Fitting a toggle or push switch in a Lexus hybrid as a kill switch to stop theft

[stan_of_saxons]

Has anyone thought about putting a hidden toggle or push switch in a Lexus hybrid as a kill switch to stop theft by scanning the car fob from inside the house?

The cars only 1 year old and I’m not sure if it will invalidate the warranty if one is fitted.

Any thoughts…

Many thanks

Stan.

[wharfhouse]

I just put my key fob in a signal blocking pouch (works for phones and keys) when in the house - <£10 and works well - tested the keys in the wallet next to the car and could not open it. A metal tin also works - I have my spare fob in a tin and again car cannot be opened this is put next to the door. A lot easier than adding something to the car.

[Richard1200]

Blocking pouch for me as well. They work, as I have stood next to the car with the pouch and the car will not open. Get 2, do not forget your spare key. You will soon get in the habit of putting your keys in it as soon as you come in the house. 

The seller on eBay is   —  yousave(315368) or search for “2 Car key signal blocker case Faraday Cage.

2 pouches £5.95 with postage. 

Simples

[Zoot1948]

Have you tried holding down the lock button on your keyfob then pressing the unlock button on the fob twice quickly. The LED will flash 4 times ( I think).

This also saves the fob Battery.

[stan_of_saxons]

Hi all…

Thanks for the idea of the Blocking pouch… BUT I think that the size is a bit of an overkill… SO I have ordered 2 and will cut them down to size and have them stitched back to the size I need.

MANY THANKS ALL… JOB DONE… Well almost.

Many thanks again

Regards

Stan.

[stan_of_saxons]

HI Zoot1948…

Yes, that works holding down the lock button on the key fob then pressing the unlock button on the fob twice quickly and the LED flashes 4 times and the fobs off and it’s locked out.

But I still will carry the fob in my “Resized” pouch as I’m likely to forget to do the above.

Well done and many thanks all...

Stan.

[Herbie]

1 hour ago, stan_of_saxons said:

I think that the size is a bit of an overkill… SO I have ordered 2 and will cut them down to size and have them stitched back to the size I need.

I don't think that will work unless it can be restitched with metallic thread.

The way these things work is that inside the 'leather' outer pouch is an inner metallic mesh pouch. The keys go inside the inner pouch and it's this metallic mesh that forms a Faraday Cage and stops the signal from getting out. The slightest break in the continuity of that mesh will render it useless.

They really aren't that big when you see them in the flesh.

[Richard1200]

1 hour ago, stan_of_saxons said:

Hi all…

 

Thanks for the idea of the Blocking pouch… BUT I think that the size is a bit of an overkill… SO I have ordered 2 and will cut them down to size and have them stitched back to the size I need.

 

MANY THANKS ALL… JOB DONE… Well almost.

 

Many thanks again

 

Regards

 

Stan.

 

By the time your fob and house keys are in the pouch it’s not oversize. Make sure you put the keys in the back section as that’s the protection part of the pouch. 

[stan_of_saxons]

Thanks Richard1200

With the size on the eBay site it sounds bigger than it looks… BUT looking at the photo it’s just about the right size

I should have it by the weekend.

Regards

Stan

[wharfhouse]

52 minutes ago, Herbie said:

I don't think that will work unless it can be restitched with metallic thread.

The way these things work is that inside the 'leather' outer pouch is an inner metallic mesh pouch. The keys go inside the inner pouch and it's this metallic mesh that forms a Faraday Cage and stops the signal from getting out. The slightest break in the continuity of that mesh will render it useless.

They really aren't that big when you see them in the flesh.

Yes that is my understanding too - and the top of the pouch velcros over and must be firmly shut otherwise the signal will "leak" at that point.

[wharfhouse]

44 minutes ago, stan_of_saxons said:

Thanks Richard1200

With the size on the eBay site it sounds bigger than it looks… BUT looking at the photo it’s just about the right size

 

I should have it by the weekend.

 

Regards

 

Stan

Mine was a little longer than that one but I have a number of keys and tags with my car key fob and if it was much smaller it would be difficult to make sure it was closed properly

[matt8]

If you wanted to spend the cash:

http://www.ghostinstallations.co.uk/ghost-immobiliser-fitting/

Once fitted, you have to press a combination of buttons in the car (known only to you) to start the vehicle. Maybe the volume up, volume down, etc.

