According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), cases of vehicle-related crimes in England and Wales have significantly declined over the past few decades. While this is comforting news for car owners and a broad recognition of the improved security measures included as standard in new vehicles, we should remember that car thieves have not stopped operating.
It is therefore important not to become casual about vehicle security and run the risk of becoming a statistic ourselves. With that in mind, the following seven points are our top recommendations for improving car security.
1. Lock your car
This advice may seem obvious but ONS crime figures show that car owners consistently forget to apply this most basic security feature. Almost half of all vehicle-related thefts are because thieves had gained access through an unlocked door.
Get in the habit of always locking up, even if you will only be away from the car for a few seconds. Don’t solely rely on a quick press of the key fob either: check for audible or visual signals that the car has actually locked before you walk away. And if your Lexus has door mirrors that can automatically fold in when the car is locked, be sure to activate this feature – potential thieves recognise it is a clear visual sign of a locked car.
2. Keep valuables out of sight
Opportunist thieves are often looking for easy-to-grab valuables that have been left on display. Police report that items such as jewellery, bags, purses and wallets, cash, credit cards, clothes and documents are the most commonly stolen in vehicle-related crimes.
Reduce this risk by stashing valuables out of sight, such as in the glove box or boot. Better still, take those items away with you. And if you’re going to leave the car for a longer period of time, consider clearing the boot entirely and removing the parcel shelf or load cover to show thieves that there is nothing to steal.
3. Be mindful of signals
Most modern Lexus models are equipped with a keyless entry and start system – a convenience which sends a constant signal from the key fob in order to unlock the vehicle’s doors and de-activate the immobiliser as you approach. Although it is possible for tech-savvy thieves with special equipment to hijack this signal, they must be in close proximity to the key or vehicle.
So if you doubt the intentions of anybody in the immediate vicinity of your vehicle, wait for them to leave before approaching the car. Better still, whenever you are not driving, block the signal from the key by keeping it in a metal box or Faraday pouch. This is equally important at home as thieves can use a ‘daisy chain’ of receivers to relay the signal from the key (which is probably kept near the front door) to open the car.
4. Secure your port
Every new car sold in the UK since 2003 has been equipped with an on-board diagnostic port. Abbreviated to OBD, this port is a computer connection that allows the car to communicate messages about its mechanical health to an authorised technician. Unfortunately, thieves have discovered that with special equipment they can use this OBD port to programme blank keys to work with the car.
For this reason, some owners choose to secure their OBD port with an aftermarket lock. Typically, this can either be a lockable metal box that covers the port itself, or an electronic lock that works alongside the original immobiliser to disable the port when the ignition is off.
5. Protect your cat
Your catalytic converter, that is. The ‘cat’ forms part of your car’s emissions control system and cleans exhaust gases before they are expelled through the tailpipe. Unfortunately, the precious metals inside the cat that help to neutralise these passing gases are exactly that – precious. Which means that the catalytic converter itself has become a target for thieves.
Lexus UK has taken action to deter thieves by issuing thousands of SmartWater invisible marking kits to local initiatives, as well as providing Lexus customers with a free SmartWater forensic marking service at their local centre. Lexus has also developed a mechanical locking device to deter would-be thieves. These measures are explained in more detail in our dedicated article on catalytic converter theft.
6. Park with care
Thieves do not like performing in front of an audience, so the place where you park has a bearing on the vehicle’s vulnerability. ONS statistics show that the likelihood of experiencing a car-related crime is much lower in busy, town centre parking areas. This is especially true when car parks are well-lit and have manned or CCTV security coverage.
Similarly, the time at which you park your car has a bearing on its security. Most instances of car-related crimes occur in the early hours of the morning, so avoid leaving in your car in a dark, unfamiliar area overnight.
7. Extra security
Modern vehicles invariably come with a high level of built-in security – the specific features of which are usually designed to react in the event of an incident. But there are simple things you can do to actively dissuade a thief from pursuing an attack on your car. These precautions include:
- Using a brightly coloured mechanical device locked across the steering wheel, gear lever or clutch pedal will provide an excellent visual deterrent to a would-be thief. A well-known steering wheel ‘crook lock’ “Stop Lock Pro Elite” is what Lexus would advise fitting to models, particularly RX, NX and UX (other brands of steering wheel locks are available to purchase should you wish).
- We may be living in a digital age but nothing will persuade an opportunist to leave your car alone more effectively than a good old-fashioned piece of ironmongery. Or for that matter, a snarling dog.
More information on preventing car crime can be found by visiting the Police UK website – www.police.uk – and by searching ‘car crime’.
The Mercedes keyless entry and start system has a method of disabling the keys so that it isn’t necessary to store them in a metal box or Faraday pouch. This also has the advantage that batteries in the keys last longer.
Is it possible to do this with Lexus keys?
Hello Roger,
Thanks for your question.
Most new models have the facility to disable the smart entry.
The process to achieve this is described in Owner’s Manuals.
Which vehicle are you enquiring about?
Many thanks.
Thank you for your quick reply. Subject to a satisfactory test drive which I have booked in a couple of weeks time, I hope to order a new UX250h Takumi.
Hello Roger,
We hope you enjoy the test drive!
Let us know if there is anything we can do to assist with ordering your new vehicle.
Many thanks.
Could you tell me expected delivery time of 2023 ux 250h sport design
Hello Neil, thanks for your question.
Orders placed now for the MY23 UX 250h should be delivered in September 2023.
Thanks.
I had my two year old RX450 F Sport stolen off our drive three years ago. I wish my Lexus dealer had told me about Faraday pouches.
My new RX 450 F Sport is fitted with a Ghost immobilizer, I’ve had two CCTV cameras installed watching over the car, and a Stop Lock put over the steering wheel wherever I park. There is an Apple iTag hidden in the car and the key fob is obviously put in a pouch too!
We’re sorry to hear about your previous car Peter but it’s great you’re protecting your current Lexus RX.
Thank you.
Hi
So what’s the best way to protect the OBD on Lexus UX250h – My friend had Jag F type stolen recently locally so I’m a little scared for my beloved Lexus
Hello Nick, thanks for your question.
We would like to assure you that Lexus appreciates the severity of this crime and are constantly assessing the situation.
We would recommend securing your OBD port with an aftermarket lock. Typically, this can either be a lockable metal box that covers the port itself, or an electronic lock that works alongside the original immobiliser to disable the port when the ignition is off. Additionally, a steering lock is suggested as an anti-theft device.
Hope this helps.
Thanks.
I have an 18 year old RX400hand my catalytic converter has mow been stolen twice! It seems as if it is not worth repairing …. do you give any guarantee for another one?
Hello Antjony, thanks for your question.
We are very sorry to hear that you’ve been a victim of this crime.
Technically, any car fitted with a catalytic converter is at risk of theft, but organised criminal gangs have been targeting some of our older hybrid models due to the higher amount of precious metals within the catalytic converter. These materials were fitted to make the catalytic converter more efficient at removing harmful emissions, making the car cleaner. There was no way we could have envisaged the value of these materials rising so high in the last few years. As our hybrid systems have become more efficient our newer models have much reduced precious metal content in the catalytic converter, making them less attractive to thieves.
We have also engaged with the Home Office, Local MPs, the Met Police and the Assistant Chief Constable of Cheshire Police (Jenny Sims), who is also the National Lead for Vehicle Crime. This will raise the profile of the crime with all police forces and identify issues with current legislation.
We would recommend contacting our Customer Relations Team, as they are best placed to assist with this. You can find them on 0345 129 5484 or https://www.lexus.co.uk/forms/customer-relations-contact-us.
Once again, we are very sorry to hear that you’ve been a victim of this crime and hope that you are back on the road again soon.
Thanks.
The Stop Lock Pro Elite according to Amazon will not fit UX300e and the last update from Stop Lock is dated Sep 21 but says it is updated monthly. So which model fits?
Hello Pankaj, thanks for your question.
Please provide your Vehicle Registration so that we can look into this.
Thanks.
Questions for Lexus …..
As Lexus are aware of the numerous security issues with Lexus vehicles, why have they not changed the various designs to eradicate the shortcomings? Surely Lexus like all other vehicle manufacturers have a duty to supply a product which is free of all know design flaws? Surely suggesting that the vehicle purchasers should go out to aftermarket manufacturers in order to secure the Lexus designed insecure vehicle is somewhat naive.
Hello, thanks for your question.
We are aware of the security issues and appreciate the severity of this crime.
We would like to assure you that we are constantly assessing and monitoring this situation.
In order to combat this crime, we have published some advice and tips on improving car security. These include securing your OBD port with an aftermarket lock. Typically, this can either be a lockable metal box that covers the port itself, or an electronic lock that works alongside the original immobiliser to disable the port when the ignition is off. Additionally, it is advised to fit a steering lock to your vehicle.
Hope this helps.
Thanks.
I have had two Lexus cars stolen in less than 3 months…my current car is not a Lexus!
Hello Chris, thanks for your comment.
We are very sorry to hear this and apologise for the inconvenience and distress this must have caused.
We appreciate the severity of this crime and are constantly assessing the situation.
Please contact our Customer Relations Team if you wish to discuss this further. You can find them here: https://www.lexus.co.uk/forms/customer-relations-contact-us.
Thanks.
why are you not telling owners about how to turn off their remote start key fob I.e hold the lock button and whilst doing so press the unlock button twice
Hello Martin, thanks for your comment.
Our Technical Team have advised that not all vehicles and their keys have the ability to ‘go to sleep’. When the key is in this condition, it will only prevent the use of that key to allow opening of the door. If a person gains entry to the vehicle, they will still be able to access the OBD port. Therefore, we provide alternative security advice, which is detailed in this article. We also recommend the use of a steering lock.
Thanks.
Please improve gas mileage on the NX350…
Thanks
There was an attempted theft of my 2022 RX450h from my driveway. The thieves pulled the wheel arch trim off and pulled the bumper back to disconnect the passenger side headlight
They did this to get access to the wiring loom to disable the immobiliser and open/start the car
Fortunately the alarm went off because of the force they were using to get to the headlight
This is a gap in the security system that Lexus should really address
Hello Ray, thanks for reaching out to us.
We are very to hear about this experience and apologise for the distress this may have caused.
We would like to assure you that we are taking this situation very seriously and are constantly monitoring it.
We suggest securing your OBD port with an aftermarket lock. Typically, this can either be a lockable metal box that covers the port itself, or an electronic lock that works alongside the original immobiliser to disable the port when the ignition is off. Additionally, the use of a steering lock is recommended.
Thanks.
So I pay £60k+ for a car 3 months ago and the advice is for me to go at for on OBD protector and/or a steering lock
Why hasn’t Lexus modified the OBD to prevent this type of theft?
Hello Ray, thanks for your comment.
We are sorry that you are dissatisfied. We will pass this feedback along.
As this is a criminal matter, we would advise following police guidance on this issue.
Thanks.