Cloning of Central Locking remote - possible?

hamiltron

I had just pulled up to my house and was talking to my wife outside after locking the car. A couple of minutes later, I heard the car locking itself... Now I know that the car has a feature whereby if you unlock it, but do not open a door within a couple of minutes, it relocks, but I am pretty sure that I did not do that. I looked around and saw a car with tinted windows parked across the way. When I stepped forward for a proper look, it backed away pretty quickly.

Two possibilities:

1. I did accidentally press the unlock button but not hear it, then the car locked itself. Fair enough - most mysteries have a very simple solution

2. The suspicious car contained a nerafious type with some kind of sensor that picked up my locking signal, copied it and reproduced it a couple of times to test it, unlocking and relocking the car.

Now in fairness, I have seen a lot of people park where that car parked and then reverse back to the entrance of my estate, having decided they were in the wrong place, but I am still very suspicious.

Any idea if the technology in number 2. above is available to crims, and if so, is it common here?

Thanks for your advice.

Anan1

AFAIK, most alarms have what's called rolling code, making it pretty much impossible for someone to clone the remote. Even if the guys in the other car were up to something, i'd assume they'd have waited until you were well out of the way.

steve-hosting36

My wife used to have a Peugeot 206 (about 5 years ago) and the alarm/locking system was a basic infra-red jobbie. I was able to use a universal remote control to learn the code and unlock the car with the remote control for the telly Scary stuff

hamiltron

Anan1 wrote:

AFAIK, most alarms have what's called rolling code, making it pretty much impossible for someone to clone the remote. Even if the guys in the other car were up to something, i'd assume they'd have waited until you were well out of the way.

I guess... but they would have to have been in range to receive the signal in order to clone the remote. I'm not sure if my car has rolling code - 03 Mondeo Zetec - likely to have it you think?

Anyway, I am thinking that it probably is just the simple answer - I accidentally did it myself. Will take extra precautions for the next few days to be sure though.

Masada

it will have a rolling code system in it., basically means that the car and key arrange which code there gonna use next time so that if the current code you are using is copied its still usless because the car and key arnt using that code anymore.,

bazz26

No offence to the OP but it seems to me a bit overkill to try and clone the remote control signal of a Mondeo or the likes even if it was possible. If it was a rare or high performance car then maybe.

crazylady333

k so the guys above a lot more technical, but it sounds like it may have been u accidentally. im in the process of having my key reprogrammed to enable button cnetral locking. (its suppose to do somat similar to ur own car) Now ive had it back to the garage twice and they cant do it, i have to carry it to a dealer who has to order a new key, and then reprograme it, so it sounds unlikely that its as easy as boys sitting pretty in their car wi another remote, but if so please pass on their number

dubtom

Cloning can be done and is, so no harm pulling a lead or two off to be sure. Thieves aren't snobs and will take anything they can make money on.

JHMEG

All modern (last 10 years or so) RF fobs use rolling codes. Impossible to clone. Well sort of. The clone might work, but only once. I'm speaking from experience here!

Also to make a clone, the receiver usually has to be within a few inches of the transmitter.