, alarm goes off)
- pager (notifies you that your car is tampered with)
- antennae (increase and stabilize the range for your pager to alert you)
If you want to go more extreme, I suggest the following:
- electronic anti car jacking device (allows you to give up your car to a carjacker, and be able to retrieve your car later when it's safe)
- mechanical or electronic hood lock (prevents the thief from popping your hood)
- LoJack or other GPS similar tracking devices
- piezo "pain-generator" sirens inside the vehicle cabin (makes it so painful for the thief that they must vacate the car)
- extend motion sensors to outside of vehicle (will have greater number of false alarm tripping)
I've used almost all of these security features in my previous rides, so I'm well acquainted with all the different layers of protection you can add on.
Good luck!
11-13-08, 09:20 AM
#13
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Disabling the windows down feature would likely result in the thief trying to open the windows (and damaging the door components) and after failing to do so they would either leave or attempt breaking the glass. Either way you're still out your deductible.
The last thing I would think cool is to have one of those aftermarket alarms that goes off every thunderstorm. I think if someone targets your car or is out to do no good the alarm noise isn't going to deter them from at least smashing your window and running.
Maybe try a home surveillance system...
I'd suggest leaving the car in the garage or if that's not possible eliminate any evidence you have portable electronics. Remove wiring replace accessory power covers if they are visible, wash windshield to remove any suction cup outline.
The last thing I would think cool is to have one of those aftermarket alarms that goes off every thunderstorm. I think if someone targets your car or is out to do no good the alarm noise isn't going to deter them from at least smashing your window and running.
Maybe try a home surveillance system...
I'd suggest leaving the car in the garage or if that's not possible eliminate any evidence you have portable electronics. Remove wiring replace accessory power covers if they are visible, wash windshield to remove any suction cup outline.
Last edited by safford197; 11-13-08 at 09:24 AM.
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