Remote Locking Issue (locking car but finding it open later)

[theanomaly]

Hi all,

Only had the car for 2 months now (used from Franchised dealer). Left the car on the drive as I always do overnight, and when I came to it the next morning, I clicked the unlock button but noticed the car didn't make the normal sound of the unlock mechanism - it was the quieter lock sound as if it was already open. When I got in, all the storage areas etc were all wide open and one of the seats at the back down, and I realised someone had raided the vehicle (luckily only my sunglasses and a very old ipod were in there that they'd taken). Very annoying, and I was cursing myself for obviously and accidentally leaving the vehicle open.

Anyway - I then began checking the car as I locked it by pulling the handle instead of trusting the sound when I left it, as I was sure I'd locked it the other evening. Lo and behold, the next day I went to the car after leaving it overnight and, when I pressed the key, it sounded like the locking mechanism didn't do anything as it was already open again! I'd definitely checked the handle the night before and it was locked.

So - anyone had similar issues? My next test is to obviously make sure I just check the handle when go to the vehicle in the morning rather than press the unlock button, just to see if it actually is unlocked and not me being daft about not hearing the unlocking mechanism.

I've obviously spent a good 10 mins each day at the car locking/unlocking it to check the mechanisms are all working, and it seems fine.

[Rhigour]

Read this about locking key signal blocking. Next thing is they will nick the car !
Thieves placed bugs and hacked onboard computers of luxury cars - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9369783/Thieves-placed-bugs-and-hacked-onboard-computers-of-luxury-cars.html)

[Vikingraider]

Disable the central locking system and use the key. I'm sure it must be possible to do so with VCDS somewhere.

Car thieves recently have been able to clone the remote codings for the keys, and with a laptop and a bit more equipment they can gain entry to your car very easily. The signal blockers in the previous link are used by low budget car thieves who haven't yet acquired the technology to remotely clone keys. It sounds as though the people targeting your car have got the remote cloning system, as you're checking to make sure the vehicle is actually locked when you leave it.

[Rhigour]

Disable the central locking system and use the key. I'm sure it must be possible to do so with VCDS somewhere.

Car thieves recently have been able to clone the remote codings for the keys, and with a laptop and a bit more equipment they can gain entry to your car very easily. The signal blockers in the previous link are used by low budget car thieves who haven't yet acquired the technology to remotely clone keys. It sounds as though the people targeting your car have got the remote cloning system, as you're checking to make sure the vehicle is actually locked when you leave it.

They use the signal blocker to gain entry to the car, the driver thinks he has locked it but the signal was blocked. They then wait and get into the car (unlocked) and via the OBD port and a software module read and copy the key code onto their own key 20 sec's and your car is gone

[Vikingraider]

They use the signal blocker to gain entry to the car, the driver thinks he has locked it but the signal was blocked. They then wait and get into the car (unlocked) and via the OBD port and a software module read and copy the key code onto their own key 20 sec's and your car is gone

That way is the cheap way the low budget thieves use. In this case the OP has checked and double checked that the car is actually locked the night before, so no signal blocker is being used here. This is the next level of sneaky thievery, where the thieves can clone your remote without you even pressing the button. They scan the immediate area, locate your key inside the house, interrogate it and sniff the rolling code, then they predict the next code which will be used and transmit that to the car. The car thinks the owner is pressing the remote and it opens the doors.

Very sneaky. Yet the manufacturers and insurers refuse to admit there's a problem.

[theanomaly]

Wow - all these sound quite hi tech for the issue I have and just for a 3 year old Golf not worth that much. If they were that clever and wanting to thieve the entire car eventually, I doubt they'd have left all the boxes/storage open on the car and the seat down at the back and stolen my ipod as the first step in the "long game".

As for the key issue - still not sure if I'm going mad. I checked it this morning manually by pulling the door handle and it WAS locked thankfully. I'm no longer going to rely on listening to the locking mechanism. It may be that I thought the car was open, when actually it was locked. Until I've done the above test for at least a week to prove its remained locked, I won't be happy.