Lexus Is current generation is supported according to their website.

[Rabbers]

I use a signal-blocking pouch to stop the doors locking & unlocking and the mirrors folding & unfolding when I wash the car, this being the purpose for which I originally bought it.   I find the pouch marginally more convenient than de-activating the key itself, which is a simple enough operation but requires the key’s removal from its own protective zip-up case.  

[Pink]

I recently started disabling the key as described above, just a couple of clicks before I go into the house. Seems to work perfectly and has quickly become habit. 

[Bratman91]

In principle, the OP’s idea seems a good one. Many years ago, I fitted such a system to my brand-new Austin Montego; it consisted simply of routing one of the low-voltage cables to the coil via a switch under the dashboard. Unless the switch was made, the engine couldn’t be started. Actually, it probably wasn’t worth the effort because, after 7 years, the car had completely rotted away, leaving just the switch on my drive! I would assume that a similar switch could be used on a Lexus but perhaps it would cause the car’s computerised self-diagnosis system to complain. OK, OK, I suppose that this wouldn’t prevent a hybrid being driven away but how far/fast would the getaway be using just the electric motor?

[stan_of_saxons]

Many thanks to all who engaged it the Forum discussions about the “Kill switch in a Lexus hybrid as a kill switch to stop theft” and after reading about the “Autowatch Ghost CANbus Immobiliser” and spent many hours thinking about it (MANY THANKS MATT8) I have decided to have it fitted I think it’s worth the £400 on a car of this value.

Fitting on Monday.

[matt8]

43 minutes ago, stan_of_saxons said:

Many thanks to all who engaged it the Forum discussions about the “Kill switch in a Lexus hybrid as a kill switch to stop theft” and after reading about the “Autowatch Ghost CANbus Immobiliser” and spent many hours thinking about it (MANY THANKS MATT8) I have decided to have it fitted I think it’s worth the £400 on a car of this value.

 

Fitting on Monday.

 

Please let us know how it goes. I don't know of anyone with it fitted to a Lexus. I heard good things about it from a BMW technician in the local barber shop...

[stan_of_saxons]

Give me a week or so then I will report back… I have put it in my outlook calendar for the 24th.

One way or other I will tell it how I feel/see it

[SpeedyGee]

On 10/9/2018 at 1:20 PM, Pink said:

I recently started disabling the key as described above, just a couple of clicks before I go into the house. Seems to work perfectly and has quickly become habit. 

So this works until you next unlock the car by pressing the unlock button?

[Herbie]

Personally speaking I think prevention is better than cure, which is why I have a big yellow Stoplock Pro Elite on the steering wheel when the car isn't being used. Not pretty I'll grant you, but hopefully they'll just see it through the window and move on somewhere else without getting into the car in the first place.

[Zoot1948]

Yes!

3 hours ago, SpeedyGee said:

So this works until you next unlock the car by pressing the unlock button?

 

[SpeedyGee]

Cool, thanks. I shall try that next time.

 

[stan_of_saxons]

It’s all good and well when you are at home switching off the fob BUT scanners can pickup fobs from quite a distance… so you are at the supermarket or a restaurant then you get scanned, CARS GONE or do you switch off the fob every time you close the doors?

It must be better to get “automatic” protection with an immobiliser… what’s the worth of your car… as we are talking Lexus the cost of immobilise is SO small.

[Zoot1948]

43 minutes ago, stan_of_saxons said:

It’s all good and well when you are at home switching off the fob BUT scanners can pickup fobs from quite a distance… so you are at the supermarket or a restaurant then you get scanned, CARS GONE or do you switch off the fob every time you close the doors?

 

It must be better to get “automatic” protection with an immobiliser… what’s the worth of your car… as we are talking Lexus the cost of immobilise is SO small.

 

It's just a habit. Once you get used to it! Every time I get out of the car I automatically switch the fob off.

It also saves me £400 - but I'm a Scot living in Yorkshire - enough said!!!!!

[Mr Vlad]

The Ghost system is a very good one but it has been overcome a few times. Read in the Ford forums those who have the RS Focus.