Questions About a Simplistic Theft Protection System Idea

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

Canada is facing an incredible raft of car thefts, mostly in Central- and Eastern Canada. Cars get stolen, put into containers, and shipped to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, mostly, via the port of Montreal. I'm on the west coast... still an issue, but somewhat less so...

My question: if I wanted to make it impossible to actuate the starter, but not have my radio lose its settings, or the various logic modules lose their "learned" drivability parameters... could I do the following: put a "littelfuse" (they're a mfr) knob-actuated heavy duty "battery disconnect" in-line with a more heavy duty starter feed cable? I'd do the cable size upgrade because I'd route (lengthen, by a whole lot) the cable, placing it into a position, say, at the base of the driver's seat, with the only visible part of the "littelfuse" being say a 1/2" hole in the carpeted floor. The knob for the littelfuse would be removed in order to have this starter-disabling action active.

I suppose I could also do this with a very heavy relay, in order to allow the starter motor to be able to receive "juice" when the normal start/stop button commands it...?

Do any of you folks have comments about this simplistic, "mechanical-in-nature" (potential) philosophy to effect theft protection?

Finally, there surely would have to be a more appropriate under-floorboard (removable) screw-actuated "switch" than the littelfuse... which would necessitate some fabrication on my part to properly mount and (electrically) insulate said component?

 

[dishdude]

Hidden kill switches have been around forever.

 

[JHZR2]

I just don’t get how/why they let things onto ships without a proper freight manifest and a basis of ownership of the property inside. How these cars get stolen and on a ship out to sea before anyone can get a trace on it is beyond me.

I don’t think the approach you mention is impossible. Heck, my BMWs, even my 1991, ran the heavy battery cable under the carpet since the battery was in the trunk. To break that cable and have a switch in there would be viable.

The primary concern would be that your car metal is negative, and the switch/interrupt is on the positive. So when you’re playing your game of hidden knobs, one false move could have a decent short/arc.

I think you’d be better off just doing it under the hood, and set it up in a way that there’s a smaller wire that’s essentially a fusible link, going to the aux when the disconnect is disconnected, and then the knob gets installed when it’s time to go. I know that’s under the hood though.

If you don’t have some funky computer interlock, I think the smartest thing would be some hidden switch that prevents actuation of the starter solenoid. Far less current, smaller switch. Not hot unless the key/button and computer allow it to be.

 

[Lubener]

That seems awfully inconvenient to take off that battery connection everytime you park, especially on a cold, snowy winter day in Canada. . If you have a single coil, it easy to hide a kill switch to interupt the power on the primary side of the coil.

 

[Pew]

Yes, battery disconnects/toggle switches can be used. Could use something like this and run it inline with the battery or fuel pump.

Edit: fun fact, some Honda guys would take their entire ECU with them when parking downtown Chicago.

 

[The_Eric]

You wouldn't have to mess with battery cable (high current draw, possibility of poor connections, starting issues and shorts), you just have to interrupt the starter solenoid wire. Or the wire from the ignition switch to the ECM/BCM. It's low current (especially the signal wire to the control module) and inside the cabin. You could wire it through a relay that is actuated by something else - like the headlight switch or wiper switch

 

[SC Maintenance]

Lots of ways to disable the starter, or other things - without the need to touch the high current cable - like @The_Eric mentions.

However how many of these thefts in Canada are actually being started and driven away, or are they just rolling up and grabbing them with a truck with a hidden wheel lift? https://liftandtow.com/products/z-series/

 

[Cujet]

I like the idea of a hidden, starter interrupt, momentary contact switch. The issue could be that modern start-stop systems would be inop. That or a manual transmission....

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

Good idea, re the momentary contact switch, and as others have said, on the wiring to the starter solenoid (by way of a relay that pulls-in). Several of my vehicles are manual... and none have start-stop...

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

You wouldn't have to mess with battery cable (high current draw, possibility of poor connections, starting issues and shorts), you just have to interrupt the starter solenoid wire. Or the wire from the ignition switch to the ECM/BCM. It's low current (especially the signal wire to the control module) and inside the cabin. You could wire it through a relay that is actuated by something else - like the headlight switch or wiper switch

Repurposing a normal switch... that might work well. Mebe a frt psgr seat - seat heater control switch, say...i.e. one on the dashboard

 

[KGMtech]

The method of stealing is to capture the signal of the owners keyfob from inside their house using a large wire antenna. I guess the thief has to then scoot out of the neighborhood pretty fast. There are theft networks in all seaports, so the issue of manifests with proper paperwork is a joke. What might be funny is when your 2023 Escalade arrives in Yemen, the new owner doesn't have a clue what this 2 foot wooden stick with a plastic blade on one end and a handle on the other is used for? "it was on the floor in the back seat, is this a hockey stick for short people?"

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

The method of stealing is to capture the signal of the owners keyfob from inside their house using a large wire antenna. I guess the thief has to then scoot out of the neighborhood pretty fast. There are theft networks in all seaports, so the issue of manifests with proper paperwork is a joke. What might be funny is when your 2023 Escalade arrives in Yemen, the new owner doesn't have a clue what this 2 foot wooden stick with a plastic blade on one end and a handle on the other is used for? "it was on the floor in the back seat, is this a hockey stick for short people?"

An ice scraper?

 

[KGMtech]

An ice scraper?

Winner!

 

[ripcord]

How effective are wheel clamps at deterring theft? I saw some on a car at the mall at Christmas.

 

[alarmguy]

Heavy duty relay with a switch hidden someplace?

 

[dumkid]

Just a lil toggle switch would work. To make it more fun you could run all the coil or injector grounds through it except for one, so if they try and start it it'll sputter but not run.

 

[Carmudgeon]

I just don’t get how/why they let things onto ships without a proper freight manifest and a basis of ownership of the property inside. How these cars get stolen and on a ship out to sea before anyone can get a trace on it is beyond me.

Like other types of crimes, lack of enforcement, and/or people willing to look the other way.

I don’t think the approach you mention is impossible. Heck, my BMWs, even my 1991, ran the heavy battery cable under the carpet since the battery was in the trunk. To break that cable and have a switch in there would be viable.

If you don’t have some funky computer interlock, I think the smartest thing would be some hidden switch that prevents actuation of the starter solenoid. Far less current, smaller switch. Not hot unless the key/button and computer allow it to be.

Though easily defeatable, BMW used to have a code lock on the OBC that disabled the fuel pump

These kinds of theft rings supposedly target certain models anyway, so there is also varying levels of risk.

There are some good suggestions, but if they want they car, they'll get the car…

and more, if taken to extremes:

 

[mk378]

I like something that lets it crank but not start. That noise attracts a lot of attention (and in a positive way not like a car alarm) and the potential thief is not going to stick around to keep trying.

 

[KrisZ]

Like others have said, it ts better to interrupt the low voltage signal to the ECM, rather than killing the voltage from the main battery cable.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Like others have said, it ts better to interrupt the low voltage signal to the ECM, rather than killing the voltage from the main battery cable.

You don't want to un-power your ECM each time - you will loose all your stored settings like fuel trims, etc.

You should be able to kill off something else easy enough- Starter solenoid seems like the easiest, and most affective. No crank, no go.