Theft attemp, can Lariat be hacked without key

[jonathan1994]

Someone broke into my wife's unlocked Lariat. We have him on camera. He spent 2.5 minutes in the driver's seat with a phone, didn't take the $20 bill hidden in the bottom of the console under a pile of receipts but could have been a few loose ones we don't remember on top. Truck had lots of junk, but nothing of value.

First time driving afterwards, my wife and I both noticed the cross traffic alert made a different tone.

I checked the software date and it now says 7-13-2021 12:00:00AM. Nothing is in the OBDII port. Could he have done something to the truck to come back to steal it later? Our phones still connect and are listed.

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[OleFordGuy]

Sorry I have no idea, but lesson learned always lock your vehicles in the world we live in nowadays

 

[commadorebob]

Without the key, he couldn't have updated the software since it needs accessory power at a minimum. Especially not in 2.5 minutes. Last time I updated the software, it took more than that to connect and download. Even reading from a USB requires accessory power.

If you are concerned, take it to the dealer to have them look it over. As OldFordGuy says above, lock your truck at night. For most, just that token resistance is enough for them to move on.

 

[Quest]

In the BCM there's a PID NUM_KEY, its the number of keys programmed to the vehicle

 

[Pointyears]

Sorry I have no idea, but lesson learned always lock your vehicles in the world we live in nowadays

No kidding. You have people who are casual about locking like OP, and then you have people like me who wish that Ford put "walk away lock" on the Mavs like I have on my Mustang:
https://www.ford.com/support/how-to...-i-use-phone-as-a-key-with-walk-away-locking/

 

[Clarkdonbran]

It was Professor Chaos. Instead of stealing cars or items inside he just puts everything back to factory settings.

 

[Tom 71 Maverick 24]

I have no doubt that most any modern car is hackable. Maybe not by an amateur in 2 1/2 minutes but they will undoubtedly get batter at it.

 

[pigsareus]

Someone broke into my wife's unlocked Lariat. We have him on camera. He spent 2.5 minutes in the driver's seat with a phone, didn't take the $20 bill hidden in the bottom of the console under a pile of receipts but could have been a few loose ones we don't remember on top. Truck had lots of junk, but nothing of value.

First time driving afterwards, my wife and I both noticed the cross traffic alert made a different tone.

I checked the software date and it now says 7-13-2021 12:00:00AM. Nothing is in the OBDII port. Could he have done something to the truck to come back to steal it later? Our phones still connect and are listed.

wow...that's more than coincidental - run it by your dealer for sure to get some input. That guy for sure knew what he was doing though might have gotten thwarted by something he couldn't figure out.

 

[MaverickDragon]

I have no doubt that most any modern car is hackable. Maybe not by an amateur in 2 1/2 minutes but they will undoubtedly get batter at it.

It's all a matter of effort required. Locking the car will stop the casual interior grabbers.

Personally, I like a keyed ignition, as the immobilizer circuit using a transponder makes it difficult and time consuming to hack, where a keyless ignition on most vehicles is relatively easy.

This site was an eye opener, and part of the reason I chose an XL with the keyed ignition.

The good news is stealing any vehicle is the same crime, so thieves tend to steal vehicles with higher values, and the Maverick is not high on that list.

 

[BillHanna]

I have never understood why some people leave their keys in the vehicle, and even leave it running, when going in a store. Then they are shocked when someone takes it.

 

[Pointyears]

It's all a matter of effort required. Locking the car will stop the casual interior grabbers.

Personally, I like a keyed ignition, as the immobilizer circuit using a transponder makes it difficult and time consuming to hack, where a keyless ignition on most vehicles is relatively easy.

Tell that to Kia/Hyundai owners.....

 

[MaverickDragon]

Tell that to Kia/Hyundai owners.....

The primary cause for those thefts/attacks were because they did NOT have immobilizer systems.
The systems vary, but all require a multi-step process after vehicle entry to get a vehicle started with any keyed immobilizer system. Ford's version is actually pretty good.

Compare immobilizers to the Flipper Zero which will provide entry and drive away for most keyless push to start systems that will have your vehicle gone before you can walk into the store from the parking lot. No muss, no fuss, no drama. Thief just records any external communication with your vehicle, walks up, opens the door, starts it up and drives away as quickly as the car's owner.

Of course if someone REALLY wants to steal your vehicle, they will, regardless of the steps taken to make that difficult.

A tow truck can haul away a vehicle without needing to thwart any security systems.
Fortunately, Mavericks are not popular on the "must have" vehicle hit list.

 

[Cancunbadlands]

It's all a matter of effort required. Locking the car will stop the casual interior grabbers.

Personally, I like a keyed ignition, as the immobilizer circuit using a transponder makes it difficult and time consuming to hack, where a keyless ignition on most vehicles is relatively easy.

This site was an eye opener, and part of the reason I chose an XL with the keyed ignition.

The good news is stealing any vehicle is the same crime, so thieves tend to steal vehicles with higher values, and the Maverick is not high on that list.

Not a 100% true
Lot of low cost stolen cars are for sale south the border...

 

[icegradner]

Without the key, he couldn't have updated the software since it needs accessory power at a minimum. Especially not in 2.5 minutes. Last time I updated the software, it took more than that to connect and download. Even reading from a USB requires accessory power.

If you are concerned, take it to the dealer to have them look it over. As OldFordGuy says above, lock your truck at night. For most, just that token resistance is enough for them to move on.

This is assuming the person didn’t get a read of the ID of their key. With that it’s easy to make a duplicate key. People sit in parking lots, scan your key when you leave the vehicle, then use that data to make their own key. This is a well known and documented hack of intelligent access keys. Then they put a tracker in the wheel well, or some other obscure location and wait for you to go home.

 

[Cancunbadlands]

Someone broke into my wife's unlocked Lariat. We have him on camera. He spent 2.5 minutes in the driver's seat with a phone, didn't take the $20 bill hidden in the bottom of the console under a pile of receipts but could have been a few loose ones we don't remember on top. Truck had lots of junk, but nothing of value.

First time driving afterwards, my wife and I both noticed the cross traffic alert made a different tone.

I checked the software date and it now says 7-13-2021 12:00:00AM. Nothing is in the OBDII port. Could he have done something to the truck to come back to steal it later? Our phones still connect and are listed.

Once I got a software update from the USB port at my 2023 Bronco Sport Badlands, not via the OBDII port
Just saying

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