l.a. times article re: car thieves going high tech to figure out how to steal cars
(specifically mentions the LS400...!?!)

http://www.latimes.com/classified/au...-home-highway1

 

So, should I start putting The Club on my IS350?

 

WOW....if thefts want it, they will take it. Out of control.

 

ls400, it didn't mention the yrs though. i am not sure if the ls400 uses the same antitheft system from 89 to 00? if so, then i think other lexus like sc and gs are also in danger. but if they do change, and these are talking about the early yrs, then man, i am glad it took them 10 yrs to figure out

 

Very interesting, but no matter how complicated security systems get, they'll never be totally 'fool-prooff'. We all know the old saying if a thief wants something he'll get it. I agree with rominl, it took thieves quite a while to overcome the electronic systems in our cars.....but lest we forget, all a theft ring really needs is a flatbed tow truck & they'll get any car they want

 

and ive known ppl that this has happened too

 

Old news, this happened to a friend in San Diego last year. They actually have gotten so good now they don't even need to rip out the old ECU, you can just plug into the Diagnostic port under the dash and start it right up. My bro's new Mustang got jacked using this method. You know what saved him though, an old fashion cut off switch, not his $800 alarm system. The theif got a few blocks with the fuel already in the engine, and then the car died. They still managed to strip the car but at least he got some of it back.

 

That is why I got the Viper 791xv with the pager installed. I park in Crooklyn in NYC all the time when I visit friends. It works in conjucnion to the stock system. Stock system is crap by itself. If someone breaks the window or tow your car, nothing goes off. With the Viper you are alerted if some one tries to mess with your baby. It also has a tilt sensor to alert you if someone is trying to tow or flatbed your car as well.

 

I remember when Lexus used to park the LS in NYC and ask ppl to try to break into it...took the professionals an hour at least back then.

 

might wanna post how many yrs ago that was

 

I believe they did it with the LS 400 and 430. Don't have the info directly with me though.

But this report has me worried, being in SoCal, our LS 430 feels vulnerable now. Darn you thieves!

 

actually, any car is. if it's just a stock car, i think it's relatively ok. if it's modded and a lot of flashy stuff, you are putting it at risk. and if you park your car in bad areas, well, what can i say

 

I wouldn't say that. There are a lot of stock cars that are being stolen as we speak, on some cargo ship being shipped overseas. PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT.

 

I'm actually surprised it took that that long. When transponder key type security like this first showed up, I originally thought why not just replace the ECU with one that matches the key? Now, I'm not a thief, but since I do install my own aftermarket alarms on all my cars you start to think like a thief to try and catch every angle. I ad thought that maybe I was missing a step and it wouldn't work, but obviously that is exactly what the thieves are doing now. The hint I got was when the dealers tell you they need to replace the entire ECU if for some reason your car no longer responds to your coded key (Malfunction or something). Anyway, I've seen enough car alarm shops bypassing OEM security devices that I knew it was only a matter of time.

This is one reason why I don't soley rely on the OEM security system. Since it is built the same for every model, anyone with a service manual can look up the schematics and they know exactly where the critical compents are, how it is wired, and how to bypass it. Once you learn that you can defeat the OEM security system on every same model car.

 

While car thieves can....and do.....come up with ever-more-sophisticated and high-tech ways to run off with ever-more-sophisticated and high-tech vehicles, and of course it is not possible to give your vehicle 100% protection 100% of the time, the best single way to avoid that nice empty space where your car once stood is simply to LOCK IT UP and take the keys....especially with today's relatively effective anti-theft electronics. Probably the single most prevalent cause of car theft ( short of armed carjacking ) is the same thing it has been for decades.......some airhead parks, runs off " for just a minute " and leaves the car unlocked or the engine running.