I just want to know once and for all if its me going mad and have left the car open, or something is wrong with the remote locking (just dodgy signal, nothing untoward). Not going to feel like the car is safe now until I find out once and for all. For the time being I've swapped to the spare key, in case its a fault with the remote locking on the main key.

[Keithuk]

What you could check when you lock it is does the alarm LED on the door panel flash if it doesn't then you could have faulty switches on the doors/hatch or another electrical problem. If it does flash then the alarm should be working to inform you someone has entered the car.

Its a good job your using the spare key because if you don't over along period of time it looses its coding. You will also find that the spare key has different settings to the normal one so you would have to change those to suit.

1.4TSi Won't run - with 1 of the keys (http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?130536-1-4TSi-Won-t-run-with-1-of-the-keys&p=707153#post707153)

[theanomaly]

Thanks Keith.

The alarm light seems fine. I've only just found out that you can remove the covers on the door handles to use the key instead of remote locking, so I'd best go check that these haven't been tampered with.

[Keithuk]

Yes it tells you in the handbook you can open the door by removing the lock covers but I believe the alarm is still active, I haven't tried that yet

[percymon]

All this hi-tech blocking/scannign gear is all very clever, but do you know that you didnt just accidentally press the key button when sat on the sofa with the keys in your pocket ?

If the car is parked on the driveway outside the lounge, its well within range for an accidental unlock ? In theory the car should relock itself if no doors are opened but its worth checking this is operational.

[theanomaly]

Yeah - defo not an accidental press. The key goes into a drawer the moment I get in the house.

The re-lock function worked when I tested it after first buying it, but in this instance, if I did accidentally leave it unlocked, it'll have been when I got home from work so it won't have re-locked itself.

[theanomaly]

UPDATE:

Bumped into a neighbour last night, so informed them to be careful, and straight away he told me there'd been another 3 or 4 done in the area at the same time. I said that I think I accidentally left me open and he immediately replied 'nope - you probably didn't as apparently they're using a signal blocker!'

So - turns out it may be that a blocker was used when I was locking the vehicle. The police never contacted me back when I logged the crime, so I just called them up and they were apologetic as they should've been in touch with me before now. They confirmed there were a few in the area and that this 'blocking' device seems to have been used.

Anyway - I'm now checking the handle on the car every time I pass the vehicle, as is the other half. We found it unlocked again the other day too (nothing left in it to nick tho!).

With these blocking devices around, I'm never going to trust my remote locking again. These crims must have a field day in large Parking areas!

The scary thing about this is someone is obviously watching me when I get in and out of the car to do it. HAS to be a local resident, as its a very quiet dead end estate.

[Berisford]

Hmmm.......what's that they used to say in the early 70's, "Watch out, there's a thief about!". I must say though, surely this 'blocker' would only catch out the cockey ones that walk away from their motor bliping the fob in their pocket when about half a dozen paces away? I for one always look at the vehicle as I press the button to see the indicators flash letting me know that all the doors and boot are correctly latched.

[theanomaly]

Hmmm.......what's that they used to say in the early 70's, "Watch out, there's a thief about!". I must say though, surely this 'blocker' would only catch out the cockey ones that walk away from their motor bliping the fob in their pocket when about half a dozen paces away? I for one always look at the vehicle as I press the button to see the indicators flash letting me know that all the doors and boot are correctly latched.

Yep - me too! I always make sure I acknowledge the locking mechanism or indicators flash. No idea how I've therefore missed this, unless somehow it still registers the flash but doesn't lock the car mechanism.

[Vikingraider]

As I said earlier, this is probably not a "signal block" attack. This sounds like the next level where the thieves are cloning the remote signal and unlocking the car at will. Once they've got your remote code they can come back at any time and just unlock the car to see what's left in to pinch. Police may be aware of this method (or not...) but they'll just be using the easiy approach and tell you that someone is targeting you and be careful. Maybe they should be a bit more proactive and actually try and catch them.