Multiple burglaries using keyless entry with keypad code

[ECharge729]

Have you tested it? RF is a very strange thing. (Though of course if you left the keypad code in a place where it was visible/accessible to a potential thief that would be a different matter.)

I tested it, yeah. BT is absolutely impossible - my phone's BT connection dies out as soon as I leave my apartment because the walls in the building are so thick. I think I tried everything to get into my car without a key fob on me. Only factory code gets me in.

I didn't have my factory code to begin with as my dealership had to transfer the car from one location to another on purchase and they kind of lost the factory code card and one key fob.
I have learned my factory code after the burglaries using the double key fob trick.

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[ECharge729]

How did you arrive at this conclusion? Did you leave the card with the code on it in your glovebox? More likely your car is within Bluetooth range of your phone, or he is possibly unlocking it remotely with your FordPass credentials.

Arrived to that conclusion because the car is basically in an underground bunker, completely off the grid - no mobile network, no radio, no GPS, no Wi-Fi and the apartment is, like I said, 10 floors away from the car with walls in the building being so thick one of them completely kills of any BT connections. I think I have tried everything to get into my car without a key fob and only factory code works, unfortunately.
Oh, and the asshole terrorizing me is searching my car on a regular now with absolutely no damage done to the car.

The only other option is some sort of a device that can completely copy the key fob and then reuse it somehow, but I really doubt that a person with such technology would search my car taking old shitty sunglasses and gum in the process.

 

[ECharge729]

Get a OBDII dongle that's compatible with FORScan.

Despite what people seem to think, it's absolutely possible to disable the keypad. Or, just change it to use 7 digits instead of only 5.

(I've tested both. Currently, my US Mach-E is programmed to use 7 digits on the keypads.)

Edit: See this post where I talk about my experiences with changing these options: https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/forscan-mme-spreadsheet.24701/post-810861

Oh, thanks a lot for sharing! That's exactly what I hoped to hear!

I am wondering, would messing around with it potentially void my warranty? And would it be possible to ask the official service center to do that to avoid that by any chance? Have you researched those aspects by any chance?

 

[Just Lurking]

I tested it, yeah. BT is absolutely impossible - my phone's BT connection dies out as soon as I leave my apartment because the walls in the building are so thick. I think I tried everything to get into my car without a key fob on me. Only factory code gets me in.

I didn't have my factory code to begin with as my dealership had to transfer the car from one location to another on purchase and they kind of lost the factory code card and one key fob.
I have learned my factory code after the burglaries using the double key fob trick.

This is a bizarrely fascinating thread. How many times has your vehicle been searched? Is there anyone else living at home who might be able to get into your car and might be doing so for some unknown reason (drunk, high, or some kind of malicious revenge/retaliation or prank?)

This reminds me of a plot point from the TV show "House." Bizarre, inexplicable events were happening to a patient that just didn't make sense. Turns out the patient was sleepwalking and was solely responsible. Not saying this is happening to you, but it is a curious case.

A quick Google search turned up a replacement BCM module for about $1200, + labor. Dealership markup on the part might be higher, so I'm guessing maybe $1.5-$2k for a new BCM module and a new factory door code?

If I were in your shoes I'd probably first try a battery-powered motion-activated camera and try to catch the perp in the act.

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

I tested it, yeah. BT is absolutely impossible - my phone's BT connection dies out as soon as I leave my apartment because the walls in the building are so thick. I think I tried everything to get into my car without a key fob on me. Only factory code gets me in.

I didn't have my factory code to begin with as my dealership had to transfer the car from one location to another on purchase and they kind of lost the factory code card and one key fob.
I have learned my factory code after the burglaries using the double key fob trick.

OK, so you didn't leave the factory code lying around, but the dealership (kinda?) "lost" it. That's a rather key point in this story. The likelihood of a guessing attack is pretty darn low, but the dealership presumably knows where you live and it seems reasonable that someone (besides you) knows the code from the card that was (kinda?) "lost".

Anyway, I'm glad to learn that one can use FORScan to change to a 7-digit code. I may just do that!

 

[Just Lurking]

Oh, and the asshole terrorizing me is searching my car on a regular now with absolutely no damage done to the car.

