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Stolen Prius! But how?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Nuts2U, Aug 22, 2008.

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  1. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    here's how toyota techs reset the immobilizer with no keys (see post 24):
    http://priuschat.com/forums/care-ma...21501-end-don-t-lose-your-keys-else-myth.html
    sorry about the pictures all being at the bottom of the post, when we changed servers last i couldn't figure out how to put them where they belonged.

    you can program an additional key if you have a master key in hand, but anyone who's smart enough to have gainful employment isn't stupid enough to risk it by stealing a car they just worked on the week before.

    do all 08s have SKS standard now?
     
    #21 galaxee, Aug 22, 2008
  2. rigormortis

    rigormortis Active Member

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    no, sks is in one of the optional packages

    and a non sks car can make its own duplicates, i believe the sks version cannot, or if it can, the wireless won't be registered
     
    #22 rigormortis, Aug 22, 2008
  3. rigormortis

    rigormortis Active Member

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    you can program an additional key if you have a master key in hand, but anyone who's smart enough to have gainful employment isn't stupid enough to risk it by stealing a car they just worked on the week before.



    yeah that what makes me think it was someone at his work, cause he said something about not having sks and leaving the keys on a desk or soemthing
     
    #23 rigormortis, Aug 22, 2008
  4. dwreed3rd

    dwreed3rd New Member

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    I'm not so sure Rigormortis! After reading some of the post re: dearler service fiasco's and seeing "The Worlds Stupidest Criminals" on TV. :noidea:
     
    #24 dwreed3rd, Aug 22, 2008
  5. rigormortis

    rigormortis Active Member

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    I'm not so sure Rigormortis! After reading some of the post re: dearler service fiasco's and seeing "The Worlds Stupidest Criminals" on TV.

    yah the last time i went to the dealer for an oil change, one of my wheel ornaments came up missing!!!!!!

    they gave me a new wheel ornament the very next day
     
    #25 rigormortis, Aug 22, 2008
  6. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    ok then, chances are the guys who do the paint work aren't the same guys who do repairs. they won't have access to the tools needed to do repairs including key programming, either. most dealer body shops are either off-site or not directly owned by the dealer.
     
    #26 galaxee, Aug 22, 2008
  7. kazots

    kazots LifesaBeach

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    I've never heard of a Prius being stolen before. Even though this one seems very odd.
    How many stolen Prii have happen? I will look for other threads.
     
    #27 kazots, Aug 23, 2008
  8. rigormortis

    rigormortis Active Member

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    latest statistics i looked up reported that something like 20 prius cars get stolen every year, so that works out to what.. your chance of your car being stolen say 1 in 75,000??
     
    #28 rigormortis, Aug 23, 2008
  9. Nuts2U

    Nuts2U New Member

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    Thanks for your replies - it does seem to be an insider job. We're gathering info and sending it to the cops - I'm not sure how techie-savvy they are here in Canada, esp with the smart keys.

    An update: they did report it to the police where the theft occured, but didn't seem to take it seriously and wanted my them to report it to another city's jurisdiction - the one in which the dealership resides. I guess they're wondering if this is a pattern, and apparently the police in the two neighbouring cities don't talk to one another.

    Will let you know more on Monday when I see her again. Thanks again for your replies!
     
    #29 Nuts2U, Aug 23, 2008
  10. Nuts2U

    Nuts2U New Member

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    A "happy" ending

    Appears thief succeeded in breaking in - probably via computer technology, but then once he parked it in a mall in Hamilton, he obviously couldn't get it started again a second time.

    Cops found the car and the owner has it back in his possession - totally in tact, no damage, no theft of items, nada! Strange but true! (Of course we're teasing him that he just forgot where he worked, parked it at the Mall, and absent-mindedly walked to work . . . ) !!

    Thanks for your input, it was a puzzle to us!
     
    #30 Nuts2U, Aug 27, 2008
  11. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Re: A "happy" ending

    It is well known that you can continue driving a Prius even after the smart key has been removed from the car. In fact, there have been recorded cases of someone being dropped off at the airport with the key in their pocket. Ooops. Of course, the car still runs and the other person doesn't realize until they get home - or worse, make a stop at a store on the way home.

    So you might want to consider that the owner accidentally left the car on. Before you disregard this possibility, let me admit that even after four years of ownership I still forget to shut off occasionally when I'm distracted and the ICE isn't running. I just get out and shut the door. And since the doors won't lock with the car running, it's a completely vulnerable vehicle. In that situation, anyone would be able to hop in and drive off. Of course, once they stopped and shut down they would not be able to start it again since the key's in my pocket. Sound familiar?
     
    #31 TonyPSchaefer, Aug 27, 2008
  12. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    Re: A "happy" ending

    It sounds like the car was left in Ready mode, and the thief just drove it off. Once it shut down, there was no way to restart it without the key fob.

    Tom
     
    #32 qbee42, Aug 27, 2008
  13. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Re: A "happy" ending

    Totally beat you to it!! :D
     
    #33 TonyPSchaefer, Aug 27, 2008
  14. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    Re: A "happy" ending

    Bummer. And you did a more thorough explanation.

    Tom
     
    #34 qbee42, Aug 27, 2008
  15. Sheepdog

    Sheepdog C'Mere Sheepie!

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    wonder what it would take for the computers to refuse to do or go anywhere without the key being within 3ft of the car?

    drop the key in the street and the car stops in 3 ft. nice!
     
    #35 Sheepdog, Aug 27, 2008
  16. Sufferin' Prius Envy

    Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member

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    The FOB battery dieing would be registered as the key not being within 3 feet of the car. Just pray it doesn't happen when you are trying to beat a red light or driving on a crowded freeway. :eek:
     
    #36 Sufferin' Prius Envy, Aug 28, 2008
  17. aminorjourney

    aminorjourney Mum to two prius!

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    Sadly, when it comes to security as with many other things that which is designed by a person can be broken by a person (or in this case, hacked, stolen, lynched etc)

    A tracker is always a good idea. Here in the UK they still cost a lot of money. I don't know how much they're worth in the states. However, you could always use a car PC and GPS combined with a cheap wireless card to report a car's position... Just a thought.

    Anyway. I'm very glad that the car was found and hasn't been broken up into a million and one parts.
     
    #37 aminorjourney, Aug 28, 2008
  18. thepolarcrew

    thepolarcrew Senior Member

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    Both the wife and I did this this past week. Used to turning the key and pulling it out of the ignition.
     
    #38 thepolarcrew, Aug 28, 2008
  19. thepolarcrew

    thepolarcrew Senior Member

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    GM calls it On Star. We had it in a Venture van we owned.
     
    #39 thepolarcrew, Aug 28, 2008
  20. Dozzer

    Dozzer Prius Noob

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    Re: A "happy" ending


    Hmm... so it was a smart key system with the power left on ?
     
    #40 Dozzer, Aug 28, 2008
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