X5 BROKEN into
 

Okay this didnt just happen. it happened back in november but i'm still questioning it. It was my mothers 4.6is..Anyway heres what went down:

she was parked at work, when she heard an announcement saying that a car had been broekn into blah blah blah silver X5. When she got outside all of her windows were open and the doors were disarmed. Nothing was stolen but the glove box was torn apart. anyway, the police said that they got in by ripping off the key hole cover and just sticking a screw driver in which disarmed the alarm and unlocked all the doors and rolled all the windows down. I thought this was crazy so i tried it myself when she got home. It worked! Is this something that can be changed by BMW or is this just some stupid safety feature BMW put on their cars? :dunno:

oh e53.....

this is a major security issue if this is in fact a true situation...???:cool:

i wouldnt lie. i did it myself..all i did was stick a screw driver in and turn and it did that crap. its scary right?

yes, i am surprised no one else has chimed in on this matter?? Maybe its old news...:dunno:

I think you can have added security by setting pin numbers before you can start the car? Not sure whether this will help with the way it was broken into :dunno:

That is why some people put the solid painted keyhole cover on the drivers door... but then you lose the keyhole in case of lost key initialization or dead key remote.

yeah the code. my mom has been using that lately. they broke in but werent able to get teh car started..thats whats important

Oh great... first side mirrors now this. :rolleyes:

Odd though the thieves only went through the glove box... Any idea what they could be looking for?

police said the valet key. i think they were looking for that and the rim lock key..i would want those 87s!

Yup, that's a security flaw...

There's an option to NOT have the security/alarm system be disarmed by the key, instead only the remote can arm/disarm the alarm.

Same thing happened to me...funny thing is, i came home from Jersey that evening. I didn't go the keyhole delete route but took certain steps to ensure it wouldn't happen again or at least so easily.

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...-violated.html

Even if that theif trick didn't work, they would break the window. Basically, if they want in, they are getting in. (unless you got protection package with the THICK windows, then those will laugh at a 9mm round!)

And they were probably looking for the valet or wheel key or whatever electronic goodies could be hiding in there... But just know the only way they could take the whole truck without a key is on a tow truck :D I'd love to see someone try to get past the EWS system.

they love the 4.6..its just too pretty ;)

i couldnt believe it though, they didnt take the Passport radar detector. it was sitting right there!

That is very comforting. :thumbup:Thanks.

They musta been banking on that valet key... NEVER a good idea to keep an extra key in the vehicle.

there is no such thing as thief-proof BMWs, if they want to take the vehicles there is no way you could stop the pros from doing it. gone in 60 seconds proves it.

first gone in 60 seconds is a movie, second im pretty sure geting keys made for someone elses car is a lot harder than that, third i dont think the real pros are gonna be nabbing X5s, i mean seriously if you were a "pro" what would you steal

There, I just corrected it for you.

This is a VERY interesting thread and presents a few things I never knew.

TQ2K - if someone chooses to only have the alarm activate/deactivate with the remote then what happens when the remote dies or doesn't work in a certain area (like due to an electromagnetic field or strong underground magnet)? I understand that it won't go off, not that an alarm thwarts thieves anymore IMHO, but that's about it.

- The keyhole delete is something that I was once interested in, but frankly I can think of more disadvantages than advantages to that option.

- I agree with weasel, keeping a valet key in a car is insane. As far as a wheel key, that's a different story as one might be needed if you get a flat, etc. just not in the glovebox (unless it's locked of course).

- A huge issue I have with the E53 X5, and unfortunately the E70 is no better, is that you cannot lock the center console storage area. I don't understand why only the 7 series has this feature.

- As far as stealing the car without the key... they use a computer. Didn't you read about Beckham's X5 Security car in Spain a while back?

But an "average" thief will not be able to start an X5. now of course, if they get a computer or i donnu what (like meister said) then ok, they can start it... but it's unlikely... as weasel said, it would be interesting to see a thief starting an X5 ;)

About hold ups (only practical way to steal an X5), I heard of some sort of a system: the car will not run for more than 1km if a certain card is not inside it. So the trick is that you have to always carry this electronic card with you (like RF tag) and the X will know that you are inside it and will run normally. If someone holds you up by cutting your way and sticking a gun to your head, then you calmly get out of the X and hand him the key (but the card is with you, on your body, in a pocket let's say) so when he takes the car and goes away, the car will notice the abscence of the card and will stop itself after 1km. meanwhile, you inform the police... it wouldn't be hard to find an X stopped in the middle of the road :D ... a nice surprise for the thugs, huh? it costs around 300$ and the dealer is installing it in lebanon!

just not mine ok :thumbup:
you steal my X you better run god damn it, :gun: