Q7 additional security

[MicaBlue]

Hi all,

After the 3 local Q7's have been stolen in a spree seemingly aimed specifically at large Audi's I have revisited my security.

I have 2 trackers, keys are kept in a safe and use a steering lock.

The problem is all 3 Audis had the same. Two of them had secured gates too. The latest spate involved breaking in the house, taking the safe out of the wall, getting the car keys out of the safe, finding the steering lock key, forcing the gates and then taking the vehicle. This took the gang of 4 only 20 minutes. Then within 10 minutes of taking the car they had stripped out both trackers, leaving them by the side of the road.

It almost seems like it would be impossible to keep hold of a vehicle in that scenario. (the owners were not in the property).

It did occur to me though that if the vehicle had a hidden switch that needed to be turned on before the vehicle would start, they may not have gotten away with it.

I was thinking therefore of adding a hidden switch myself, possibly linked to the fuel pump (unless someone has a better idea?). Has anyone done something similar? I was looking for advice or suggestions on how to do it. I could trace the fuel pump fuse and take a switch off the wire and maybe locate it in the glovebox or similar.

Anyone got any ideas?

[anemeth]

See below:
NEW! Autowatch Ghost CANbus Immobiliser

I have the German version (Ampire) for more than a year, works well. Although as far as I know nobady tried to steal my car yet .

[Milesunder]

Hi MicaBlue,

Where are you based if you don’t mind me asking? Aren’t you able to track the car using the inbuilt Audi Connect? Or is that what they are removing?

One of the things I had for my Octavia a few years ago when I remapped it was a ODB plug that allowed me to disable the car. Only thing is it took a couple of minutes to do. Not something that you would want to do every night.

Hmmm bit worrying

[Retom]

Hidden crankshaft position sensor switch. Not very complicated but effective. If switched off you can't start the engine. The only disadvantage is that if you start the engine and the switch is off you will make errors in car computer.

[KevTrem]

My old J reg 205 had what we called a kill switch, it was a hidden rocker switch hidden under the dash. The modern equivalent is the Ghost watch system, you have to press a sequence of buttons in the correct order otherwise the car shuts down. Apparently this cant be over ridden, you can also put it in service mode for when your car is with a mechanic etc. From what I have read it also doesn't interfere with warranties and is not removable with a dealer flash of the ECU.
You could fit a kill switch but not sure how the canbus system would like that.
For me I would lock it, maybe put a steering lock on it, put my key in an RFID pouch and be done with it. The last thing you want is a shotgun in your face for the sake of a car, that's what insurance is for.

[Jonh1969]

I think the new version of Ghost works via your mobile phone