My 2020 TRD Pro 4runner stolen by organized crime for resale in Africa

[Brandonium]

Likewise. I like using an old school key in my 2016 TEP. That push button crap is just lazy sauce.

 

[scanny]

I think with Toyota you have to turn the fob broadcasting off after every time you use it. If you remove the battery, then you can't open the doors with the lock/unlock button. It's kind of a shame you can't disable the proximity feature but leave the lock/unlock function working.

Some people are putting their keys in what is advertised as a faraday box or pouch. Some of these work and some do not.

There's a few problems with some of the cheaper mass produced units. Some aren't built that well and leak RF. Others may not prevent the leakage of RF for the specific frequencies used by the key.

The trick is to test it in close proximity to the car for the door unlock function and inside the car for push to start. Some negative reviews of boxes report that it does not block bluetooth or wifi although the key is not using those frequencies in the first place.

One problem with the RF blocking box is you're not likely to use it when you and the car is not home.

I am going to see how much of this can be disabled in the 4Runner itself so that the key won't matter.

Edit: disabling the Smart Key system is listed as a feature only the dealer can disable in my owner's manual. I am going to see what scan tools can do that.

Normally I disable keyfob by holding lock button and pressing unlock 2 times. Keyfob stop broadcasting and I can't unlock by just pulling door handle. But keyfob will be activated and will start broadcasting again if you press any button. I tried to remove battery from second spare keybob and see if I can live without battery and don't worry about forgetting to deactivate key or push a button and activate it by mistake.
So I found out that if you unlock door with mechanical key alarm start going on and it's pretty loud. The only way to disable it is to push engine start button keeping keyfob close to that button. It works, but it's a hassle to have keyfob without battery. I wondering if disabling smart key system disables key broadcasting or truck listening?

 

[bill444]

So I found out that if you unlock door with mechanical key alarm start going on and it's pretty loud. The only way to disable it is to push engine start button keeping keyfob close to that button. It works, but it's a hassle to have keyfob without battery. I wondering if disabling smart key system disables key broadcasting or truck listening?

Wow, good to know.

I disabled the Smart Key system on different 2016 Lexus and it prevented the car from listening. On that car, I could disable it from the Nav system's settings menu. I could open the doors with the fob button and had to hold the key near the start button before it would start. Essentially I had to follow the "dead battery" process to start the car.

 

[CutthroatSlam]

Likewise. I like using an old school key in my 2016 TEP. That push button crap is just lazy sauce.

I had the push to start break on a rental car and they had to deliver a new car to me and pick up the old one. That was back in 2011. Never again. Hate them things.

 

[CutthroatSlam]

What could have been....

 

[gptoy09]

That's a crazy story. Glad you got your truck back relatively in one piece. Hope insurance helps with getting it back just like new.

 

[scanny]

Wow, good to know.

I disabled the Smart Key system on different 2016 Lexus and it prevented the car from listening. On that car, I could disable it from the Nav system's settings menu. I could open the doors with the fob button and had to hold the key near the start button before it would start. Essentially I had to follow the "dead battery" process to start the car.

Just checked manual - Smart Key system can be turned off but it said that it can be changed only by Toyota dealer. I guess that if it turned off, the rear window can't be operated from outside at all? I wish Toyota kept a regular key I had in my 2010 T4R...

 

[Mr_Bingley]

Normally I disable keyfob by holding lock button and pressing unlock 2 times. Keyfob stop broadcasting and I can't unlock by just pulling door handle. But keyfob will be activated and will start broadcasting again if you press any button.

Just tried this with my 2021 ORP and it works! Thanks for this

 

[lewdog998]

My 2022 fob has a battery saver feature. It turns off the fob, thus it can work as anti theft.

You hold down the lock button and press the unlock button twice. The red light flashes twice 2 times then you release the lock button. Fob is then off.

For example you cannot open doors by putting your hand in the handle. You have to turn the fob back on by pressing the unlock button.

I do this every time I leave the vehicle.

WORKS on my 2020 Pro too!

 

[lets_go_4running]

OP here. Thanks for all your comments. As soon as I get back to the car I'm going to post pictures of the antenna sabotage they did, as it is quite a piece of work.

