Many thanks BOLT for your response. Further to my posting I can say that my Son has an April 2017 Reg keyless entry Ford and we popped his key fob into the smallest very tight fitting lidded biscuit tin we could find (about 75 mm diameter and 75 mm deep) where we had additionally 'emery papered' any surplus paint or surface finishing off the inside of the lid and the outer rim of the tin - to improve the continuity of the contact all round the lid (and to reduce the possibility of the gaps round the circumference of the tin lid acting as slot antenna and actually increasing the signal coupling from outside into the resonant microwave cavity insid the tin). With just one keyfob inside this specially prepared tin - our first two approaches to the car were ignored by the car and no entry was possible. However the third approach and every subsequent approach WAS recognised by the car (as it had maybe adapted to the weaker signal from the keyfob and increased the sensitivity of its receiver to operate in the customer's favour). So in reality the generous operating margins intended to favour reliable operation of the keyless entry system actually are a gift to the potential relay attack criminal since he/she exploits these margins to great effect and your treasured possession ends up in a fairly well screened steel container down at the local docks just an hour or so after the theft - out of sight of your expensive tracker system device and smart 'phone app - both purchased at great additional personal expense - never to be seen in the UK again!

Edited by Firmbutfair on 26/08/2019 at 11:43

The key for my Toyota C-HR can be easily disabled:

When battery-saving mode is set, battery depletion is minimized by stopping the electronic key from receiving radio waves.

Press [the unlock button] twice while pressing and holding [the lock button]. Confirm that the electronic key indicator flashes 4 times.

While the battery-saving mode is set, the smart entry & start system cannot be used.

To cancel the function, press any of the electronic key buttons.

My Mazda has the same system and I found that a steel box did not work.

After some research I bought a Defender pouch from Amazon* and it does work. The test is to take the pouch with the key inside right up to the car and try to operate the doors and/or tailgate. Neither is possible. I also sat in the car and there is no response to attempts to switch on and start.

I'm pretty confident that there isn't enough signal leakage to make a theft possible once the key is in the pouch and several metres away from the car behind the house walls

It's necessary to keep the car key in the pouch only overnight - I don't take the pouch out with me. (Except if I'm staying overnight somewhere.)

I totally agree the whole idea of (hackable) keyless entry is absurd. At least there should be an on-off switch on the key to disable it - such a simple thing to design into the product.

*Currently £6.99, free delivery.

Edited by FP on 26/08/2019 at 12:17

I have been delaying buying a Toyota for over six months now waiting for this to be sorted. I was told the system could be turned off and reverted to manual key operation but when you see the key its a silly emergency use thing. Im getting fed up waiting and also not prepared to pay a few hundred quid to have new keys at a later date.

Somebody like Timpsons should be able to supply, code & cut a standard fob for much less than a T dealer would charge & much less than for a smart fob.

My faraday pouch works, tested next to the car. Because its a pre-March 2018 BMW, keys have been replaced at my cost with the new 'timed switch off' versions. Car has disklok and also BMWs own tracker via GSM SIM card/GPS in it, but if it goes, it goes. Hope the GAP insurance will cough if it did vanish.

Personally I find conventional keys fiddly, but something like the key for an R56 Mini is fine with push button start.

Does the range of your key fob extend back in time to when the article was posted? Two years ago?

Hi Firmbutfair.

A friend just had their Land Rover stolen using keyless car theft. I've come up with a possible solution that doesn't require Faraday devices. Wondering if you would be interested in discussing as you seem to know and the technical details?

Thanks

Steve

Replying to a 2 yo thread with no actual information despite this being a discussion forum and no reason why not to post the 'solution' they've 'come up with'...

Hmmm. Why do I get the distinct whiff of canned pork products about to be posted next time?