JL Anti-theft device to prevent engine starting

[huberro2]

Hi looking for a way to keep my JL Rubicon from being started. Like a hidden switch under the dash in the old days. True, a JL will not start without a FOB. Rumor has it that a thief can re-programmed a new FOB on the fly and run off with your vehicle. I thought of disconnecting the battery, but that may not be an option For one there are two batteries, second, I might get a false alert/disable the Electronic Vehicle Tracking System (EVTS) and/or, third, it will disable the alarm system. You may ask with EVTS why do you care. The vehicle will be found and returned. Well, I have had a returned stolen vehicle before and it never ran the same afterwards due to abuse. Probably red lined and joy ridden to the max. So, my question to the group is there a fuse I can disconnect? A dash switch installed to the fuse box. Some manual switch to keep the starter from getting any juice. A switch to prevent spark or fuel flow? A convenient way to neutralize or lock the power train. Maybe one of you electronics/shop mechs types would know. Something convenient so that one can de-activate the vehicle at home, at work, in the parking lot, on the trail, or some scary, dark place unattended, while hiking, shopping, partying in a club, or just parked. From all the stories I have read about jeep thefts, it would give me one more level of confidence. One more concern is someone breaking into the vehicle, putting the 4X4 in free wheel/tow mode, and towing it way to a chop shop. Ideas on this too? Not paranoid, just serious. Please no trolls or jokers. A big thanks, Ron

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[sf5211]

Hi Ron, I think a thief can’t program your Jeeps system to make it start but can program your fobs signal. Instead of going with an old fashioned cut off switch why not buy an inexpensive Faraday bag from Amazon for your fob.They work like a charm. No one is getting your signal with one.
Towing is another issue. It’s almost impossible to stop a tow theft. Even if your wheels are locked they can drag it onto a flatbed or use wheel dollys. But it’s very risky for them plus if you have EVTS you’ll be able to track your vehicle.
I would not disconnect my batteries.
$10.00 Faraday bag and I don’t believe your ever losing your Jeep to theft.

 

[patternman]

I ran across this webpage sometime back, I thought it was an interesting design & I bookmarked it.
DIY Immobiliser
http://www.d26.net/240sx/mirrors/DIY Immobilizer.html

 

[Equitasforall]

When I was a police officer our cars were equipped with an anti theft device that prevented the vehicle from being put in gear. It allowed the vehicle to be running on scene as necessary without allowing someone to hop in and grab the car. If the vehicle was going into the shop for service, the anti-theft system could be disabled by flipping a switch, thus allowing the location of the anti-theft device to remain secret and allow techs to drive the car. Wouldn’t prevent a tow away theft as stated in a previous post and wouldn’t work on a manual transmission, but worked well for us.

As I drove a "ghost" car (a car that looked NOTHING like a police car, but was equipped as one) I often had people admiring my car and asked jokingly if they could take it for a spin, to which I would reply “if you can move it, you can keep it.” Had many try but I never lost the bet.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Pull the fuse to the fuel pump.

 

[GreyFox]

If you've thought of all these things, a professional thief has too. Where there's a will there's a way. Unfortunately, I don't think there's much you can actually do to keep it from getting towed. If someone is going to chop it up, they probably couldn't care less about dragging it onto a flatbed. Man, and to think all I worry about is hitting a critter crossing the road

 

[Boutch76]

I have a manual transmission so I should be fine

 

[ToolMan514]

Well, your Wrangler won't start if you don't have your foot on the brake, so you could interrupt the brake-pedal sensor with a switch. I'm not recommending anyone do this, but it seems like the easiest physical change that could be made. It would also prevent you from pulling the transmission out of Park, since you have to put your foot on the pedal to shift... No, I have not done this, nor do I plan to, but I did have a thought that it might work for someone...

 

[four low]

Does anyone remember those Steering wheel to brake pedal locks, couldn't depress brake pedal, or turn steering wheel. Low Tech, but effective for "drive away " theft.
Think it was called " The Club"

 

[sf5211]

Does anyone remember those Steering wheel to brake pedal locks, couldn't depress brake pedal, or turn steering wheel. Low Tech, but effective for "drive away " theft.
Think it was called " The Club"

The problem with The Club is they can just hack saw your steering wheel. Although I won't knock anyone that uses one because I always said let the dirtbags work for it if they're gonna steal it.

 

[Notorious]

In my YJ I had aircraft toggle switches to where there was a specific sequence and position the toggles had to be in before the key would turn on the engine. I could have had a single switch but I intentionally wanted to make things difficult.

Fair warning though, the JL is a completely different beast than the YJ in terms of complexity. I really don’t want to be messing with my ignition system given all the tech that’s in these things.

No one wants anything stolen from them. As @GreyFox mentioned, anything we can think of as a theft deterrent, thieves can too. Pulling fuses is a great idea until you misplace, break or lose the fuse.

Lock your things, hide what you can and take your valuables with you. Installing a hidden gps tracker isn’t a bad idea. Lastly, make sure you have sweetheart insurance in case someone does steal your rig.

 

[AnnDee4444]

Hi looking for a way to keep my JL Rubicon from being started. Like a hidden switch under the dash in the old days. True, a JL will not start without a FOB. Rumor has it that a thief can re-programmed a new FOB on the fly and run off with your vehicle. I thought of disconnecting the battery, but that may not be an option For one there are two batteries, second, I might get a false alert/disable the Electronic Vehicle Tracking System (EVTS) and/or, third, it will disable the alarm system. You may ask with EVTS why do you care. The vehicle will be found and returned. Well, I have had a returned stolen vehicle before and it never ran the same afterwards due to abuse. Probably red lined and joy ridden to the max. So, my question to the group is there a fuse I can disconnect? A dash switch installed to the fuse box. Some manual switch to keep the starter from getting any juice. A switch to prevent spark or fuel flow? A convenient way to neutralize or lock the power train. Maybe one of you electronics/shop mechs types would know. Something convenient so that one can de-activate the vehicle at home, at work, in the parking lot, on the trail, or some scary, dark place unattended, while hiking, shopping, partying in a club, or just parked. From all the stories I have read about jeep thefts, it would give me one more level of confidence. One more concern is someone breaking into the vehicle, putting the 4X4 in free wheel/tow mode, and towing it way to a chop shop. Ideas on this too? Not paranoid, just serious. Please no trolls or jokers. A big thanks, Ron

First of all, which engine do you have? I'm thinking that putting a switch on the TDC sensor should do the trick. Just make sure it's on when ESS or BSG triggers... no telling what could happen otherwise.

On a much older vehicle I've added a switch to the negative wire of the coil, but this won't work with the JLs coil-on-plug arrangement.

I have a manual transmission so I should be fine

No.

 

[aaxxel]

When I was a police officer our cars were equipped with an anti-theft vehicle GPS device that prevented the vehicle from being put in gear. It allowed the vehicle to be running on scene as necessary without allowing someone to hop in and grab the car. If the vehicle was going into the shop for service, the anti-theft system could be disabled by flipping a switch, thus allowing the location of the anti-theft device to remain secret and allow techs to drive the car. Wouldn’t prevent a tow away theft as stated in a previous post and wouldn’t work on a manual transmission, but worked well for us. I often had people admiring my car and asked jokingly if they could take it for a spin, to which I would reply “if you can move it, you can keep it.” Had many try but I never lost the bet.

This is good! I only know GPS that can track location information, and I have never heard of the one you mentioned. Can you provide more detailed information about this kind of GPS? I desperately want to get one. Thanks in advance.

 

[txj2go]

In the old days I had a small toggle switch under my seat that was wired into the coil wire. Someone that didn't know it was there couldn't start the car but it could be hotwired easily enough. These days I don't worry about it so much but if I did worry about it I would wire in a similar switch and connect it to something less obvious such as someone mentioned the fuel pump. Is lojack still a thing? That might be a good purchase.

I had a car stolen many years ago, back when it was easy to hotwire a car. I was in the process of shopping for a new car and didn't get a good tradein price so I walked. Then my tradein was stolen so I thought that was great, I could negotiate without worrying about tradein so I bought a new car. 3 weeks later the police impound lot called and told me to come get my car. I got it, cleaned it up, had to put in a new ignition lock, and sold it through a newspaper ad.

 

[Equitasforall]

This is good! I only know GPS that can track location information, and I have never heard of the one you mentioned. Can you provide more detailed information about this kind of GPS? I desperately want to get one. Thanks in advance.

I never mentioned anything about a GPS device, and the anti-theft device equipped on our assigned vehicles had no GPS interaction. Not sure where the "GPS" part came from in your question.

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