I've been told that with an engine immobilizer, a car can't be hot-wired and the only way for someone to steal it is to roll it onto a flatbed towtruck.

Assuming this is true (is it?), why do people install Lo-Jack and various anti-theft devices?

 

Doesn't Lo-Jack actually track the location of the car? So, even if it is put on a flat-bed truck they can still track the location.

I think it would be naive of anyone to think that there isn't someway for somene to circumvent the engine immobilizer on a car...of course, maybe I just watched Gone in 60 Seconds about 15 too many times.

 

Correct, Lo-Jack is a vehicle locator. No matter where the car is in the U.S., police vehicles equipped with Lo-jack can use their direction finders to home in on the Lo-Jack beacon and locate the vehicle.

NO car is theft proof. It's all about quick recovery.

 

Not everywhere in the US offers Lo-Jack, so I would think it should read almost anywhere in the US. I might be mistaken but I'm repeating another post I read here.

 

YEP!

 

Nope

 

I believe hot-wired is still the way to steal your car. The immobilizer just makes your car harder to be stolen. Also, the tow truck can do it with 90 seconds.

Lo-Jack or GPS-tracking system are the device to help you locate your car if unfortuntately the car is disappeared. As ppl said above, some of places are without Lo-Jack trackers or with limited cruise vehicles equiped with Lo-Jack trackers. http://www.lojack.com/where/lojack-coverage-areas.cfm

GPS system may be blocked by buildings or trees, etc.

I believe more anti-theft devices could help if you consider this vehicle is so important to you and you have to drive it away frequently.

 

I have lojack in both my cars including TL. It does have very limited coverage. Mostly metropolitan areas. I guess if a thief was quick enough to drive outside those areas before you got a chance to notify lojack, you would be out of luck. I happen to live in the car theft capital of the world (NJ) so most of this area covered.

 

in Gone in 60 seconds, they had to get the exact key for the spicific benz. the computer has to detact the remote to turn on. i think thats how the TL works.

 

FYI, There is a big car theft problen in Japan....especially, Celsior(lexus LS430), Land Cruisor, Pajero(Montero), and many SUVs.
Those theft was mainly done by Japanese Mafia and Illegal Foreigners.
How they do? For the cars which don't have immobilizers, they take key cylinder from trund and copy the key.
For the car with immobilizer, they buy ECU with immobilizer disabled and swap the ECU....it only takes few minutes to steal the car....
Finally, those stolen cars are driving in middle east and east asia....

 

no car is theft proof.
that's why we all carry insurance

 

Cylinder from what trunk?

 

HOLY CRAP THEY ALREADY STOLE OURS!?!?!

 

the immobilizer can easily be passed as I have heard many times from people on these forums, its a good safety measure, but if someone really wants your car, they can get it.

 

The immobilizer just keeps the dumb crooks away. Thats all.

 

Agree.

 

Some form of theft protection is a good idea. Earlier versions of the Accord were pretty popular targets for theft: See here.

 

Consumer Reports has always recommended a hidden ignition kill switch, the simplest and cheapest way to go.

 

Ever heard of a smart crook? Being a moron is part of the job description. "Smarter" crooks are lawyers, bankers or politicians. They'll rob you blind "legally".