Your questions answered: Why is my Toyota so easy to steal?

Charging clarifications, vanishing LandCruisers and old Volkswagens this week in Your Questions Answered.

Got an automotive question but you don’t know where to find the information you need? Never fear, email us here at editor@carsales.com.au.

Hi team, just wanted to add a comment about emergency electric vehicle (EV) chargers. Not a criticism, but your response may lead to confusion.

The answer given was that the cable needed to be 2.5 square mm in diameter; it’s the trio of copper wires within in the cable that each need to be 2.5mm square mm. and not the actual cable itself.

Much better to call it a 15-amp rated cable (which is not always yellow), which can be distinguished from the normal household 10-amp cable by its larger earth pin which prevents it from being connected to a basic 10-amp household power point.

And as you say, keep the cable unwound when in use and only as long as you need. – David

Answer: Thanks David for clarifying our comments around extension cords being used for charging electric cars. I knew what I meant but didn’t express it too clearly! It’s the thickness of the copper conduit within the insulation shroud that provides the surface area which helps things run cool, not the actual diameter of the extension cord itself.

As mentioned last week, too, I absolutely recommend seeking professional advice about your charging needs, and not just the word of your brother’s next door neighbour’s son who used to do a bit of sparky work back in the day.

Hi carsales, I’ve seen a few articles about late-model Toyotas being stolen a lot, especially in Melbourne. I’m not a mechanic so I’m not sure how the thieves are doing it. Is there anything that can be done to stop it, besides having insurance or a very big dog that lives in your car? – Vito

Answer: Hi Vito, I like the idea of a car dog! It’s true, unfortunately… thieves have worked out how to adopt relatively affordable and accessible firmware tools to easily side-step a vehicle’s stock security measures.

Without providing a step-by-step guide on ‘How to steal a Toyota’, the basic issue is that thieves have worked out how to access the vehicle’s on-board computers via the controller network area (CAN) bus. In short, the CAN bus is like your car’s USB port. Thieves are accessing the wiring in one of a couple of spots, using a device that deletes then recreates the vehicle key’s unique fingerprint and allowing them easy access.

Toyotas seem to be particularly susceptible to the attacks, which can likely be traced back to less-than-robust base level programming within the car’s management computers.

The fix is relatively simple, though it does come with a potential wrinkle. I’m old enough to remember friends with modified Toranas and the like who would add a hidden switch to the ignition circuit that, when activated, would cut the circuit and immobilise the vehicle.

It could be tucked up under the dash, hidden behind a fake dash button, or placed under a seat… basically somewhere it couldn’t be easily found. And this old fix could be the solution to the current issue of Toyota thefts.

These days, too, it’s possible to be extra sneaky with the way an immobiliser is activated. For example, it can be wired so that your car will only start if a sun visor or air vent is flipped down or a centre console bin is cracked open a centimetre. It can even be teamed up with a Bluetooth device, which means the car will only start if a suitably paired phone is in proximity.

The issue, though, is that your dealer may deem such aftermarket measures a warranty breach. Yes, my eyes are rolling as well, but by the letter of the law, they do have a leg to stand on.

Toyota claims that it’s actioned a series of security updates for the LandCruiser 300 Series, Prado 250 Series and new-generation HiLux at a factory level, as well as reminding punters they can buy ‘factory-approved’ immobilisers through Toyota itself. This, of course, doesn’t really help current owners. Maybe the dog idea is the best one, after all.

My son is looking at buying a car, and his heart is set on a 2018 Volkswagen Golf. It seems like a good deal, and appears to be well looked after and has had all its services done.

My concern for him is that the car is approaching 200,000km on the clock, which to me is hard to fathom! I know you can’t comment on the car itself, but what do you think about the idea of buying used cars with such big odometer readings? – Tom

Answer: Hey Tom, great question. I’ve always abided by the adage that it’s age, not kilometres, that kills cars.

A ten-year-old car with 25,000km on it sounds great on paper, but if it has sat still for weeks and months at a time, I would be worried about dried-out seals and the like. As well, service history still applies to low-kilometre cars. I used to chuckle when my dad would take his chronically underused car in for a service every six months without fail, but in hindsight, someone got a great buy when he sold it.

If someone doesn’t use the car, they’re less likely to service it, as well. Old oil, dud batteries, out-of-date tyres… The potential problems could outweigh the lure of low kilometres.

Your son has the power in this transaction, because big-mile cars are a notoriously hard sell. But if the service history is sound, if the car presents well and – most important of all – a mechanical inspection doesn’t throw up any big issues, he could get a good deal.

Doing his homework on the powertrain will help; older diesel Volkswagens are pretty sound, but the potential for expensive dual-clutch gearbox fixes could be high.

The views stated in this advice column are advisory only. Questions may be edited for clarity and length.

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