CalScubaD

Like you probably, I was under the illusion until this morning that the alarm security on the TL'04 was bulletproof... well now I know better!

This morning when I got into my TL 3rd gen I found out that a thief had gone through my glove box and all... Sony Bluetooth is gone.

What that means is it easy for someone to open a 2004 ACURA with some type of alarm code scanner from eBay without triggering the alarm. No need to break a window or pick the lock to get in.

From now on I won't leave any valuables in my locked ACURA. Pass the word around.

I called ACS 800/382-2238: they did not acknowledge anyone having ever reported a brake in with an alarm code scanner. I find that real hard to believe that Acura USA has never heard of such brake in. My TL'04 is 3 month old, I guess this is too much liability for ACURA to step up or do anything. Imagine the recall that could trigger...

Next week I am getting an XYZ (any recommendation?) afterm alarm installed - At least this way it will be hard to guess from outside what alarm brand is involved.

w1n78

how did you know that an alarm code scanner was used?

Bitium

and how do you know you didn't leave the car unlock and some kid came and stole your bluetooth phone.

It don't sound like someone with a scanner would just go ahead and only steal your bluetooth.....don't sound right.

TLGator

I suppose you're going to tell us there's no chance that you either:

1) Left the door unlocked. (You'll swear you didn't, but of course if you knew you had, you would have locked it.)

or

2) You have a thief in your own household. (Damn those German Shepherds! First they shit all over the carpet mats, now they steal the phone!)

Anyway, it sucks. Hope you get your stuff back. Maybe you should file a police report?

2004MT6TL

"You can program your new 2004 TL to automatically lock the doors after 30-90 seconds after you leave your car"

...The car would have automatically locked if he forgot to.

PoochaKannInc

something fishy is afoot...hmmmm... :devil:

TLGator

Unless...he also forgot...to program the locks...

(Or the dogs reprogrammed afterwards.)

TBone2004

Sounds like an Insurance scam....

MichHockey

damn those silly dogs!

kelly408

correct me if i'm wrong but i believe this feature only works when you unlock the car from the outside (with all doors closed) and then you don't open the doors. then after 30-90 sec, the doors will lock automatically. for example, if you unlock your doors and then realize you forgot to get something in your house (or whatever). you leave the car for a certain period of time without locking the car again. then the car will lock the doors automatically to whatever setting (30-90 sec) you programmed.

2004MT6TL

Those dogs are getting smarter.

2004MT6TL

I think that you are right, but for some reason I remember the sales guy tell me that it would lock no matter what...don't know, never tested it out.

kelly408

number one rule: never trust a sales guy.

BigBluu

is the system on the tl even a security system? or just a keyless entry system? i have yet to test its siren.

w1n78

i thought it is a key less entry and the only type of alarm there is on the stereo with the anti-theft. don't think the TL comes with an alarm. i'm still wondering why he blamed it on a scanner. what if he just left it unlocked. and for a 35K car i'm pretty sure they would've thought about protecting it against scanners or else many cars would've have been broken into using this method.

in any rate that sucks. and if a scanner was used then that person can just go in and out of your car so be aware of that.

CalScubaD

Thanks guys but think about it: the TL automatically locks itself after a timeout based on user preferences. Besides I always click the remote control twice to hear the beep. If it does not beep it means one of the door or trunk/hood are left opened.

So we know the car had to be locked manually or automatically.
Now only my Sony Bluetooth is gone because that's all that was there to walk away with. Starbucks napkins are not all that attractive.

I am no sure how someone can trick the stock ACURA alarm into opening the doors. I am just guessing it has to be some type of scanner - OR - picking the door lock will do also since the alarm can be turned off using the door key.
Lifting the door knobs with a blade the same way tow-trucks do it will trigger the alarm and this happened in my driveway.

Here is the kicker: once someone gets in your car and if the alarm is not triggered then the 3 HomeLink buttons are hot to open your garage. Unplug your garage opener if you are going to be away.

cypwood1

I would check with Crutchfield http://www.crutchfield.com/

L454

I think the question is whether or not code hopping is employed on the acura system. The two companies that make most mainstream alarm systems are dei(clifford,viper) and audiovox.

BigBluu

This was mis-stated. The TL does not have passive arming/locking. It is only able to lock itself if you've unlocked it with the remote and then do not open a door. Other than that, it will not lock automatically.

Wordsmith

My understanding is now the same as Kelly's. Just after getting the car in early April, I thought I had programmed the 30-90 second thing so that after I left the car, I thought there was no need to push the "lock" button on the key fob. I then found when I returned to the car (thankfully in my garage) the next morning, I found that it was open. Disturbed by this I then riffled through the manual (which I don't have near me at the moment, so I can't send you guys to a specific page) to find that this feature only relocks if you open the car from the outside and if you then don't, within that period, open any door. So, it's still completely the case that if you leave the car and inadvertently forget to lock it with the fob, programmed or not, the car will NOT be locked.

kelly408

rets

Sorry to hear this, it sucks.

We all know our keyfob is using FM-frequency code. I bet Acura never says they use the security codes system to lock/unlock your car, right?


Let's check again what Acura says:

With an FM-frequency keyless entry security system, you can lock and unlock the doors and trunk using a keyless remote transmitter. Locking the doors activates the security system, and if unauthorized entry is attempted, the alarm system will sound the horn and flash the headlights.

