Trust us when we tell you that you aren’t the only ones to lock ourselves outside your car—getting stranded outside your vehicle and scratching your head? We’ve been there too.
If you’re still stranded outside looking for a way to unlock your car, you’ve arrived at the right spot. This article shall cover a lot on how to get your car out of anti-theft mode while covering the correct practices.
How To Get Your Car Out of Anti-Theft Mode?
While the anti-theft mode in a car is to protect your vehicle and keep it safe, at the same time, it can also be pretty frustrating if it works against you, with you ending up getting locked outside your car.
Your vehicle basically treats you as a crook trying to steal a car. But that’s no good. So, gear up and pull up your sleeve because this guide shall help you overcome this issue. Let’s get started from the basics.
What Is an Anti-Theft Mode?
An anti-theft mode is a system designed to protect cars from thefts. These anti-theft systems date back to the late 1990s. These systems came into being due to increased car thefts. Every year, hundreds and thousands of vehicles would get stolen. And this problem demanded a solution quickly.
Consequently, vehicle manufacturers began to include anti-theft systems to:
- Impairing thieves from starting cars
- Protecting vehicles from break-ins
- Alerting people around
- Cutting off the fuel to the vehicle to keep it from turning on
How Does an Anti-Theft System Work?
An anti-theft system works in collaboration with sensors inside and outside of the vehicles. As the sensor detects movements inside the vehicle, it activates the sensors. The activation of sensors activates the anti-theft system’s alarms, and with the alarms going off, people around get alerted.
The sensors are so sensitive that even the slightest movement in the vehicle can trigger the anti-theft system’s alarm. While most vehicles include alarms fitted by the manufacturers, in case your vehicle doesn’t have one, you can get it installed later on too. So, what are the integral elements of this system?
The Key Components of An Anti-Theft System
Since the late 1990s, almost all cars have been equipped with an anti-theft system. But it’s also vital to know the critical elements of the system.
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Car Alarm
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Immobilizer
When you think of an anti-theft system, the first thing that comes to your mind instantly is an alarm system. This is an essential component of the system.
Car alarms are equipped with shock sensors; these sensors get activated with movements near the vehicle. These alarms are so sensitive to movements that even cars speeding or passing by can trigger them.
Since they’re triggered by the slightest movements, people end up ignoring them. Hence, they are not as good as they used to be back in the 90s. Furthermore, thieves have also found their own hacks to bypass the alarms. Despite the shortcomings, car alarms are widely used as anti-theft systems worldwide.
Besides car alarms, an immobilizer is another critical component of the anti-theft system. This device can be installed in the steering cluster. It works very simply.
A chip is installed into your key; when you enter your key into the ignition, the computer of your car decrypts the code and allows your vehicle to start.
On the other hand, if your car fails to decrypt the code, the alarm gets triggered, signaling people around. Your vehicle doesn’t start either. Even though the immobilizer is better than an alarm, however, thieves have found their way around it.
These thieves will hack into the system of your vehicle and make a copycat key to start your car. Vehicles that use a rolling code in place of a fixed code are easier to hack and signal keyless entry.
Despite the loopholes, the immobilizer has been effective in stopping car thefts by up to 65 percent. Because hacking an immobilizer requires skills and knowledge of hacking.
But your car not starting; is it even because of the anti-theft mode?
How Do You Know That Your Car Is in Anti-Theft Mode?
There are a few signs that can signify problems with the anti-theft mode of your car.
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The Red Blinking Light
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The Car Doesn’t Unlock
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The Car Doesn’t Start
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A Locked Steering Wheel
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The Alarm Keeps Buzzing
When you use the key fob to lock your car, a blinking red light is normal. However, if it keeps blinking after unlocking, there may be an issue with the anti-theft mode. This means that there may be a low probability of your car turning on.
In this case, the steering wheel will get locked, and you won’t be able to turn on the ignition. The solution to this shall be discussed later on. If your car is not showing the red blinking light, don’t take a sigh of relief just yet, there may be another indication.
Keep pressing that unlock button; try twisting the key as much as possible, but if your car is in anti-theft mode, it won’t open.
The car will not comply with any instructions, which means there’s something wrong, and most probably, that problem is with the key, which is why the car won’t unlock.
While unlocking the car may be easy, if the car is in anti-theft mode, turning it on may be a more significant problem. The reason is that the computer of your vehicle fails to recognize your key.
The smart system in your car may not receive a signal from the key, putting the car in anti-theft mode.
Soon after the computer fails to recognize the key, it locks the steering wheel. This means that the steering wheel will not move and stay in one position only. The only way to make it move is by using a recognized key.
The last thing you would want in such a situation is for that annoying alarm to go off. Subjected to if your car has one. Such a situation can be very embarrassing, with many people around pointing you out because of a buzzing alarm.
Even if you’re the owner, people speculate you as a thief. And things can get even worse if law enforcement agencies show up. To save yourself embarrassment and trouble, try the following tips.
How To Get Your Car Out of Anti-Theft Mode? – The Solution
The solution to getting your car out of anti-theft mode is more dependent on the problem you’re facing. We shall cover the most effective methods on how to get your car out of anti-theft mode.
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The Key Fob
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Replace The Key Fob’s Battery
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Unlock Using a Metal Key
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Call A Locksmith
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An Immobilizer Bypass Device
The first solution to unlock your car by using a key fob. The key fob is how to enter your vehicle. Each time you get into your vehicle using the key fob, you’re disabling the anti-theft system.
Ensure you’re at a safe distance for the system to disable; only then can you enter your vehicle while disabling the anti-theft system.
Key fobs offer different options. Some key fobs have features to enable and disable the alarm. However, this mainly depends on the make and model of your car. Furthermore, it won’t work on an empty battery either.
If your key fob doesn’t work, it may be because of the battery being drained out. Try replacing the battery of your key fob. How would you know that your key fob’s battery is drained out? The key fob fails the start the car or power the chip.
The battery of a key fob is easily replaceable and typically flat. All you need to do is pop off the cover and replace the battery. This should allow you to unlock your car and start the vehicle.
Since the vehicle only recognizes the specific key, and as you insert it, it shall start the car. But in case this doesn’t work for you, try the next tip.
If your vehicle doesn’t come with a key fob, or the key fob didn’t work for you, use your basic metal key. In case you’ve got an older vehicle, you can use the metal key to enter and turn on the ignition to disable the anti-theft mode.
But in case your car doesn’t come with a metal key, skip to the next step.
If you’re still outside your vehicle in a very frustrated mood, worry not because an experienced locksmith will help you out. A locksmith can help you get your car out of the anti-theft mode by programming a key.
You can find tons of locksmiths across the town who can also facilitate you at your doorstep. However, this comes with a price tag. So, keep your wallet ready to make your car functional.
If you cannot find a reliable locksmith, try contacting your car dealer, they’ll find you a solution. The car dealership will most likely sell you a new key to unlock your car. However, the price tag here is more significant than a locksmith.
If these tips have failed to help you out, or you’re frequently getting locked out of your vehicle, simply install an immobilizer bypass device. This device will assist you in turning your car on with a single click. That means you don’t need a key to start your car.
However, these devices come with a price tag of $50 to $60, which is an excellent deal. It’s wise to get it installed by a professional car electrician. Else you stand the risk of causing a short circuit in the wiring of your car.
FAQs
How To Get a Car Out of Anti-Theft Mode Without Key?
The easiest way to get rid of the anti-theft mode without a key is by disconnecting the battery. Disconnect the battery for a couple of minutes. This will reset the system. You can easily detach the battery by removing the positive and negative terminals.
Wait for a few minutes before reconnecting. And ta-da, your problem’s solved.
Will Disconnecting the Battery Reset Anti-Theft?
Good news for you because disconnecting the battery will help reset the system of your vehicle. This, in turn, will reset the anti-theft mode.
Is There a Fuse for An Anti-Theft System?
Luckily, there is a fuse to diffuse the anti-theft mode. You can find the fuse panel on the driver’s side dashboard, near the left knee. In case you’re unable to look it through the owner’s manual. However, removing the fuse may not let your car turn on.
But, removing and reinstalling the fuse will reset the anti-theft system.
How Do You Bypass an Ignition Immobilizer?
There are three ways to bypass an ignition immobilizer:
- Place the key in the keyhole
- Bypass the module
- Extract the key fob
Placing the key with the ignition deactivates the immobilizer. Some keys even have added security features that reactivate the immobilizer as soon as you move away from the vehicle.
If you don’t have your key around, an immobilizer bypass device can help you out. These costs anywhere from $35 to $60.
Removing the key from the key fob can let you bypass the immobilizer. Start with placing the key near the ignition such that the immobilizer light doesn’t show with the start of the car.
What Triggers a Theft-Deterrent System?
A theft-deterrent system can be triggered by various factors, including:
- A copy of your key was made to break into your car – key learning
- A forced entry was attempted via the door, hood, or trunk
- A movement was detected within your vehicle
- In the case of electric cars – a charging alarm
- If someone bumps into your car
- Your car was moved
- A fast movement was detected near the car
How Much Does It Cost to Reset the Anti-Theft System?
The costs to reset an anti-theft system can vary from $0 to $150. This entirely depends upon the method you opt for. In case you choose to consult a dealership, it may cost you from $75 to $150.
However, if you opt to do it yourself, it can cost you absolutely nothing.
To Sum It Up
While an anti-theft system is crucial to keep your car protected, it can also create a lot of nuisances. And in such a situation, you must be fully prepared to deal with disturbances, alongside knowing how to get your car out of anti-theft mode.
To help you in such a situation, we’ve compiled a guide consisting of methods on how to get your car out of anti-theft mode, along with a few FAQs. However, the best way to save yourself from trouble is regular maintenance by professionals.
