Mike Wendland is off the air

[eurovanman]

Originally Posted by Mike

Have you ever forgotten to lock your vehicle? Probably not, or not very often, but I'm sure it happens.
Perhaps he was in a hurry and forgot to lock it, or hit the wrong button on his remote fob. I'm sure that happens too.
I'm not sure modern factory installed or other equipment manufacturer systems are as fallible now as when remote keyless entry first became popular and eventually standard on...

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/16/style ... .html?_r=0

[eurovanman]

[youtube:17mm9mes]oqYJi6DV21A[/youtube:17mm9mes]

[Mike]

It's interesting that there haven't been more widespread warnings about not relying on your remote wireless entry systems to keep your vehicle locked. If Wendland was inside a shopping mall at the time of the break in, it must have been a very powerful one of these "power amplifiers" that successfully caused his van to call for his keys, assuming the mall was the Faraday Cage in his case. Doesn't the unlock button on the keyless entry fob have to be pressed to complete the open cycle? I guess the security system must have been set to proximity lock/unlock and that's how it works. If you disable proximity lock/unlock you're probably good to go.

[booster]

So, it looks like the original (pre 1990) systems were easy to poach the code and get in. From then on, things were a lot better with rolling codes. But now, if you have one that sees you coming and does its own thing, you can get have problems? So much for progress

From all this, would we be safe in saying that our 2007 Chevy with the plain old push button remote would be among the most secure systems out there?

[Boxster1971]

The Sprinter uses a rolling code remote. It is not one of the new keyless system like Prius stared with a few years back and are now on many cars. With the keyless system you just have to be close to the vehicle for it to unlock - no buttons to push. There are other was to get into a Sprinter and leave no traces without electronics.


- - Mike
2013 Airstream Interstate from 2012 Sprinter 3500 tall & long

[wincrasher]

Well, my van does not fully lock if one of the rear doors, or the side door is not fully seated. Sometimes it looks properly closed, but it's not. That's another reason I'd like a power door closer on the side door. There would be no issue on assuring it's properly closed and locked.

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by wgoldman

Just saw this thread, and Mike's experience had also caught my attention. Thought I'd mention one possible security/monitoring solution that requires no custom installation: see http://www.vanscapes.net/blog/2015/5/31 ... e-security

I'm installing a BlackVue DR650GW-2CH dash camera for security. This system has two cameras. I'm installing the main unit as a dash camera and the second as an interior security camera. The dash camera will also double as an outside security camera when the van is parked in my driveway.


- - Mike
2013 Airstream Interstate from 2012 Sprinter 3500 tall & long

[Mike]

Originally Posted by booster

So, it looks like the original (pre 1990) systems were easy to poach the code and get in. From then on, things were a lot better with rolling codes. But now, if you have one that sees you coming and does its own thing, you can get have problems? So much for progress

From all this, would we be safe in saying that our 2007 Chevy with the plain old push button remote would be among the most secure systems out there?

Our 2002 relic with its "dumb" pushbutton remotes would also be equally safe and secure.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

Well, my van does not fully lock if one of the rear doors, or the side door is not fully seated. Sometimes it looks properly closed, but it's not. That's another reason I'd like a power door closer on the side door. There would be no issue on assuring it's properly closed and locked.

Another scenario for why there were no signs of forced entry? That's partly why I suggested something less sinister several posts ago. Human nature was the other reason.

Has anyone actually asked MW about what happened, as far as he knows? Has he published anything by way of explanation, and maybe what police suspect actually happened? Was it an inside job? Someone should look for inexplicable additional dog treats hidden in the van, and the dog food containers for any unusual activity?
(Only joking. I know this is a serious topic )

[booster]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

Well, my van does not fully lock if one of the rear doors, or the side door is not fully seated. Sometimes it looks properly closed, but it's not. That's another reason I'd like a power door closer on the side door. There would be no issue on assuring it's properly closed and locked.

I just went and checked our Chevy, and with it, if one of the doors is not latched completely, it locks all the others and flashes the lights as if everything is locked. When you close that open door, it is locked, however, so if it was onto the first latch it would still be hard to get open, I think. This is the same way it works if you have the door open to get out of the cab, lock the doors with the switch on the door, and then close it. All will be locked.

[booster]

Does the Sprinter even use the proximity type remote? I pulled up a 2015 owners manual, and it looked like a normal system like we have on the Chevy, but with an alarm tied into it.

[mlts22]

As far as I know, Sprinters do not use a proximity remote. The only thing in this vein is the NFC/transponder used when the key is near the steering column.

[Mike]

This is probably apples and oranges, but my 2009 F 150 has a setup menu in the instrument cluster, and if I press and hold the odometer reset button, I can scroll through a menu of user adjustable settings. Auto unlock on or off is one of them. I have it set to off. Do Sprinters have a similar function built into them somewhere? Some other option examples are auto lights off delay, oil life % left and reset, and trailer sway control adjust if installed. Auto unlock is probably enabled from the factory as a rule.