Keyless cars are great, particularly when you’re trying to hang onto things like multiple bags of groceries, cranky toddlers, and hyper pets while you open your car. Rather than wrestling with a key and a tiny keyhole each time you need to unlock your car, all you have to do is push a button. Easy peasy!
There is one big problem connected to keyless cars. The way they are designed makes them really appealing to car thieves.
The good news is that there are some things you can do to decrease the odds of a car thief taking off in your vehicle.
Keep it Locked
Don’t assume that just because you hit the lock button, your keyless car is well and truly locked. Sometimes the locks don’t activate the first time you hit the button. Other times, you inadvertently bump the unlock button when you slide your keyless fob into your pocket or purse. Grab your door handle and give it a quick check before you walk away.
Most car thieves know that they are far more likely to be noticed and talked to if they try to jimmy a locked door open.
Instead, they go around looking for an unlocked car that they can quickly slide into and drive away.
Park in Busy, Well-lit Areas
Sure, parking at the back of a lot seems appealing. It’s certainly easier to get in and out of the parking spaces that are at the back of the lot. The problem is that car thieves look for isolated cars. The more isolated your car is, the more it appears to a car thief because they know its location makes it unlikely that anyone will notice as they break into and drive away. Always park your car in a well-lit and relatively busy location.
Pay Attention to Your Key Fob
The thing that makes keyless cars so vulnerable to car thieves is that the technology is available for car thieves to hack your key fob’s signal and override it. The most common indicators that this has happened to your key fob are:
- There is a long delay between you pushing the button and your car locking
- You hear the locks release as you walk away from your car
If you suspect our key fob has been compromised, immediately get into your car and drive to a distant location. Once you’re safe, arrange to get a new key fob.
Check and see if your key fob has an off/on option. If it does, keep it turned off whenever you’re not actually using it.