How to prevent keyless car theft and keep your car safe (2024)

FAQs

How to prevent keyless car theft and keep your car safe? ›

A cheap, very quick and brilliantly effective way to protect your key when it's lying around at home is to buy a signal-blocking box or pouch. By storing your car keys, fob or card in an aluminium tin (even grandma's old biscuit tins), or a special signal blocking box, the signal between the car and key is blocked.

Storing a car key fob in a metallic tin MAY prevent keyless car theft, keeping your car key fob in a metallic tin can potentially block the signal from the thieves trying to relay the signal from your car key fob.

To reduce potential keyless car theft via signal relaying, it's best to keep your keys away from front doors and windows. For a little extra security, you may also want to store your key fob in a tin or signal-blocking pouch (commonly called a Faraday pouch) to prevent thieves from gaining access to the signal.

The answer to that question is yes and no. There have been many studies and most faraday bags work exactly the same and they are generally effective at blocking the signals. But the price, build quality, and materials can vary so it would be an idea to look at online reviews to help you find the best one for you.

While tin foil does have some effect, it may only dampen the signal rather than blocking it fully, so a Faraday pouch or box is a better option than either tin foil or some of the more anecdotal solutions, such as keeping the fob in the microwave or fridge (which may result in a disaster for the fob's battery).

Blocking Signals from Your Fob

Tear off a sheet of foil that's 6 in (15 cm) long or large enough to cover your fob with 1 layer of foil so it's as airtight as possible. Fold the fob into the foil or set the fob on the foil and bunch it together at the top for easier access.

The keyless car theft epidemic isn't just constrained to high-end vehicles, though. The Ford Fiesta holds the unwanted title of being the most stolen car, with almost 6,000 being taken last year, according to the DVLA.

A Faraday bag will protect your keyless entry fob from being hacked and used to start your car without you knowing. Faraday sleeves protect valuable devices from electronic pickpockets and vehicles from electronic car thieves.

While these methods seem to pose huge security risks to your vehicle, there is actually quite a simple solution to protect your car: wrap your keys in tin foil. Wrapping your keys in this every-day household item will act as a barrier and ensure that the signal is not transmitted in a relay attack.

What cars are at risk from keyless theft? ›

Some of the country's best-selling cars, including the Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Golf, Nissan Qashqai and Ford Focus, are potentially at risk from keyless theft, according to consumer group Which? Keyless entry systems enable cars to start if the key fob is nearby.

You're best off putting your keys somewhere that can block the signal between your key fob and car. This will help prevent hackers from getting access to your vehicle. You may have seen some of the more “out there” suggestions for storage, such as the fridge or microwave.

Another technique is to hack the car's immobilizer system. Keyless cars use this system to prevent the engine from turning over without the correct electronic key. Skilled hackers can exploit vulnerabilities in the car's immobilizer system software to bypass or disable this feature and start the vehicle.

Yes and no. Tests of Faraday bags have found them to generally be effective at blocking signals, but the price, materials and build quality of individual bags can vary, so a little studying of online reviews can help you find a decent one.

By storing your car keys, fob or card in an aluminium tin (even grandma's old biscuit tins), or a special signal blocking box, the signal between the car and key is blocked. This means thieves can't intercept it and clone a new one. If you're out and about, then a Faraday pouch is your best friend.

Thieves can steal keyless cars using various techniques that also exploit vulnerabilities in the keyless entry and ignition systems technology, too. “If a thief has the right knowledge and equipment, modern cars can be incredibly easy to steal, and stealing them is actually getting easier rather than harder.

Signal-blocking accessories

The Faraday system works by containing and blocking the output of the radio signals from being transmitted outside of the bag, making it harder for thieves to identify and boost the key signal from the outside.

Even if you don't have a porch, avoid putting the keys on a sideboard in the hallway. Keep them well inside your home and even consider putting them in a safe overnight. If a thief did manage to get hold of your keys, you want to make it as difficult as possible for them to steal the car.