I have fitted one of these to my 2018 Ducato PVC. The instructions are a bit confusing - I received useful advice from the Motorhome Fun forum on the fitting technique. The OBDsaver Basic involves coded (approx. 300 different variants) and countersunk special screws, which are freely accessible. In 2015 it was estimated that 6000 vehicles were stolen just in London by Gangs using “Keyless” Techniques. It affects mainly vehicles with the Keyless Entry system as seen in BMW, VW, Audi and Ford but can also affect regular “key ignition” vehicles too. So How are they doing it? The earliest OBD ports were introduced in the 1970s, and they became more prevalent on American cars in the 1980s. Californian legislation introduced in 1988 meant new cars sold there had to have basic OBD compliance. Don't underestimate the capacity of a thief to cause damage. If they need to remove trim panels to gain access to components they don't worry about having the correct drivers for the fixing screws, they just rip the whole lot off by force.

It was in 1996 that standards were used for the next iteration, known as OBD II or just OBD2. The ports used in vehicles improved greatly and had far more capabilities than their predecessors had. These standards are still in use today. All vehicles sold since that time follow the OBD2 standards. How Could a Thief Use This Technology? When any servicing or diagnostic work is required, the Universal OBDsaver can simply be removed using the unique individual coded key supplied. A: The OBDS has been successfully tested and validated by several vehicle manufacturers. No manufacturer raised concerns about the warranty. You can see an example from a well-known manufacturer under this LINK . NOTE: All sales on OBDsaver products are FINAL. This item cannot be returned under any circumstances.Before the 1990s, some car manufacturers used computer interfaces in the vehicles they made. However, there was no standardization with the old OBD ports in cars. It wasn’t until the California Air Resources Board started to push for standardization that things changed. This requirement meant that all cars in California were required to have OBD capabilities. Standards for these systems, however, weren’t implemented until 1994. No vehicle is completely safe. If thieves want it badly enough, they will get it. However, by extending their potential exposure time from a 6–8-minute window to the 12–15, the risk of getting caught goes up dramatically and they will usually move on to an easier target.

OBD has existed in various forms long before anyone ever uttered the words “infotainment” or “connected car.” It came about primarily because of two factors: The need to regulate emissions, and the mass adoption of electronic fuel injection by automakers beginning in the 1980s. The rules around OBD ports mean that car manufacturers cannot restrict their access, or make them hard to locate inside a car. For professional car thieves, this delivers a potentially efficient way to steal a vehicle. That’s not to say that vehicles aren’t stolen by other means. Key FOB relaying and amplification is another method of vehicle theft that is also in practice, however the above method is the most common. What can you do to prevent your vehicle from being stolen? Once thieves break into your car, they can easily access the OBD II port. Then, through an advanced reader, they can get information about the vehicle. The data obtained will be used to get the unique car key code and clone a key.Consider purchasing a quality video surveillance system. Ensure cameras are properly placed and functioning for day and night time use. Familiarize yourself with the system so it can be reviewed and accessed easily Thefts using OBD ports are just one of the methods used by professional car criminals. Exploiting keyless entry and start systems through relay devices is the tactic many people are aware of, but OBD thefts are also a problem. It will allow them to bypass the alarm systems in the vehicle, so no one will know that there is anything amiss. It is possible for thieves to troll a range of different neighborhoods and find vehicles that are easy for them to steal when they are using these advanced technologies to obtain vehicles. How to Make Your Vehicle Safer Diagnostics may be the most important function of OBD equipment, but these tools can also be used to make yourcar go faster.