IS Cat theft or Catloc anyone?

[Maxz]

Last post from me for now. Anyone with experience of Catalytic Convertor theft from their IS or anyone who has successfully had a Catloc fitted to an IS300h, would love to hear details. Aware RX's typically get targeted and now Prius and Hondas recently on the hit list. My driveway has a steep incline so anyone using a trolley jack is quickly going to get squished when it rolls (good!). However, want to make sure mine is not at risk of going missing when the car is parked away from home.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[Herbie]

1 hour ago, Maxz said:

However, want to make sure mine is not at risk of going missing when the car is parked away from home

Good luck with that.

Seriously though, there's nothing you can do. Even catloc devices will only slow them down for a couple of minutes so it's not worth losing sleep over. You've just got to hope that it doesn't happen.

[PaulWhitt20]

I was hoping the IS was too low to get underneath to steal the cat without jacking it up.

[Herbie]

2 hours ago, PaulWhitt20 said:

I was hoping the IS was too low to get underneath to steal the cat without jacking it up.

Oh they don't mind jacking the car up, they don't see that as a problem at all as you'll see below:

 

 

[Maxz]

32 minutes ago, Herbie said:

Oh they don't mind jacking the car up, they don't see that as a problem at all as you'll see below:

 

 

At the moment when I go out I try to park between two other cars, which of course you'd normally not do to avoid door dings, catch 22! Then again a ding is less of a headache than a missing Cat which due to the current theft rates take months for Toyota to supply and obviously aren't cheap to replace. If and when I get more info or some good suggestions to protect, will update. Will get under the car myself at some point, see exactly how exposed a Cat is on an IS.

[PaulWhitt20]

At least jacking it up when locked should set the alarm off.

[Herbie]

1 hour ago, PaulWhitt20 said:

At least jacking it up when locked should set the alarm off.

I'm not sure it would unless the alarms have a tilt switch somewhere.

The ultrasonic sensors inside the car work by air pressure differentiation or movement of something in the cabin, such as a fly or an animal crossing the beam.

I doubt that just jacking the car up would affect either of those two parameters.

[PaulWhitt20]

Well the alarm went off when I tried to jack it up. Had to run in the house to find the keys [emoji3]

[Maxz]

So before I get around to checking myself, found this:

 

It's an F-Sport whereas mine is an advance, so exhaust system could be different. So are the Cats at 1:14 or 1:24 in the video? If the latter we all might be in luck as this would mean the Cats appear to be part way tucked up into the engine bay. Crooks could cut the lower section of pipe but from what I see could not get a cutter in above. Can't wait to check for myself now!

[rayaans]

Yes the alarm should set off if its jacked up without being unlocked. 

They do have a sensor to ensure someone doesn't just stick lift the car up from the front and roll it away

[Maxz]

So it looks like the non F-Sport just has a single exhaust pipe that runs down the passenger side of the car. I'm no mechanic and my photos aren't great but from what I can see and found online, is it appears the Cat is part of the manifold assembly. Bad news if you genuinely need to replace one but I am thinking great news in regards to theft. This is because someone would need to get under the bonnet to release or cut the top section near the manifold. The Cat also seems to sit at 45 degrees half way between the engine bay and underside of the car. If this is correct, looks to me almost impossible to remove with only access to the underside of the car. The only part I am unsure on is this "UE6" unit that is roughly under the rear passenger area. Is this another Cat or just a muffler? If so this is very exposed, would be great if any mechanics/experts out there could advise?

[PaulWhitt20]

The thieves are probably stupid enough to nick the UE6 anyway thinking it is a Cat even if it's not.

[200h]

the IS does have an anti jack sensor

as i found out when i removed A wheel to clean it.

[Ken83]

This has made me a tad bit nervous - so looks like its tucked away in the non F-Sport version but is it the same for the F-Sport?

Glad jacking it would trigger the alarm but would be eveb better if it was harder to get to.  

Cheers,

K

[Maxz]

15 hours ago, Ken83 said:

This has made me a tad bit nervous - so looks like its tucked away in the non F-Sport version but is it the same for the F-Sport?

