Expert: INSTALLSUPPORT - 7/16/2009

Question
QUESTION: My son's 2008 Dodge truck was stolen without any damage to the ignition.  His own keys were not used.  Now the Dodge dealer is saying that this is impossible as these trucks cannot be started and stolen without the key and the insurance investigator doubts his claim that the truck was stolen.  Have there been other cases of these 2008 Dodge trucks being stolen?  If so, how do the thieves get past the chip key security?

ANSWER: Only by towing it out.
The dealer is correct. The Smart Key immobilizer
MUST see the ignition key matched to it to start.
Only other ways are 1. side tow truck to lift and take it.
and an actual Dodge technician with a 10,000.00 certified
code writer. Short of that, SOMEONE is not telling
the whole story.

Sorry, but that's from knowing what it takes to actually
circumvent that system and I can tell you it's pretty much
a 2 hour affair under the dash with all the under panels
pulled. Tools everywhere, etc...

Not likely.

Dig deeper here for the truth I think.

Good hunting. :>(

ALARMTEK

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: When he had the truck in for servicing in February, it was brought back to him with the plastic all around the ignition all pulled out --- when he pointed it out to the autobody manager, the manager said "Looks like someone was trying to steal your truck" and sent the truck back to be fixed.  The truck had been brought in for repairs to the front bumper.  My question is, could something have been done to the ignition at that time that would make stealing of the truck in the future possible?  Thanks for your previous quick answer.

ANSWER: Sure. All things are possible.
How long after that event did the truck disappear?

Welcome.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: That happened in February and the truck was stolen about 3 weeks ago.  If something could have been done at that time, what exactly would it be?  Any ideas?

Answer
Only thing I can think of is Dodge turned off the transponder
"smart key" when they went to repair it, and forgot
to turn it back on.

But that is a propretary to Dodge / Chrysler.
Your normal mechanic would not be able to do it.
Dodge would have had to in that instance.

Hard to say just what allowed the ignition to
be bypassed unless the answer is there was
NOTHING to bypass when they returned it to your son.

(Good luck trying to prove it thow :>( )

RM