[ramkya1]

Nov, 08, magazine - "What Car", page 62.

Manu Bharadwaj, Navi Mumbai, owner of mHawk with immobiliser has complained that his brand new mHawk was stolen form a busy street in Navi Mumbai. Manual says that without remote and key, the engine would be immobilised. On research he found that 7 more were stolen within past 2 months from same area, M&M did not respond to his letters at all.

<Note from Mod : Pics removed>

With the magazines help M&M clarified that it would take 4/5 hours to crack the code and has a unique code like ATM. So how did the thief crack the code? Somebody motivated sold it to them from the ASC?

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mHwak / Scorpio owners please have your code replaced / changed ASAP and get a gear / steering lock installed.

Would this apply to other cars also? What other cars have electronic immobilizer systems?

I know ford fusion had one; a different type which immobilizes the engine by cutting off petrol when sensing an impact.

--Ramky

[white_vdi]

thieves just leave our cars alone!!
does this mean that immobilizer is just a mere gimmick or are our car lifters getting too tech-savvy? its a concern for all of us i guess.
is maruti icats the same or anything better?

[grandkruizer]

Watch 'Gone in Sixty Seconds' and you'll understand how its done.

[Roshun]

It was really sad to hear about Manu's loss. Been following the developments closely in another forum.

The immobilizer is a deterrant at the most. A tech-savvy thief can work around it. In fact, there was an article in the Times of India a while ago about how car thieves are now targeting the "brain" of the car - the ECU. Apparently they are breaking into cars and stealing the ECU. Without the ECU, the car is practically useless and the ECU is very expensive too.

Safest is to also get a gear-lock fitted as well as a steering lock. If you want, you could go a step further and get a GSM-based tracker that calls your cellphone if your car is tampered with.

Maruti's ICats system is an RFID system. The key has a chip embedded in it and communicates with the car. If a duplicate / fake key is used the car will not start.

But with thieves now targeting the brain of the car, I wonder is it possible to swap brains and drive off? Scary thought.

Cheers,

[phamilyman]

Oh very intersting. If they tomorrow start swapping in clean ECUs, then we've had it.

I've already got a gear lock in my VDi - what else can one add on for peace of mind?

[desideep]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Oh very intersting. If they tomorrow start swapping in clean ECUs, then we've had it.

I've already got a gear lock in my VDi - what else can one add on for peace of mind?

My Old man always says. "TAALE TERE MERE LAYI HAI CHORRA LAYI NAHI HUNDE" (Punjabi) Locks are for you and me not for the theives.

[anujmishra]

It seems thieves are spending high on R&D even more than M&M. This is not only case in Navi Mumbai, they have gang to operate all over India and it is like organized crime.

It gives scary thought that cars stolen from particularly Navi Mumbai are falls in the hand of terrorist. Atleast cars used in Ahmedabad, Surat blast proves that.

M&M and others please increase your R&D budget atleast more than of those thieves.

[getsurya]

Guys, I have changed the 4 digit immobilizer code on my mHawk. I am concerned now. With monies paid for all these 'so called ' latest technolgies to protect our cars, if they do not deliver-WHO Is responsible? Obviously the Manufacturer!!! So, while we do our best to protect our cars, do not leave M&M in peace as they have to be 'ace upon' the thieves and not vice versa!!

[anupmathur]

Isn't M&M fitting the iCATs on the new Scorpios?

Or, has iCATs been hacked??!

[raj_5004]

getsurya, do you mean you have changed the password of the immobilizer?
in the article it is written that the scorpio is a favourite with theives, which is true, i have read in another article too.
what are the reasons:
1) easy to steal or break into?
2) good resale value?
3) good demand in second hand market?

whatever be the reason, can we be sure that if we change the password of the immobilizer, the theives wont be able to get away with our car?

[getsurya]

anup, what is iCAT? sorry for my ignorance.

[raj_5004]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Isn't M&M fitting the iCATs on the new Scorpios?

Or, has iCATs been hacked??!

i dont think M&M has iCATs, not the RFID system which roshun mentioned, as there are no chips in the key of my scorpio. i have seen this on my innova though.

Originally Posted by raj_5004

getsurya, do you mean you have changed the password of the immobilizer?
in the article it is written that the scorpio is a favourite with theives, which is true, i have read in another article too.
what are the reasons:
1) easy to steal or break into?
2) good resale value?
3) good demand in second hand market?

whatever be the reason, can we be sure that if we change the password of the immobilizer, the theives wont be able to get away with our car?

any response?

[dadu]

I would say it has good demand in the second hand market and good resale too.

[getsurya]

raj, Yes I have personalized the 4 digit immobilizer code.

[ramkya1]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Isn't M&M fitting the iCATs on the new Scorpios?

Or, has iCATs been hacked??!

My wife's Wagon R has a label, CAT protectecd, they said the car would not start if any other key is used. When this calibrated key is inserted, the code goes OK in the ECU and ONLY THEN the engine will fire. Even hot-wiring or any other modes of tampering WILL NOT fire this sequence. I don't know how much of this is true, we ended up paying about 6 K extra for this.

Wonder if the iCat is similar?

I think mechanical gizmos like the gear / steeirng locks are more visible and effective deterrent than electronic gizmos; anyone with a laptop, some wires and the right code can unlock it in seconds.

--Ramky
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