[GTO]

Thanks to Prabhagaran S & a Tiago owner for sending this information in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP page!

Tiago owners should push Tata for a fix, or get some after-market jugaad / plate to cover up the boot lock.

My Tiago was attempted to be stolen last night. The theft approach used was very shocking.

In the evening, my father mentioned that the rear number-plate LED was hanging outside and at first, I thought it was broken due to a small hit. But upon looking closer, I saw that the LED lamp lids are in good condition.

Immediately took a torch and looked into the hole where the LED fits and found that it leads to a soft sheet of plastic. I tried to see what is beneath it by putting my hand inside and it hit the trunk lock . Then I opened the trunk to confirm that it is indeed the lock . I could clearly see my finger sliding the lock retainer.

I was shocked to see that someone hacked into my car like this. Luckily, the engine immobilizer was on and the thief couldn't start the car (I'm guessing).

This could happen to anyone of us who park cars outside the compound. The Tata Tiago has the worst loophole to hack into the car. Be cautious. Also, don't keep any valuables / laptop in your parked car, even if in the boot.

[Blow Horn Ok]

Sure this is a loophole and Tata should fix it. After it goes viral, I am sure thieves who were not aware of this thing will try their hands on other Tiago cars. Even if they don't get to start the car, they would be able to steal valuables, documents and other stuff. Also anti-social elements can hide something serious without the knowledge of the owner.

[boniver]

Originally Posted by Blow Horn Ok

After it goes viral, I am sure thieves who were not aware of this thing will try their hands on other Tiago cars. Even if they don't get to start the car, they would be able to steal valuables, documents and other stuff. Also anti-social elements can hide something serious without the knowledge of the owner.

This is exactly what came to mind when I opened this thread. Even if a Tiago owner reads this thread today, he/she may not find the time to get it fixed immediately. That makes the cars vulnerable to antisocial attacks of all sorts.

That being said, this serious loophole has to be brought to the notice of Tiago owners and Tata alike, and I don't see how that can be done without making the information public.

[dhanushs]

I remember this was the same for the Ford Ikon. In case if the Tiago, it was exposed. Most cars have one or the other loophole of opening. Remember the scale method for the good old 800?!

[condor]

Originally Posted by dhanushs

I remember this was the same for the Ford Ikon.

Which model ? I dont think the 2009 Diesel had this problem. The number plate lights were in the boot lid. The cable-release and the lock were behind the bumper, and access to this was from inside the boot.


https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/diy-d...se-set-up.html (Unlocking the Ford Ikon : DIY Boot Release set-up)

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by condor

Which model ? I dont think the 2009 Diesel had this problem. The number plate lights were in the boot lid. The cable-release and the lock were behind the bumper, and access to this was from inside the boot.


https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/diy-d...se-set-up.html (Unlocking the Ford Ikon : DIY Boot Release set-up)

All models had this Parwath. You had to remove the number plate light and use a u shaped metal rod and pull the cable. Don’t remember exactly, but I have done it.

[condor]

Originally Posted by dhanushs

All models had this Parwath. You had to remove the number plate light and use a u shaped metal rod and pull the cable. Don’t remember exactly, but I have done it.

Wont work. The light was in the boot lid. The access to the boot release cable was behind the lock unit. This was in place with screws (of the Allen-key type). Even if you removed the lights, and pushed the U-shaped rod, you would hit the inner metal shell of the boot.

[anjan_c2007]

The thief could be one who knows the car fully well, who is either an authorised service centre worker or ex-worker. This is a distinct possibility as the car is a recent launch and its intricacies are known to those who interact/interacted with such cars on a regular basis.

Tata is quite quick to changeover things for the better at a short notice, based on feedbacks. So let's hope they rectify this gremlin.

The immobiliser works, but thieves target other valuable stuff that they can find inside the car. Hence its unsafe at any cost.

The Tiagos already sold and the future batches to be sold till the fault is rectified need to be recalled by the company to give justice to all Tiago owners, who face such a risk.

Thanks for pointing out such a gremlin.

[greenhorn]

Isn't this in the same category as the "steel scale in the window beadings" vulnerability which has been around almost forever?

[condor]

All, pls ignore my posts above.

Originally Posted by dhanushs

All models had this Parwath. You had to remove the number plate light and use a u shaped metal rod and pull the cable. Don’t remember exactly, but I have done it.

Dhanush, I think you are correct. The Ikon had the light on the bumper. I remember the bare-bones look of the boot till I added the chrome boot garnish (Priced a full 4k by Ford) to improve the looks of the boot.

[autohead666]

I think I should add a couple of lines here .

I own a Swift VXI 1300 CC (2008 model), steel grey colour. One day,I was about to take the car out from a roadside parking near my house, I pressed the remote unlock button. Guess what, along with my car,another car of the same model, same colour parked beside my car also unlocked. I was in a shock, thinking as to how this can happen. I looked cautiously around, fearing that I might be pointed out as a potential car thief. To be doubly sure, I pressed the Lock button on my remote lock,and whoa!! Both cars got locked.

This time I did not want to take any risk, so I just used the key to unlock the door, and drove away. But I kept on thinking about the other car owner, his car can be stolen any given day.

[sumeethaldankar]

Quickest solution is to have an alarm system which is activated if the boot is opened without the remote key. Tata may take some time to come up with a solution. I hope they have been notified of this grave issue. But.. even the 800 was so easy to open, I had opened my 800 without a key using a bent wire. Maruti did nothing on same and the same locking system continued on. If I were a Tiago customer I would be heading to a after market car alarm shop to get the boot rigged.

[Wanderlust89]

There are two incidents what I remember when my close friends who have their only key for the car, and that too had been accidentally locked inside the car.

The service center was contacted and the guy who showed up accessed the boot from the underside of the boot lid, removing the number plate lamp. Once the boot is opened, the key will be taken out and the number plate lamp will be put in place.

Manufacturers design cars this way for rescue purposes, the knowledge of which when reaches wrong people, such adversities happen.

[speedguy]

Steel ruler method works with almost all cars. One of my relative's documents & other valuables were stolen from his Wagon R boot, outside of a highway hotel, when he was going to Mumbai International Airport.
Even when alarm is buzzing loudly, shutting down alarm is half a minute job for an expert thief.
Open the door, alarm starts buzzing, then open the bonnet, pull the connection to alarm..Done! 30 Seconds flat. (I've done this in 42 seconds with my car!!)
When alarm goes off, innocent souls might think that some boy was playing with the car or some stray animal came in contact with the car.
Car thieves are smart & entry of educated car thieves in this market is a big concern for car owners.

[VKumar]

Originally Posted by GTO

Tiago owners should push Tata for a fix, or get some after-market jugaad / plate to cover up the boot lock.

Thanks for sharing, GTO.

Looking at the way things have been done, I don't see any way other than a redesigned bumper from the inside as a feasible solution. I mean, if they cover it up using a plate - the owners will face rattles, in fact where will they even put something inside a hollow bumper?

What I am still positive about is that the immobilizer didn't give up. Everyone knows that the thieves of these days are good at handling immobilizers too; but in this case - the car won, or maybe the thief was running out of time.

All Tata needs to do now is take care of the opening mechanism and some way to make it inaccessible this easily, problem solved.