A friend of mine that works fro the Dallas Daily news is working on an article about this:

It seems that car thieves have found another way to steal your car or truck without any effort at all. The car thieves peer through the windshield of your car or truck, write down the VIN number from the label on the dash, go to the local car dealership and request a
duplicate key based on the VIN [number].

The car dealer's parts dept. will make a duplicate key from the VIN number without asking for proof of ownership or ID and collect payment from the thief who will return to your car. He doesn't have to break in, do any damage to the vehicle, or draw attention to himself. All he has to do is to walk up to your car, insert the key and off he goes to a local chop shop with your vehicle. It is that easy.

To keep this from happening to you, simply put some opaque (electrical, duct or medical) tape across the VIN label located on the dash board.

By law, you cannot remove the VIN [number], but you can cover it so it can't be viewed through the windshield by a car thief.

I urge you to forward this to your friends before some other car thief steals another vehicle.

 

Your dealer's parts dept has to be completely dumb to duplicate a key without verifying ID.

 

it's very true, all they need is the vin, nothing else

 

Wouldn't those keys have to be programmed? Does the car need to be programmed at the same time?

If those answers are yes, then this does not apply to the Z.

 

What the... the story sounds quite persuasive, but it's hard to happen in a real world, as long as Z's case. All the Z's keys have their own chip containing the specific electric signal working with your keybox. Remember when you buy the new Z, and the little metal thing comes with your spare set of remote controller and the key? It has 5-digit number there right? You need THAT THING to duplicate a key. (At least that's what I heard from a dealer) If you lose both of your key and you don't know the number, you'll probably end up buying the entire keybox system in order to get a new key. I don't know how much VIN could provide an information regarding this matter, but dealers WON'T simply duplicate the key with random weirdo just with VIN. Remember. You need that 5 DIGIT NUMBER in a little matal clip came with your spare key.

 

when I had to get new keys cut, the dealership asked for two forms of ID. They had in their registry who the owner was and wouldn't give keys to just anyone.

 

Snopes is the best web site on the internet. (Next to this one of course )

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/vin.asp

 

Yeah, heard that on the news a while ago. Its true.

 

Kind of hard to cover the VIN on a car registered in New York as it's displayed on the registration sticker on the windsheild.. Anyone could read it.. Any dealer who cuts a key without making sure you own the car should be shot.

Steve (k2we) Dobbs Ferry, NY 13,546 miles since Sept 17,2002

 

The new key will unlock, but not start the car. No information you can give to the dealer will get you a key that starts the car. You need to have an active key to program the new key into the immobilizer.

 

Well yes and know. All it takes is a lowly dirt bag unsatisfied employee at a dealership to get a scumbag thief all he needs. Key programmed for the immobilizer. Far fetched I know but an ounce of prevention........

 

can u press charges against the dealership for accessory to the theft?

 

I can see why it is an uphill battle to try and get people to use the search feature of forum...

 

If you obstruct the vin plate in NY they can tow your car. The one in the window is called the public VIN for a reason, it's for the public (police) to see.

 

It's also considered a security FEATURE to have your VIN laser etched into all the glass on the car. Makes it very difficult to renumber the car if it does get stolen.

Again, the dealer cut key can not and will not start the car. You need the new key, an existing programmed key, and the car all together to get the new working.

 

My VIN is not even in the normal place in the dash. That spot is blank. There is a place for the VIN but no VIN. My VIN is ONLY on the inside sill of the drivers door. Weird?

 

what about on a jeep that doesn't have electronic fancy keys and most other cars? this is possible right?

i guess i won't be worried about it tho

 

perhaps we should tell them to come up with an idea of... you have to have an ID, proof of purchase or something, and know your SSN. they should do that, cuz then otherwise itll be too easy.

 

I don't know about the Z's key's chip but this don't sound right. I'm sure nissan has a better system than that.

In my car, you must have at least one key to program another. They cars computer only remember 2 keys at a time, so after you program a new key, the lost key will not start the car. If you loose both keys, the dealer has to reprogram your computer through the OBD2 port. The dealer has to wait 15 minuts before it will let they overide the security system. This 15 minutes is so if a thief has the same system, he has to wait 15 minutes too.

The BMW thiefs are pretty clever. They bring their own ECU to the stolen car and swap them out. They hot wire the ignition, and their ECN senses the key the thief already has.

If they want it, they will get it.

 

i saw someone mention a jeep and other cars that dont have programmable keys. Well my 2000 wrangler has programable keys. Expensive too like 60$ a key. Kinda crazy for a jeep. But without the key programmed right the engine just wont start.