How anti-theft secure are our 4Runners?

[dingo]

Hey guys, I was just wondering how secure the door and hatch locks are on our 4th gen runners. The reason why I ask is that lately there have been a number of car break-ins at my work. I park my runner in a gated garage, but that in itself is no guarantee. It is a pretty huge complex and anyone can just walk into the garage if the opportunity arises.
Anyway, does anyone know if the 4runner is easy to jimmy open the door(s)? I never leave stuff in plain view and always keep the glove locked. I also have a big red Autolock installed between the floor and the brake pedal arm (not that I may need it because of the engine immobilizer system, I just use it because it's left over from our old Nissan).

My friend's/co-worker's '03 Mustang (which was parked in the opposite garage) was broken into yesterday during work hours. She is pretty good about locking her doors. We were wondering if the thief jimmy'd the door or has some master key (is there such a thing)? Strange thing is they only took her registration, car manual, and a set of keys. There were other things they could have taken but didn't. Last week, another co-worker's VW Jetta was broken into, and she usually parks next to me in the adjacent stall! My 4runner was fortunately untouched (knock on wood). Another co-worker of mine drives a 3rd gen 4runner Limited and fortunately has had no break-ins. I'm hoping that runners are less savory for theives. Does anyone know the extent of Toyota's anti-theft design in our runners? Just curious, thanks for reading just the same.

 

[kubes71]

Strange thing is they only took her registration, car manual, and a set of keys.

Please make sure your friend changes her locks at home and is very aware of her surroundings. Her registration probably lists her home address and they may think they have keys to her house!

And I'm not trying to sound paranoid, but you mentioned another friend (female) had her Jetta broken in to. Just make sure they are aware that this could be more than just someone looking for "free stuff".

 

[racefan_67]

Check out the thread for how people are stealing the spare tires from our trucks......pretty sad......aAnyways, just a story about my experience....I had my 2001 Mustang Cobra Convertible broken into at a mall parking and absolutely nothing was taken...all that was damaged was the steering column where they apparently tried to hotwire it???.....but a month later after I had the damage fixed, it was taken right from my driveway during the light of day.....the police involved figured it was part of a ring going around targeting high end cars and getting important numbers off the steering columns(?) and such so that coded keys could be made...they found out where I lived from my registration and then cased me out before deciding when to take it.....it never was recovered. The police told me that I wasn't the only one reporting this kind of theft at the time.....I always keep my ownership and insurance slip in my wallet and never leave any personal info in my truck after this fun ride...take it for what it's worth, if a thief wants your vehicle, he'll get it but you can do little things to make it more difficult..... also, not to go off on a tangent regarding the details of the other break-ins but have your co-workers somehow check to make sure that they aren't applying for credit cards and loans and such....identity theft is big and very costly and has stressed out quite a few people trying to clear there names and get their lives back........I would love to catch someone in the act one day....bless their souls.....


:goinposta

 

[599er]

I would love to catch someone in the act one day....bless their souls.....

You could always move south. Legal to shoot someone for stealing your vehicle in GA -- but only if you're in it.

 

[viper4evr2001]

when mine got broke into, they took a flathead to the top of the passenger side window and poped it...which broke my window. if theres a will theres a way you just got to make it so it makes it harder for them, or so theres no will.

 

[wilsoncwil]

You could always move south. Legal to shoot someone for stealing your vehicle in GA -- but only if you're in it.

The Governator needs to sign a bill that allowed that. Too many car jackers out here in Cali.

 

[dingo]

Yeah, I hear you guys. Kubes71, fortunately, the keys that were taken from my coworker's mustang was to her mother's house and not her own. We all told her to watch her stuff closely too. She filed a police report and contacted the DMV already. Luckily my wife works for the California DMV and followed up for her to make sure nobody was trying to falsify or use her registration info.

I'm glad that Toyota decided to remove the key slot from the right front passenger door on the 4th gen runner. I never onced opened a vehicle using that right side, always my driver's side. One less tumbler to worry about. I don't even use the rear hatch key hole other than to roll the hatch window back up (which is also rare). I am a little dissappointed at the glove compartment's lock though. It seems a little flimsy and rattles a little. racefan_67, I will take your advice into consideration - I'm thinking of removing my reg and insurance info from my cars and just carry them with me, good idea.

Speaking of spare tires, I'm going to get a lock for my spare this weekend too. Just ticks me off that we take great lengths and effort to protect our hard earned and well cared for vehicles only for some a-hole to violate and vandalize them in some way. Thieves and bad people majorly suck @ss. I would have no hesitation to pound the living $#it out of anyone messing with my vehicles. After a my old Carolla and Acura being broken into, I've had enough of these lowlife $#its. I apologize for the language, just had to vent.

 

[Uneek]

Like above, the theives are either targeting females and/or where the owner lives and looking for a bigger loot other than the car's contents.

My friend had his Corolla broken into and they only thing they took was the garage door opener. They could've taken more valuable stuff, like the stereo, but didn't.

My dad had a coworker's friend who came back and discovered that her car was broken into and missing were registration and garage door opener. Her quick reaction when calling the police and asking them not to come to her car but goto her home instead caught the theives getting ready to drive away from her house with her belongings.

Unfortunately, no manufacturer has thought about this. HomeLink remains powered even when the vehicle is off, thus, if your car is parked outside or near your home, the key inside is a broken car window or doorlock away. I didn't program my HomeLink because there might be a night that I'll just leave my truck outside and forget to activate the garage door lock (it sets the opener to ignore any remote commands). I've read a solution for this first at the Acura CL forums and the over at ClubLexus. Cut the constant 12v wire to the HomeLink unit and rewire it to either the ACC or ON side with the ignition that way it won't work without the key. The power source for the dimming mirror was where most people tapped into.

I hope this never happens to any of us, but sadly, it's unevitable.

 

[RickyCRX]

An easier way around that is to have a power switch inside your garage where you can turn off the power to the garage door opener at night. When I moved into my house, that was one of the first things I did when I was doing some wiring work in the garage. I installed a switch right inside the walk-in door that I ALWAYS use to kill the power to the garage door opener every time I walk out of the garage and lock the side door (I have a detached garage, but still a good idea to do it).

Ricky