[Cp Rooks]

I definitely like this Mobilistics relay idea. I personally I think the starter is better because I don't like the engine puttering out of fuel. Also worst case if the relay ever craps out you won't have your car shutoff while driving. Best to keep the original relay somewhere hidden in the car in case the Mobilistics craps out as well. Definitely need to hide the OBD2 port and get a dummy one snapped in its place.

[bowtie_thunder]

Originally Posted by Megahurtz

We install a hidden kill switch that requires human interaction to enable/disable. You actually have to flash the ECU to disable a specific ECU code so we pretty much only do it to the cars we tune. But I would say a majority of them go for the kill switch option. Works perfectly.

To the one saying no need for a kill switch since you have OnStar....that is a very flawed statement with the way these cars are being stolen now. The thieves are removing the rear side window and then using an OBD2 interface to plug into the car and allow it to be started, and then they disable Onstar as well within minutes. It only takes the these kind of thieves about 60 seconds to be gone with your car and another 120 seconds to cut onstar. OnStar would only be useful here if you actually saw the car being stolen as its happening and then got to an OnStar rep and they were able to connect to your car all in under 3 minutes. Very slim chance there.

With the kill switch, assuming the thieves never find it or know about it, will never be able to drive away with your car. The damage would be a cut out side rear window and maybe your key FOBs being deleted. But the good news is they wouldn't drive your car away. The bad news is you would likely need to have a window replaced and your key FOB's reprogramed. The kill switch won't stop someone with a tow truck taking your car though. But this is a smaller chance of happening vs the current way these cars are often being stolen.

If anyone in the Dallas/Fort Worth area is interested in a kill switch install, hit me up.

1. Absolutely about the OnStar stuff. A friend of mine had a 2SS with OnStar that was stolen and unrecovered because they pulled the fuse for this system. My 2018 1SS was stolen a month ago via window smash and OBD II method. They approached my car at 1:56 am, and were gone at 1:57 am. I highly doubt OnStar could have helped in this scenario.

2. I recently got a Trackhawk LTE GPS/Killswitch for my next Camaro, which uses a starter relay bypass. I want to know if these kind of switches interfere with remote start (manuals are QUITE hard to come by here in Southern California for obvious reasons, so I just gave up on that).

Originally Posted by Cp Rooks

I definitely like this Mobilistics relay idea. I personally I think the starter is better because I don't like the engine puttering out of fuel. Also worst case if the relay ever craps out you won't have your car shutoff while driving. Best to keep the original relay somewhere hidden in the car in case the Mobilistics craps out as well. Definitely need to hide the OBD2 port and get a dummy one snapped in its place.

To be honest, relocating the OBD II port is one option, however I've decided to simply put a lock on it with a proprietary key. People in my area use a combination of a brake/clutch lock and the port lock, and so far they've only suffered broken windows. That being said, like Megahurtz said, none of the above solutions (even if you had wheel boots on all four wheels) will stop thieves from simply towing your car away if they want it bad enough.

But if you can make it hard enough for a common criminal to steal in a few minutes time, they will likely move on to the next car. I hate even saying that LAST bit, but it is what it is.

[CalgaryZL1]

I just received my mild to wild in the mail today, going to use on the fuel pump system to kill power to it, unfortunately I have to change my daughters rear brakes tomorrow so as soon as I have installed this and can confirm it works I will let everyone know.

[MakCamaro]

Please report back, although the Mobilistics is easier to implemest and more cost efficient. However, if money is not an issue, using both solutions simultaneously would be another alternative for more sophisticated thieves

[Megahurtz]

Originally Posted by bowtie_thunder

1. Absolutely about the OnStar stuff. A friend of mine had a 2SS with OnStar that was stolen and unrecovered because they pulled the fuse for this system. My 2018 1SS was stolen a month ago via window smash and OBD II method. They approached my car at 1:56 am, and were gone at 1:57 am. I highly doubt OnStar could have helped in this scenario.

2. I recently got a Trackhawk LTE GPS/Killswitch for my next Camaro, which uses a starter relay bypass. I want to know if these kind of switches interfere with remote start (manuals are QUITE hard to come by here in Southern California for obvious reasons, so I just gave up on that).



