4x4 Stolen

My 2002 4Runner was stolen, and then recovered by the police 24 hours
later.

They busted the rear panel of the passenger side window to get in. I
am assuming so because I found tinted broken glass where I last left
my car.

The curious thing is: there is no damage to the steering column nor
the ignition. I was able to put my key in and turn the car on just
fine after it was recovered.

How did they start it!? The insurance company is telling me that
someone got a hold of my keys, which is not possible!

Jossan

"Joe Garcia" > wrote in message
m...
> My 2002 4Runner was stolen, and then recovered by the police 24 hours
> later.
>
> They busted the rear panel of the passenger side window to get in. I
> am assuming so because I found tinted broken glass where I last left
> my car.
>
> The curious thing is: there is no damage to the steering column nor
> the ignition. I was able to put my key in and turn the car on just
> fine after it was recovered.
>
> How did they start it!? The insurance company is telling me that
> someone got a hold of my keys, which is not possible!
>
> Jossan

I am not sure about Toyota, but in a 1998 Dodge Durango(I sold the Durango a
year ago), a tech started it, drove it to the bay, did some work, and
parked it back. I forgot to leave my car keys, and they were able to start
it without them - with no damage. So I am sure there is some way to do this.
Some back door.

Also, when you get two sets of keys, third stays with the dealer - in case
you dont make the payments, the repo man gets them. Maybe someone got a hold
of these keys. This is how I think they were able to drive my Dodge...

"Joe Garcia" > wrote in message
m...
> My 2002 4Runner was stolen, and then recovered by the police 24 hours
> later.
>
> They busted the rear panel of the passenger side window to get in. I
> am assuming so because I found tinted broken glass where I last left
> my car.
>
> The curious thing is: there is no damage to the steering column nor
> the ignition. I was able to put my key in and turn the car on just
> fine after it was recovered.
>
> How did they start it!? The insurance company is telling me that
> someone got a hold of my keys, which is not possible!
>
> Jossan

I am not sure about Toyota, but in a 1998 Dodge Durango(I sold the Durango a
year ago), a tech started it, drove it to the bay, did some work, and
parked it back. I forgot to leave my car keys, and they were able to start
it without them - with no damage. So I am sure there is some way to do this.
Some back door.

Also, when you get two sets of keys, third stays with the dealer - in case
you dont make the payments, the repo man gets them. Maybe someone got a hold
of these keys. This is how I think they were able to drive my Dodge...

Dan J. Smereczynski wrote:

>
> "Joe Garcia" > wrote in message
> m...
>> My 2002 4Runner was stolen, and then recovered by the police 24 hours
>> later.
>>
>> They busted the rear panel of the passenger side window to get in. I
>> am assuming so because I found tinted broken glass where I last left
>> my car.
>>
>> The curious thing is: there is no damage to the steering column nor
>> the ignition. I was able to put my key in and turn the car on just
>> fine after it was recovered.
>>
>> How did they start it!? The insurance company is telling me that
>> someone got a hold of my keys, which is not possible!
>>
>> Jossan
>
> I am not sure about Toyota, but in a 1998 Dodge Durango(I sold the Durango
> a
> year ago), a tech started it, drove it to the bay, did some work, and
> parked it back. I forgot to leave my car keys, and they were able to start
> it without them - with no damage. So I am sure there is some way to do
> this. Some back door.
>
> Also, when you get two sets of keys, third stays with the dealer - in case
> you dont make the payments, the repo man gets them. Maybe someone got a
> hold of these keys. This is how I think they were able to drive my
> Dodge...
Why would they break the window if they had the keys? There are "master
key" type of things that have small sprind loaded tumblers just like the
lock which can balance with the tunblers in a lock (don't ask how I know of
this) so they could have started it that way, but then they could have
opened the doors that way too.

