Mazda3 may be vulnerable to break-ins

John Neff — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Budget, Sedan, Wagon, Etc., Mazda

We debated on posting this because we always seem to get nailed in the comments for advertising a new way to break the law, but we feel it's important information for Mazda3 owners and we're encouraged by Mazda's reaction to the situation so far. First the deets: it appears that a few owners of the Mazda3 have come back to their vehicles to find their valuables missing but no visible signs of breaking and entering like shattered glass or broken locks. The only clue left by thieves is a big dent in the front passenger door. Canadian website MobileMag.com got the skinny from an anonymous Mazda dealer that if one hits the passenger door hard in just the right spot it will affect the lock assembly mechanism and unlock the doors. Mystery solved.

Mazda has been aware of and working on this issue since October of 2006, and this month it began installing a "countermeasure" in all Mazda3s being built in Japan. For those who have already had their cars broken into, in some cases Mazda has agreed to install a reinforced door lock assembly and a protective plate to prevent the same break-in from happening again, though it has not offered to repair the dents. At this point, Mazda does not consider this "trick" a defect in the product and it hasn't decided whether or not all Mazda3s will be called back to have the countermeasure installed.

We think they should be voluntary called back and have the countermeasures installed. While a thief will get into your vehicle one way or another if he wants to, being able to do it without smashing glass or looking terribly suspicious makes the Mazda3 a much more tempting target. Still, no one should leave valuables out in the open and give criminals a reason to target your vehicle.

Thanks for the tip, Rich!

[Source: MobileMag.com]

Mazda3 may be vulnerable to break-ins originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Jan 2007 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Building a better mousetrap: Hi-tech cars deter thieves

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 18:35:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology

Somewhere in a metropolis near you, an unassuming vehicle sits and waits. The vehicle is a bait car, left by the police, in a large-scale effort to halt the rise of would-be criminals in your area. One city instituting such a policy is Minneapolis and by most accounts, it's a success.

The vehicles are left in urban areas that are frequently the scene of vehicle break-ins and thefts. The car itself is a rolling sound stage, filled with both video and audio surveillance. Along with recording all the action inside and outside the vehicle, they've equipped their decoy with a GPS unit, a remote engine-kill switch and a host of other electronics to keep tabs on the location and condition of the their vehicle.

Eventually, someone yields to the temptation and find themselves in the back of a squad car. Not quite the ride they were hoping to score.

The focus on stolen vehicles is at the urging of not only the public, but also the insurance industry. Some figures suggest that the average motorist pays a premium upwards of $200-300 per year, to cover the cost of break-ins to themselves and other drivers. Since approximately one-third of all auto insurance claims are the result of theft, it's a problem that almost all drivers have a stake in and proactive programs like this in Minneapolis may be the beginning of a sea change in certain areas.

[Source: TechNewsWorld]

Building a better mousetrap: Hi-tech cars deter thieves originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Sep 2006 18:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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