To be honest, relocating the OBD II port is one option, however I've decided to simply put a lock on it with a proprietary key. People in my area use a combination of a brake/clutch lock and the port lock, and so far they've only suffered broken windows. That being said, like Megahurtz said, none of the above solutions (even if you had wheel boots on all four wheels) will stop thieves from simply towing your car away if they want it bad enough.

But if you can make it hard enough for a common criminal to steal in a few minutes time, they will likely move on to the next car. I hate even saying that LAST bit, but it is what it is.

The custom one we install cuts ignition. Remote start will not work if you have the killswitch active. But you can enable and disable it.

Now if only we can get that Retina Scanner to work.....

[Sephx1]

Following. For now it’s AirTags with speakers removed hidden in the car. From what I have seen they can’t be disabled by a thief unless they remove the battery. Tough to do if they don’t know where it is and can’t play a sound to it. One drawback is it doesn’t update as frequently as I would like. Might get a club for my son’s SS and have him put it on at school as well. He backs in and with the wheels turned it would be tough to get on a flatbed. Could they cut the wheel? Sure but there’s going to be easier cars to steal.

[CalgaryZL1]

Originally Posted by MakCamaro

Please report back, although the Mobilistics is easier to implemest and more cost efficient. However, if money is not an issue, using both solutions simultaneously would be another alternative for more sophisticated thieves

Ok started experimenting with the M to W and decided to try F55 fuel prime fuse in the front engine bay fuse box and it was quite interesting. once the mild to wild was installed in that fuse location it totally disabled starting ability, the brake pedal felt bricked. once activated the car went through a system check and decided it was good ie brake pedal felt spongy but wouldn’t let me start it, so I push the off and on button again with the remote and it automatically started the car as if using the factory remote start. So if you get the routine down, it might be an option. I am going to experiment with the other fuse options, most likely the fuel pump in the trunk fuse box next.

[keep_hope_alive]

I received my parts in the mail, a pretty good way to spend $10. I installed the dummy OBD II port and it fits fine. Next, I'll wire up the pins in a way that may, or may not, damage any reader that connects (can't share everything on the internet). My real OBD II port is not accessible and no longer useful. I can, at my will, perform the necessary steps to reactivate it. Remote start and all other functions are still fine. If someone steals this car, it will be with a different method.

Without OBD access to deactivate on-star GPS, I can next relocate the on-star GPS system so it's not easily removed and no one will know where it's at. I'm in the "look stock but be anything but" crowd.

Originally Posted by keep_hope_alive

Since we all want to reduce the chance of theft, and because we know that access to the OBD II port is the primary mode of attack for low-effort thieves, why not remove that access.

The factory OBD II port is held in place with two clips that are easily depressed from the cabin-side. I did it with my fingers. Once depressed, you can remove the OBD II port from the rear and gain access. That access looks like this:



From here you can either intercept data wiring to route to an interrupt switch (like a 4-pole toggle to remove data access), or you can hide this harness, or you can de-pin, whatever you want to eliminate useful access for a thief.

There are only eight wires used in this 2023 1SS, as shown here:



And the schematics for this port are as follows:






Removing this port from the socket and hiding it is free. It may be enough to deter a thief who is looking for an easy job. A missing port may cause them to go looking, or may deter them to look for an easier job. You can hide the port in several locations and then simply unhide to provide access to a shop or tech for actual service. If you have a range device to deactivate AFM, hiding the port may be handy if you don't like the light. Whatever your reason, this is a free step that may just make the difference between a 60 second job and a walk-away abort.


You may also feel like installing a fake port in place of the OEM port is a good deterrence, since a thief will notice the missing port andmay go looking. I would be better if the port had a functional 12V and ground so their tool would power up. You could even add some 10k ohm resistors between the data pins so it looked like something was there. Good news, you can buy the OEM port, pins, and retainer for a few dollars form Mouser Electronics.



And if you want to pin this to provide voltage so it appears as if it might work, and looks like it has pins, you can get the pins and retainer here also:






I have ordered the items above and will report back once received for a verification of fitment, but the part number is from the GM service manual and looks identical.


I do not recommend you do the following. This is the "do not do this" portion of the post:

Once you have pins and the replacement OBD II port, there is nothing stopping you from re-wiring this port with reverse polarity, meaning you put 12V on the ground and signal pins and then ground the 12V pin while serving the 12V side from a dedicated fuse at the battery (sized for the wire used). Doing this is not advised as it would destroy the tool being used to steal your car, or a tool used by an actual service tech to fix your POS. The latter is why a cover indicating access is not advised is strongly recommended.