Dan J. Smereczynski wrote:

>
> "Joe Garcia" > wrote in message
> m...
>> My 2002 4Runner was stolen, and then recovered by the police 24 hours
>> later.
>>
>> They busted the rear panel of the passenger side window to get in. I
>> am assuming so because I found tinted broken glass where I last left
>> my car.
>>
>> The curious thing is: there is no damage to the steering column nor
>> the ignition. I was able to put my key in and turn the car on just
>> fine after it was recovered.
>>
>> How did they start it!? The insurance company is telling me that
>> someone got a hold of my keys, which is not possible!
>>
>> Jossan
>
> I am not sure about Toyota, but in a 1998 Dodge Durango(I sold the Durango
> a
> year ago), a tech started it, drove it to the bay, did some work, and
> parked it back. I forgot to leave my car keys, and they were able to start
> it without them - with no damage. So I am sure there is some way to do
> this. Some back door.
>
> Also, when you get two sets of keys, third stays with the dealer - in case
> you dont make the payments, the repo man gets them. Maybe someone got a
> hold of these keys. This is how I think they were able to drive my
> Dodge...
Why would they break the window if they had the keys? There are "master
key" type of things that have small sprind loaded tumblers just like the
lock which can balance with the tunblers in a lock (don't ask how I know of
this) so they could have started it that way, but then they could have
opened the doors that way too.

>>> Also, when you get two sets of keys, third stays with the dealer -
>> What fantasy land do you live in? The dealerships do not keep a 3rd
>> set of keys unless you are shopping at buy-here/pay-here places!
>> That's one of the more hilarious things I've read today. Thanks for
>> waking me up.
>>
> You're partially correct. If the car is financed, they usually keep
> the key code knockouts/tags. That allows any locksmith worth
> his salt to generate a set on one of the code machines. If you

In Europe practically every car comes with coded chip built into keys. AFAIK
this is not the case in US. I've had to add/replace key for two different
cars, and in both cases getting the correct chip in and coded properly was
major PITA. I don't think any dealership would keep third microchip-coded
key as it's just too complicated.

Peter

>>> Also, when you get two sets of keys, third stays with the dealer -
>> What fantasy land do you live in? The dealerships do not keep a 3rd
>> set of keys unless you are shopping at buy-here/pay-here places!
>> That's one of the more hilarious things I've read today. Thanks for
>> waking me up.
>>
> You're partially correct. If the car is financed, they usually keep
> the key code knockouts/tags. That allows any locksmith worth
> his salt to generate a set on one of the code machines. If you

In Europe practically every car comes with coded chip built into keys. AFAIK
this is not the case in US. I've had to add/replace key for two different
cars, and in both cases getting the correct chip in and coded properly was
major PITA. I don't think any dealership would keep third microchip-coded
key as it's just too complicated.

Peter

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 15:41:17 -0600, "Dan J. Smereczynski"
> wrote:


>Also, when you get two sets of keys, third stays with the dealer - in case
>you dont make the payments, the repo man gets them. Maybe someone got a hold
>of these keys. This is how I think they were able to drive my Dodge...

What fantasy land do you live in? The dealerships do not keep a 3rd
set of keys unless you are shopping at buy-here/pay-here places!
That's one of the more hilarious things I've read today. Thanks for
waking me up.

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 15:41:17 -0600, "Dan J. Smereczynski"
> wrote:


>Also, when you get two sets of keys, third stays with the dealer - in case
>you dont make the payments, the repo man gets them. Maybe someone got a hold
>of these keys. This is how I think they were able to drive my Dodge...

What fantasy land do you live in? The dealerships do not keep a 3rd
set of keys unless you are shopping at buy-here/pay-here places!
That's one of the more hilarious things I've read today. Thanks for
waking me up.

On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 10:06:20 -0500, DragonRider
> wrote:


>>Also, when you get two sets of keys, third stays with the dealer -
>What fantasy land do you live in? The dealerships do not keep a 3rd
>set of keys unless you are shopping at buy-here/pay-here places!
>That's one of the more hilarious things I've read today. Thanks for
>waking me up.
>
You're partially correct. If the car is financed, they usually keep
the key code knockouts/tags. That allows any locksmith worth
his salt to generate a set on one of the code machines. If you
think you've got all the keys and codes, you're living in a fantasy
world. About the only really secure way to keep your car is to
buy the microchip security devices and then add a key, which
recodes the car's computer. They can still get in and disable it
by taking the maximum number of tries. Then you need to have
it towed to get the thing restarted.

Dick Burg