My car was hacked

[Dorothyfones]

My car was hacked at a campground. First the trunk was opened. I closed it and made sure the car was locked. The next morning all the doors were unlocked and the windows were down. Both keys were hanging up in our RV. Has anyone else had this experience?

[murphy]

You didn't give near enough data so I will assume you have IA keys and push button start.

 

How far were the IA keys from the car? If they were close enough to receive the radio signal from the car ANYONE can open the doors and the trunk. Wrap then individually in two layers of aluminum foil or put them inside of a metal container so they can't talk to the car.

 

The scenario is as follows:

1. Someone grabs a door handle or presses the trunk release button.

2. The car sends out a radio signal that basically asks "are there any keys within range"?

3. If a key hears the signal it replies and the car unlocks the door or trunk.

 

You can also disable the keys by removing the batteries.

[Dorothyfones]

I do not have the push button start. That is why I was startled. I thought you needed the keys to lower the windows even if the doors were opened. Also there was no alarm triggered. I am just assuming there should be an alarm if someone unlocks the car and lowers the windows.

[murphy]

When the car is unlocked the alarm is disabled.

 

Do you have any teenagers that might want to play tricks on their parents?

Or even a spouse that never grew up?

[Dorothyfones]

No, but I wouldn't put it passed someone in the campground being a computer wiz. Is it possible to unlock the car without the keys and without the door code? I suppose the door code would be the easiest. I have never programmed it.

[Cobra348]

I also believe that pressing and holding the unlock button on your fob would drop the windows ... global open (and unlock). I think it's true of all the FFH models. Global close is press/hold the lock button - the "locking car" horn will sound with this however. Could someone have been messing with the fob and done it inadvertently?

Edited August 13, 2015 by Cobra348

[Dorothyfones]

Wow Larry, I didn't know about this. I'll have to try that out.

[md13ffhguy]

Everything you mentioned can be done with the remote. If it was in a pocket before it was hanging up, perhaps some buttons were inadvertantly pressed. That's probably 100 more times likely than hacking.

[thavil]

It's happened to me also. My cause was a faulty FOB that was dropped and damaged internally. If I got near the car with the FOB while my arms were swinging, doors unlocked and windows went down. Not good when it's raining.

[Dorothyfones]

Thank you all. I am convinced it must have been the FOB.

[ptek]

There should be a setting in the information display Settings -> Vehicle -> Windows to enable or disable the remote opening and closing of the windows. See the Global Opening and Closing section of your owner's manual. I turned mine off because I did not want to open the windows if the fob unlock button was accidentally pressed. I don't know of a way to disable the fob from opening the trunk.

Edited August 15, 2015 by ptek