Even with a cheap cover indicating that access is not recommended, you may be liable for damages that occur to scan tools that are connected to your booby-trap. Don't do this, even if you're tempted to. PSA over

The cheap cover may be recommended with the hidden port, to protect the pins from being shorted out. This depends on where you relocated the port.

[paradigm]

Originally Posted by keep_hope_alive

I received my parts in the mail, a pretty good way to spend $10. I installed the dummy OBD II port and it fits fine. Next, I'll wire up the pins in a way that may, or may not, damage any reader that connects (can't share everything on the internet). My real OBD II port is not accessible and no longer useful. I can, at my will, perform the necessary steps to reactivate it. Remote start and all other functions are still fine. If someone steals this car, it will be with a different method.

Without OBD access to deactivate on-star GPS, I can next relocate the on-star GPS system so it's not easily removed and no one will know where it's at. I'm in the "look stock but be anything but" crowd.

Did the molex header come with pins / wire?

[Ajc8]

people are over thinking this .... if you have a push button start stop switch, just buy another start stop switch, install it somewhere else hidden away, unplug the original, which is now not functional and a dummy switch, then wire up the new switch. Extending the wires should be easy, either by soldering, or an extension male female dongle. Thieves will waste their time wondering why rhe button doesn't work, whether they make a key fob or not.
to start the car, you use the newly located hidden button.

[The Chief (tm)]

Originally Posted by Ajc8

people are over thinking this .... if you have a push button start stop switch, just buy another start stop switch, install it somewhere else hidden away, unplug the original, which is now not functional and a dummy switch, then wire up the new switch. Extending the wires should be easy, either by soldering, or an extension male female dongle. Thieves will waste their time wondering why rhe button doesn't work, whether they make a key fob or not.
to start the car, you use the newly located hidden button.

I had been wondering this EXACT same thing; couldn't one route the "new" starter button into the center console, under the lid, and try one's best to make it NOT look like a starter button? And have it be underneath the USB ports (with stuff plugged into those), plus other junk around in there?

Because if the goal is to add just enough difficulty to convince the ne'er-do-well to move on to another target, then I wouldn't guess that said miscreant would think -- when the car didn't respond to the starter -- that it was something this "simple". And he sure wouldn't think that there was a real starter button hidden down in the console.

Heck, if burying it in the console meant "too much work" to start it every time, I'm sure that any number of the really smart people on here could route the starter to one of the HomeLink buttons (if you have them), or even to rig something inside the 12V compartment, under the lid.

This is all way beyond my own ability, but I would love to hear if anyone tries it, because I'm currently using my OBD for power to my Valentine 1 and would otherwise pay someone to rig up something of this nature.

[The Chief (tm)]

BTW how would this be for funny: re-route the starter button in whichever way is best, then re-wire the original starter button to...the horn. THAT'D shake the guy up...

[The Maverick]

Originally Posted by The Chief (tm)

BTW how would this be for funny: re-route the starter button in whichever way is best, then re-wire the original starter button to...the horn. THAT'D shake the guy up...

Or to trigger the alarm! The problem with fun solutions like this is if you ever take your car into the tire shop, then everyone gets to know your "secret." Hence the benefit of something that incorporates ready manual reversibility for such circumstances. For instance, some of the replacement fuel/starter relays offer a valet mode.

[The Chief (tm)]

Originally Posted by The Maverick

Or to trigger the alarm! The problem with fun solutions like this is if you ever take your car into the tire shop, then everyone gets to know your "secret." Hence the benefit of something that incorporates ready manual reversibility for such circumstances. For instance, some of the replacement fuel/starter relays offer a valet mode.

Mav,

Sure, true enough. Of course I'd be less worried about the tire shop "finding out" than I would be re-assured that a would-be thief would be put off by the change. (I suppose we'd have to introduce, into the Venn Diagram, the chance that the tire shop would communicate this to their close-by network of car thieves...?)

So I will admit I am still unsure on the concept: I believe I thought that the Immobilizer would work even if someone pulled the relay, but are we (the forum) not yet sure if this is true?

Because if it still works even when pulled, then for a thief to steal the car, am I correct in thinking that he would have to:

- pop the hood
- know to look for the relay
- have brought a replacement relay