Fascinating. I assume there's no valet in the building with access to your FOB? It feels like someone is messing with you. Assume someone gained access to your car somehow. Why would they repeatedly search your car and leave it in a state where it's obvious that it's been searched? It doesn't make sense.

Have you talked to building security? They probably have cameras in the garage. Speaking of which, how secure is the building itself? For someone to regularly get access to your garage and vehicle, would they have to be an insider, i.e. another sesident/employee/contractor?

Another idea - leave a decoy item of some kind (something not valuable but obviously new and tempting for someone to grab) and hide a tracker in it. Then see if the perp takes the bait.

 

[ECharge729]

Fascinating. I assume there's no valet in the building with access to your FOB? It feels like someone is messing with you. Assume someone gained access to your car somehow. Why would they repeatedly search your car and leave it in a state where it's obvious that it's been searched? It doesn't make sense.

Have you talked to building security? They probably have cameras in the garage. Speaking of which, how secure is the building itself? For someone to regularly get access to your garage and vehicle, would they have to be an insider, i.e. another sesident/employee/contractor?

Another idea - leave a decoy item of some kind (something not valuable but obviously new and tempting for someone to grab) and hide a tracker in it. Then see if the perp takes the bait.

Exactly, the perpetuator leaves the car in a state which makes it immediately obvious that they were inside the car - last time they even left a jacket inside (not sure if it was from a different vehicle or it a personal item of theirs). It now feels like they are just mocking me because they have a way of accessing the vehicle.

I have talked to my building security but it's a total mess too.
So, the building's parking is divided into two sections: public and resident-only.
We have two gates: one at the entrance to the parking itself and an additional one - to enter the resident-only section.
It's really easy to get into the building from outside though because it often has a lot of visitors and the stairs are unmonitored and all the parking level doors are always unlocked there. I am sure the jerk uses stairs because they dumped some of the stolen stuff there first time - my trunk organizer with some junk like tissues / disposable plates and utensils / window cleaners, right on the staircase landing.

Parking levels have cameras but the staff onsite doesn't have access to them at all and the dedicated security team refuses to provide any footage to me, only to police (I am filing a police report for every incident, it's just a routine at this point).

The building does not have a valet service, so the only person with the key fobs is me.
There is supposed to be some patrol around the parking, but it feels like it's just nominal.

I have thought about leaving a decoy, but what they take is really random, so I have to think this through. Last time they only took one pair of sunglasses and pulled the other one out of the sunglass holder in the roof and left them on my seat for some weird reason.

 

[Just Lurking]

Exactly, the perpetuator leaves the car in a state which makes it immediately obvious that they were inside the car - last time they even left a jacket inside (not sure if it was from a different vehicle or it a personal item of theirs). It now feels like they are just mocking me because they have a way of accessing the vehicle.

I have thought about leaving a decoy, but what they take is really random, so I have to think this through. Last time they only took one pair of sunglasses and pulled the other one out of the sunglass holder in the roof and left them on my seat for some weird reason.

Could it be someone using your car for a place to nap inside? I've heard of unhoused people looking for unlocked cars to sleep in. If you suspect an unhoused person think about leaving something that would appeal to someone like that, maybe an old (but still wearable) hoodie with a carefully concealed tracker.

Please keep us updated!

 

[cjljr41]

You bought the car used, and the original key fob is missing. Certainly sounds like someone associated with the dealership. Maybe have a talk with your salesman.

 

[RickMachE]

I would do the following:

1) Have dealership remove all fobs, then add your two back. In the process have them verify how many fobs were loaded in.

2) Remove all user codes, and set a new one.

I would like to use a "list" of keypad codes. Example - 16 sequential unlocking codes with each used one at a time. (Thus, each 5 digit code will be used every 16th time). All we would have to do is remember the codes and also remember the one we used last. This wouldn't be any more time consuming than using a single code over and over. After this is set up, PAAK and keyfob entry could be disabled. If we wanted the keyfob to be used for entry again, a special code using 10 (or more) digits could reactivate the keyfob.

Maybe it should do a body and iris scan too? What car has anything remotely like this today, unless it is on Mission Impossible?

I'm not worried about thieves brute-forcing my keypad code, but I do worry that it doesn't re-lock after unlocking with the keypad.
Another risk is entering your keypad code while on camera. Let's say a security camera (garage camera, or one surreptitiously planted) catches you entering your code. The viewer of that video then gains access.