I noticed the mayday "phone home" button functionality (what some call DCM) seems disabled. What is usually the little green light is now red. I know some folks were previously looking for ways to disable this, and it seems the thieves have found a way without pulling the DCM fuse (which also kills the sound system). Besides chopping the antenna, perhaps they also did something programming via the ODB port as well?

Interestingly, the built-in GPS maps navigation still seems to work, at least when driving out in the open.

Some folks asked how I found the car. I didn't, it was the police. Perhaps they were onto these guys somehow...

For disabling smart keys, faraday cage is the easiest. The hold-lock-two-button-unlock is great, but forget once, regret forever.

 

[DEUS-MACH1NA]

What province are you in OP?

 

[Salvo Jimmy]

OP here.

For disabling smart keys, faraday cage is the easiest. The hold-lock-two-button-unlock is great, but forget once, regret forever.

But you can forget once to put it in the cage

 

[bayaz]

Crazy story. Here’s Scotty to the rescue: This Will Stop Any Thief from Stealing Your Car - YouTube

Another solution is to wheel your rig the way it was designed. I have so many dents, rock chips, and pinstriping that it’ll require thousands just to make it look sell-able.

 

[scanny]

Crazy story. Here’s Scotty to the rescue: This Will Stop Any Thief from Stealing Your Car - YouTube

Another solution is to wheel your rig the way it was designed. I have so many dents, rock chips, and pinstriping that it’ll require thousands just to make it look sell-able.

I have a suspicion that it you remove and put back that relay every day, it fails prematurely and probably in a place which doesn't have cell phone reception.

dents, chips and pinstriping are in the plans, but it requires probably a few years to naturally reach that condition : )

 

[91foxbody]

But you can forget once to put it in the cage[emoji6]

I’m religious about locking my doors on my car. I’ve gotten up in the middle of the night when I’ve even questioned whether or not I locked them (I had). I grill my family about making sure they lock the doors, and they roll their eyes every time.

Last week I answered a work phone call as I was parking and forgot to lock them. A prowler got into the truck that night and stole shit from the center console.

Everyone makes mistakes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CutthroatSlam]

Honestly, I truly feel sorry for those of you who have to live in the cesspool of urban America. Here in Montana, we don’t lock the doors to our home. Our cars are never at risk of theft. Everyone has guns and they know how to use them. Crime is mainly in the blue cities of Missoula and BozeAngeles.

 

[bayaz]

Honestly, I truly feel sorry for those of you who have to live in the cesspool of urban America. Here in Montana, we don’t lock the doors to our home. Our cars are never at risk of theft. Everyone has guns and they know how to use them. Crime is mainly in the blue cities of Missoula and BozeAngeles.

You’re living the dream, brother. Here in the socialist republic of California, we don’t lock our vehicles because it’s not going to stop thieves who smash and grab anyway

 

[CutthroatSlam]

You’re living the dream, brother. Here in the socialist republic of California, we don’t lock our vehicles because it’s not going to stop thieves who smash and grab anyway

I hear you. I work for the SF Federal Reserve, but I am based out of the LA office, though been working remote from Montana during COVID. The people up in SF say the situation is very bad up there. The crime rate is horrible. Prior manager is scared to ride BART due to the violence against Asians. The Progressives brought this upon the people. It's sad, because it was a very nice state when I grew up there as a kid. I'd say the last 20+ years it has been eroding badly.

 

[Salvo Jimmy]

BTW, I have found that when a fob is off and you turn it back on to unlock doors, if the other fob is close by, like in your wife’s purse who may be with you, it turns on that fob as well.

I discovered this when knowing I had turned my fob off and going to the T4R and finding I could open a door with hand in handle with the other fob close by.

So need to turn off both fobs to be sure.

Yeah, I know just put thenm in the box. LOL

 

[lets_go_4running]

OP here again with an update...

In addition to removing the SHORT PIN, the thieves also removed the H-LP LH-LO and H-LP RH-LO fuses:

And below, as promised, here is the nasty antenna sabotage that was done behind the ceiling panel of the trunk in an attempt to disable Toyota tracking.

It looks like they were just on a panicky cable snipping rampage. Then, either just for fun or perhaps due to ignorance, it looks like they also clipped the rear washer fluid hose which is just. wow.

The dealer is going to have fun with this. I'm going to get insurance to fix it all, including the damaged ceiling fabric.