A unique transponder embedded in the key, and only the matching key, can start the ignition. Attempts to hotwire, vandalize or bypass this security feature will result in immobilization of the ignition system.


First, the key with immobilizor is the only way to start your car via the ignition. Without it, it's hard to drive away your car.

Second, if someone doesn't use keys or remote to unlock your door, the horn and headlight will be on and flashing.

If your car was parking in somewhere everyone could see it and no one reported your car's alarm was on, the situation could be
either the theives definitely remoted to unlock your car
or the final person left your car forgot to lock the door
or your car failed to sound and flash due to the mechanic failure.

Anyway, something lost inside the car is never the good news, but the car is OK apparently is the good news.

The additional aftermarket alarm system absolutely could help and auto-lock your doors in your preferred situation. However, how to integrated it with your existed TL's system is questionable.
:o

CalScubaD

yes TL'04 does have a BASIC alarm combined with the keyless entry. It is quite well integrated with the car security functions (imobilizer and such...). It monitors the doors, trunk, hood and also door knobs. That means someone can brake a window and nothing will happen until they reach for the door knob or open the door/trunk/hood.

TL'04 does not have glass sensors, shock sensors or motion sensors. I was thinking about adding one of those sensor to the car but if the alarm can be deactivated easily that could be a waste of resources.

I know one easy way to get into the car BUT for the sake of us all I will not post it anywhere. To help make our Acura more secure I would talk about it with ACURA USA ... but again HondaMotors Co. must know about it already since they designed the car that way. It would be a cheap ECN to remove that flaw.

The bottom line is an aftermarket alarm make a whole lot of sense for the common Acura owner. An Acura parked in the street is not secured for the reason mentionned above!

rets

Right.

If someone was misunderstanding this feature.... sorry... the 04TL will be wideopenly vulnerable.
:facelick:

CalScubaD

That is normal. ACURA's only relocks automatically if it gets unlocked but the doors are not opened with the time set in the user options from the dashboard menu.
I have 3 ACURAs so I knew that from long time. The only thing new in 2004 is that you can select the timeout period. Before this year it was set by design.

CalScubaD

Thanks for posting this info. Directed Electronics (DEI) is I believe the leading car alarm Mfg Co.
They market their products under all sorts of names (Viper, Python, Clifford, Hornet, Valet....) - It good to get information right from the source: http://www.alarms.com/
If only Acura could learn a thing or two from DEI solutions ...

Rcat

Well now here is the problem with alarms,it's not that hard to defeat them,remember if someone can design one their are people out their who have figured out how to beat them..with that said I would go with a Clifford System at least a G4, get the remote battery and the wireless siren and dont leave anything in the car that will tempt thiefs,Remember car alarms only keep someone from stealing "the car" not whats in the car..

fishacura

Here's my two cents:

It's BREAK in not BRAKE in

fuque

Try this little experiment:

While sitting in your car with the key in your hand (i.e. not in the ignition), open the driver's side door, then close it again. Using the lock button on your fob remote, lock and arm the car. Observe the red LED on the driver's side door is flashing. Now lift up the lock knob and open the door.

Let us know whether your TL has an alarm or not.

TLGator

The original poster is conspicuously NOT commenting about the dogs. I am becoming more and more suspicious of the dogs here.

In general, one should keep nothing of value in a car, and especially not visibly. A thief, or just plain asshole, can still smash your window. How could an alarm prevent such an event? Those aftermarket systems will wake the whole neighborhood because a cat has jumped on your hood, but they can't stop someone from doing a smash and dash and disappearing in ten seconds flat.

These dogs, however, unlike your typical local cat, are evidently rather stealthful and should be monitored closely. Especially if you catch one of them at the water bowl wearing a hands-free headset.

fuque

According to this document on file with the FCC, it would appear that the system uses rolling code technology - difficult to clone or scan.

BTW, in case you're interested, here are the other documents the FCC has on file for the system.

kelly408

:lol1:

so thats the bitch that stole my hands-free headset!!

dv8ing

did anyone get the factory alarm upgrade (X1) / that includes the shock and motion sensors? Plus the 3 year replacement warranty. If your car is stolen and not recovered, or if it is recovered and said to be a total loss Acura replaces your TL with a new one, all you do is continue payments on original contract, or did I get :clown: ed

Rcat

I was never informed that Acura had any alarm upgrade,all the "A" holes tried to sell me was etching the vin# in the windshield for only $525.. :thefinger like thats going to stop anyone from stealing your car..

eaRL

Yep! I have noticed my dog eyeballing me lately. Asking me when I plan on being home from work. Whether I'm going to come home for lunch or eat-out. Dang! I just thought he wanted to share some of that companionship. I'm going to start hiding my keys when I go to bed.

Hey, Just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you. And that goes for the family pet, also.

eaRL

Here, here!!

Just tell the dog to come clean, man. Tell him he won't be in trouble. Assure him you won't send him to the dog pound. Reassure him that you only want to help him. His thievery is a cry for help, man.

rets

NO??

cullal

Is there a factory alarm upgrade???

Sherlock

I for one, like the auto relock feature. Where it best comes into play for me is when I get out, I click the fob twice to lock, then jam the keys in my pocket. more than once the keyring has hit the unlock button. only very few times have I paid enough attention to hear it and relock it. On the other hand, that's what the relock feature is for, saves my arse a few times.

cM3go

phone easily replaceable, good thing they didnt break or bend anything...