Glad jacking it would trigger the alarm but would be eveb better if it was harder to get to.  

Cheers,

K

F-sport seems to have the Cats and whatever the "UE6" part is (hopefully just a muffler/silencer) in the same locations, just you have two of each due to twin exhaust runs. I'm still considering a Catloc kit even just for the marking kit, window stickers and ISR registration, just to deter anyone from even having a go at jacking it up, potentially damaging the chassis or suspension in the process.

[Ken83]

12 hours ago, Maxz said:

F-sport seems to have the Cats and whatever the "UE6" part is (hopefully just a muffler/silencer) in the same locations, just you have two of each due to twin exhaust runs. I'm still considering a Catloc kit even just for the marking kit, window stickers and ISR registration, just to deter anyone from even having a go at jacking it up, potentially damaging the chassis or suspension in the process.

Sounds like double the trouble to me! If you do find a decent cat lock, please post and I may consider getting one as well. 

Thanks

[Maxz]

On 10/3/2019 at 7:50 PM, Ken83 said:

Sounds like double the trouble to me! If you do find a decent cat lock, please post and I may consider getting one as well. 

Thanks

Based on what I see so far, it seems the cat is in a position where it’s near impossible to remove from the vehicle underside or secure a Catloc to it. Twinned with the tilt sensor on the alarm mentioned by other members, maybe explains why we are yet to find an example of cat theft from an IS. However, what you can do is buy a Catloc Refit kit. This includes the window stickers and the cat marking + registration kit, which you could still potentially stick on the windows and the bottom of the cat respectively. Might put someone off jacking up the car to have a go, but if the crooks have done their homework, I don’t believe they even bother with IS’s.

[Ken83]

On ‎10‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 9:25 PM, Maxz said:

Based on what I see so far, it seems the cat is in a position where it’s near impossible to remove from the vehicle underside or secure a Catloc to it. Twinned with the tilt sensor on the alarm mentioned by other members, maybe explains why we are yet to find an example of cat theft from an IS. However, what you can do is buy a Catloc Refit kit. This includes the window stickers and the cat marking + registration kit, which you could still potentially stick on the windows and the bottom of the cat respectively. Might put someone off jacking up the car to have a go, but if the crooks have done their homework, I don’t believe they even bother with IS’s.

Phew! Thanks for th follwo up Maxz. 

[Mr Vlad]

Years ago as part of an alarm system I would have two very loud sirens inside the car as well as the alarms own siren. Any would be tealeaf would be permanently deafened. 

Maybe an external siren or 2 under the car set to go off when a tilt sensor triggered. I'd have thought 120db would soon make a tealeaf scarper. 

[Maxz]

Cat now marked and registered just for good measure, only the very end of it is visible under the vehicle. Per this and the “Hybrid Badge Removal” post, Cat on an IS is essentially impossible to remove with only underside access to the vehicle. Most of it sits up in the engine bay, with the top half securely bolted to the manifold under the bonnet.

 

[Casa1862]

Sorry, I know this is an old thread!!! With all these cat thefts my wife has been backing up her IS300h tight against a brick wall, so virtually no space between wall and rear bumper, I’m thinking to restrict access would it be better To have the front number tight to the wall?? I’ve no idea where the cat is, toward front of rear, sorry for the dumb question.

[NemesisUK]

Thieves usually access from either side of the car.

[Casa1862]

Haha, thanks, makes no difference then!!

[ColinBarber]

Cat is in the middle of the vehicle. The pictures a few posts up is for the primary / first cat - these aren't the ones that are stolen, it is the secondary cat. They jack up the vehicle from the side. 

[Andrew888]

4 hours ago, ColinBarber said:

Cat is in the middle of the vehicle. The pictures a few posts up is for the primary / first cat - these aren't the ones that are stolen, it is the secondary cat. They jack up the vehicle from the side. 

Last time I looked the centre section for the IS300H is just a resonator thats part of the mid pipe section?