Carjacking scenario

You're correct. He'll abandon the car because it won't restart. What happens to the car after then---because he won't (or can't) lock it---depends on where it's parked and how long it sits there.

I doubt any thief bothers carjacking a Prius. They go after Escalades and vehicles that are in greater demand and bring much more money. It's much smarter to grab a $70k SUV than a $25k Prius, since you're going to do the same prison sentence if you're caught.

It's like the logic of counterfeiting $100 bills vs. $5 bills.

 

ok wow! Dude if someone takes your care at gunpoint be thankful they didn’t shoot you and you are alive to think about what will happen to your car. if the car is turned off I don’t thing the thief is going to spend a long time trying to get it started again. I mean you can what if till your blue in the face but what good is it going to do you.

If you are really worried about being robed at gun point for you car then I would have all the vehicle info save on more than one place so u can give it to the cops.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rick Auricchio @ Oct 15 2007, 07:21 PM) [snapback]526063[/snapback]</div>

Just being annoying. the logic with the 5$ bill is no one checks them so your less likely to get caught.

dont think that works with cars though lol.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(harrv @ Oct 15 2007, 03:52 PM) [snapback]525998[/snapback]</div>

I was curious too so my wife and I tried this scenario coming home from work. I got out of the car with the key and she drove off down the road. I expected the car to stop in about 10 feet or so but it didn't. She was able to drive all the way down our street to our house. When she turned off the car, it would not start again, it just blinked the no key light.

However, now even with the key the no key light keeps blinking. Anyone know how to turn the light off or reset it?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(harrv @ Oct 15 2007, 03:52 PM) [snapback]525998[/snapback]</div>

Depends on what state you're in.

If you're in TX, you say "Sure, let me give you the key fob."

Then you pull your 38 S&W out of its pocket holster and guarantee that he won't try
to steal your car again.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jhinton @ Oct 15 2007, 10:12 PM) [snapback]526137[/snapback]</div>

thats not the no-key light. Its the light that tells you the immobilizer system is active. It always flashes when the car is off.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patrickindallas @ Oct 15 2007, 08:10 PM) [snapback]526156[/snapback]</div>

Isn't it funny how the answer in Texas always includes a 38 Smith and Wesson?

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

That's not a no-key light. That's the engine immobilizer light. It's normal, when the car is turned off.

A thief who does not know enough to demand your fob when carjacking your Prius won't know how to shut it off, either. He'll stop the car and get out, and with his foot off the brake it will creep forward and hit something. He probably won't know how to put the car in park, or even how to get it out of drive.

Maybe you need to give the carjacker a valet card.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patrickindallas @ Oct 15 2007, 11:10 PM) [snapback]526156[/snapback]</div>

i can appreciate the attitude, but how realistic is it? you're assuming he hasn't pulled a gun on you first.

i tend to agree with iao's assessment of the situation. the people who do this stuff don't give a flip about you, you just stand in the way of him and what he sees as HIS money. shooting you means nothing.

 

I always thought the car wouldn't go into gear without having the fob inside the vehicle.... I was mistaken about the blinking light, I thought it meant that the fob wasn't detected. If it means the immobilizer system is active, what is the immobilizer system and what is its purpose?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Oct 15 2007, 10:02 PM) [snapback]526153[/snapback]</div>

Tony, this seems like a great idea, but do you know if it will even work? My recollection is that I couldn't activate the panic button (or any other button on the key fob) when the key was in the ignition (remember those things) of my Maxima. Would it be the same for the SKS?

If it really could work that way, I think you'd have quite a valuable tool at your disposal.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patrickindallas @ Oct 15 2007, 11:10 PM) [snapback]526156[/snapback]</div>

Why do I have to be in Texas to pull out my Sig Sauer? But like IAO said be very thankful that the p.o.s. doesn't just shoot you....thats the truth of it there. He can have the car...the fob...my wallet...just don't plug me. I've been held up at gun point before and its life changing. All these posts are making me laugh a little. If some dude stuck a gun in your ear you'd be a puddle on the ground as he drove away much less come up with a cagey plan to activate the SKS alarm. Please ...get real. And to the other gentleman that seems to think that car jackers are discerning nothing could be farther from the truth. Do you actually think car jackers even know what a Prius is? .....or care...you better hope to god your car rolls away after he gets in it. Take it. I got insurance. To them its shiny and rolling....and will get them to there next drug hole. There animals...you have no idea.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Drifty'sDad @ Oct 16 2007, 12:27 AM) [snapback]526214[/snapback]</div>

Glad you survived the experience. I don't know if I'd be a puddle on the ground -- most certainly I'd leave one there. I'm still intrigued by the SKS alarm, though by the time I thought of it the car would be too far away (I hope) for the button to have any effect. I would just hope that the guy would not decide to read my registration and come to my house for payback after the car stopped and couldn't be started.

I've had guns pointed at me by soldiers and protective landowners. In each case I always felt reasoned discussion would help. Somehow I don't think that option exists with carjackers and thieves.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(smithBYU @ Oct 15 2007, 08:49 PM) [snapback]526176[/snapback]</div>

The engine immobilizer prevents the car from starting unless the key fob is present. I presume it's a safety feature to allow it to operate without the fob once running, in case someone (a kid or an angry spouse) tosses the fob out the window while driving down the highway.

The fob is needed to start the car, to lock the door using the sks lock button, and to unlock it using the sks door handle. It is not needed to drive the car once it's in Ready mode.

Back to the original topic, it's unlikely that a carjacker would even know how to put the car in gear to drive it. In fact, with the ICE stopped, he'd probably think the car was shut off and he'd demand your key before pushing you out of the car. When you handed him the fob, he'd demand a key and when you told him there wasn't one, he'd probably shoot you and search your pockets.

If you are worried about carjackers, I'd install a fake ignition switch and have a key that fits it. You give the carjacker the key, he puts it in and turns it and the car doesn't "start." You then say, "Damn car has been doing this for a week!"

Me, I'm not worried about carjackers. I've got more likely things to worry about, like drunk drivers, or kids jumping out into the street in front of my EV. The Prius is silent once in a while. The Xebra is silent all the time.

 

Someone tried to carjack me in my 69' Shelby. I found it a few hundred yards down the street since I flipped the fuel-pump off before I was yanked out.

I wish I could do the same on modern cars

 

Of course, if the car-jacker-with-a-gun-to-your-head knew anything about a Prius, he'd ask for the key :angry:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lass @ Oct 15 2007, 10:27 PM) [snapback]526165[/snapback]</div>

That goes for Oklahoma too.