It is for this reason that I would like to able to reset the admin code.

Never use the admin code, use your own code. And block view of it.

 

[garyd9]

Oh, thanks a lot for sharing! That's exactly what I hoped to hear!

I am wondering, would messing around with it potentially void my warranty? And would it be possible to ask the official service center to do that to avoid that by any chance? Have you researched those aspects by any chance?

To the best of my knowledge, it doesn't void any warranty. If Ford (or a dealership) tries to claim that any modification voids any aspect of the warranty, they are legally obligated to prove that whatever changes you made directly caused the malfunction related to the aspect of warranty they are attempting to void.

As an extreme example, Ford might be able to void the warranty on your 12v battery if they found that you modified the battery by driving a stake through it.

This is called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. Please feel free to google it for much more information.

 

[Mach1E]

Exactly, the perpetuator leaves the car in a state which makes it immediately obvious that they were inside the car - last time they even left a jacket inside (not sure if it was from a different vehicle or it a personal item of theirs). It now feels like they are just mocking me because they have a way of accessing the vehicle.

I have talked to my building security but it's a total mess too.
So, the building's parking is divided into two sections: public and resident-only.
We have two gates: one at the entrance to the parking itself and an additional one - to enter the resident-only section.
It's really easy to get into the building from outside though because it often has a lot of visitors and the stairs are unmonitored and all the parking level doors are always unlocked there. I am sure the jerk uses stairs because they dumped some of the stolen stuff there first time - my trunk organizer with some junk like tissues / disposable plates and utensils / window cleaners, right on the staircase landing.

Parking levels have cameras but the staff onsite doesn't have access to them at all and the dedicated security team refuses to provide any footage to me, only to police (I am filing a police report for every incident, it's just a routine at this point).

The building does not have a valet service, so the only person with the key fobs is me.
There is supposed to be some patrol around the parking, but it feels like it's just nominal.

I have thought about leaving a decoy, but what they take is really random, so I have to think this through. Last time they only took one pair of sunglasses and pulled the other one out of the sunglass holder in the roof and left them on my seat for some weird reason.

So you believe that the same person who is patient and meticulous enough to spend 8 hours punching in possible code combinations………

is also lazy and sloppy enough to leave your car a mess and leave a jacket behind???

Dude…. Seriously…… no thief is going to spend hours trying to break into a car that most likely has nothing of value inside.

If that super patient master thief existed, they would only waste that much time if you had bars of gold hidden regularly in the car……. Then when they did break the code, they would make it look like no one was in the car so you would have no idea and they would break in again.

Thieves break in the quick and easy way. Not the “I’ll stand here for 8 hours and hope no one notices” way.

It’s either a smash and grab through the window, or they use a repeater.

All they need to do is be anywhere near you and your car ONE TIME with the repeater.

They don’t have your factory code.

 

[txaggies07]

Simplest explanation is that you aren't actually locking your car every single time.

A thief isn't going to leaving behind a jacket. They arent hanging out in your car. They likely also aren't trying your car repeatedly when they never get a valuable find. That just wouldn't make sense getting caught for no payout. The risk/reward just seems really off for any thief explanation.

The unhoused thing someone said makes some sense. That or someone is messing with you. Do you have a girlfriend with an off sense of humor? Or....an ex girlfriend that is playing some mind games with you, slowly driving you into madness. Is your best friend a bit of a dick?

 

[ipca204]

They don’t have your factory code.

OMG! Why would you say that!!! That is literally in the posting title! It is STATED AS FACT! They HAVE his keypad code....THERE IS NO OTHER REASONABLE EXPLANATION!!!!
This is my new favorite thread...until someone starts a new one bitching about how their tesla adapter hasn't arrived yet!

 

[garyd9]

This is my new favorite thread...until someone starts a new one bitching about how their tesla adapter hasn't arrived yet!

I don't understand this thread. Instead of anyone responding to the OP's concerns and helping them out, everyone seems intent on bashing their premise.

Just the sake of argument, assume that someone has the factory code. Perhaps someone had access to the code card. Perhaps someone had access to the BCM (which has the code printed on it.) Maybe the OP is the second owner of the car. Who knows?!

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