Have your car ended up stuck in anti theft mode and you are scratching your head and asking yourself the question of how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? If this is the case, then you are at the right place because there is a lot to cover on this topic and explain to you how this thing is done in practice.
Dealing with a thing like this can be really frustrating and can piss you off because the thing you have installed on your car for the safety of your car is working against you. It basically treats you like a crook who wants to steal his own car.
And this is no good. That’s why you need to pull up your sleeves and get to understand how to overcome this problem quickly and effectively and stop asking yourself how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? And we are going to help you out with how you can perform this quickly and effectively.
We will start from the basics and we will learn more about the anti theft system and its components. Then we will learn how you can tell if this system is on. Later in the article when we gather all this knowledge we are going to explain to you how you can get these things sorted out quickly and effectively. So, without further ado, let’s get into the topic.
How Do I Get My Car Out Of Anti Theft Mode… What Is It?
The anti theft system is a special system that serves the purpose of protecting your car from thefts. But how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? We will get there let’s first learn more about this system and why it is needed.
These anti theft systems were started to be included in motor vehicles in the late ’90s where car theft was a real problem on the streets. There were hundreds and sometimes thousands of cars stolen across the world each year and something about this had to be done for this problem to be solved.
So, car companies started to include these anti theft systems that protected the vehicle from breaking in and also impaired the thieves from starting the vehicle and driving off.
But how does this anti theft system work? The purpose of this system is to alert the people around that there is a theft in place. And the second was for the vehicle to cut off the fuel so the car couldn’t be started with a copycat key or by hot wiring.
The latter is when the burglar will open the car and will start the car with the wires under the steering column. And that wasn’t a trick but it worked if you connect the right wires. But these anti theft systems changed everything and burglars had to find a new way of stealing.
But how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? We will get there. First, let’s see what are the integral components of this anti theft system.
Key Components To How Do I Get My Car Out Of Anti Theft Mode
Now let’s discuss the integral components of the anti theft system. We said that every car has had this system since 1998. And almost 99% of the cars that we see out there are equipped with it. In the following chapters we are going to discuss the components of this system and later answer the question of how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? So, let’s get into it.
Car Alarm
The car alarm is probably the first component of this system that will come to your mind and this actually is the case. Car alarms are one of the integral components in the anti theft system.
The car alarm has shock sensors that react whenever something is going around the car. And can easily activate even if there is a car that is speeding and passes next to your car.
They turn on for no real reasons and people tend to ignore them. That’s why they are not so good at their work as they used to when they were first introduced on the market in the early ’90s.
Also, thieves have found ways to overcome these systems by learning how they work. But still, even with all its flaws, the car alarm is probably one of the most widely used anti theft devices that are installed on motorized vehicles. But how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? Well, we are going to cover that in a bit after we discuss another important component of these systems and that is the immobilizer.
Immobilizer
Besides the alarm, the immobilizer is the second most crucial component inside of your anti theft system. This immobilizer is a device installed in the steering cluster.
How it works is pretty simple. In your key, you have a small chip. Then when you insert your key into the ignition. The car computer is reading the code of this key and allows the car to start.
If the car isn’t able to read the key, the alarm will go off and the car will not start. Then you will be asking yourself how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? What could be wrong in this case? More about that we are going to cover a bit later when we will discuss the ways of how you can turn this system off and be able to start your car.
The immobilizer even though it is a really good anti theft device. It is still not 100% theft-proof. Burglars will hack your system and create a copycat key and start the car. Also, cars that are using rolling codes instead of a fixed code can be hacked and the signal of the keyless entry intercepted.
But even though this system is not perfect, it stopped car thefts by more than 60% since it still requires some advanced knowledge of hacking if someone wants to steal your car. But how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? More on that in a bit after we cover how do you know if the anti theft system is on.
How Do I Know That My Car’s Anti Theft Mode Is On?
Before we learn how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? Let’s first cover how do you know that your theft mode is on in your car. What are the signs that the theft mode is activated and you figure that there is a problem that has to be solved? And frankly, there are a couple of red flags that can indicate a problem with the anti theft system. So, let’s start discussing them.
1. Blinking Red Light Inside Of The Car
The first thing you will notice is the blinking red light inside of the car. When you lock the car with your key fob. It is normal for the light to turn on and blink every second or two depending on how much it was set up from the factory.
But if you unlock the car and it keeps blinking. It means that the anti theft system is armed and the car doesn’t recognize your key. So, in this case, there is a relatively low chance that you will be able to start the car.
If you try to start the car, the car will simply lock the wheel and you will not be able to turn the ignition on. The only way, in this case, will be to learn how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? But more on that, we are going to cover a bit later when we will discuss the possible fixes for this problem.
2. Car Doesn’t Want To Unlock
If your car is stuck in anti theft mode will also not want to unlock itself when you press the button for unlocking the vehicle.
The car will not react to your instructions. This means that there is something wrong. And that is most probably connected with the key itself. The key has some kind of problem that doesn’t allow you to enter the car. But how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? More on that a bit later after we cover all the possibilities to know if your car is stuck in anti theft mode.
3. Car Doesn’t Want To Start
If your car is stuck in anti theft mode the car will also not want to start. You might be able to unlock it. But soon after you put the key in the ignition, the car will simply not react and not start.
This is mostly because the car is not recognizing the key. It doesn’t receive a signal from it and the car computer is smart enough to react and think that this might be a case of theft.
The car computer simply doesn’t know that you are the owner. It just reacts that way when you put the key where you are not invited in. Similarly, if you go to a party and you are not invited, you are probably not able to get inside of the building. Which in this case is the car, you will not be able to start the car and you will be looking for how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? But more on that in a bit.
4. Steering Wheel Is Locked
Soon after you put the key in the ignition and the key is not recognized. You will experience the locking of the steering wheel. The steering wheel will simply lock itself into one position whenever you pull a maneuver with it.
It will not move even if you break it. This is the part of the anti theft system that is installed inside of your vehicle and it works. But in this case, works against you.
The only way to turn the wheel would be to get a key that is recognized by the car. This means that it has a chip inside like your standard key that works. The secondary key will do the job just right. If you don’t have a secondary key then good luck.
So, how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? That’s what we are going to cover a bit later after we finish with the probable outcomes if you try to open a car that has a malfunctioned anti theft system.
5. Alarm Goes Off
The last thing that could happen if you try to open a car that has an armed anti theft system is the alarm to go off. If the car has an alarm, of course. Because some cars do not have car alarms.
This can be a really humiliating situation especially if you are somewhere where there are a lot of people around. And the alarm will start buzzing and alert everyone. Everyone will point the finger at you, even if you are the rightful owner of the vehicle. And you could get in trouble in the worst case if the authorities show up.
So, how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? Well, that’s what we are going to cover in the following chapters where we will explain everything you need to do to unlock your car and drive it off.
How Do I Get My Car Out Of Anti Theft Mode?
So, how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? This depends and there are more than a few solutions for this issue. Depending much on your problem.
In the following chapters, we are going to cover most of these solutions and we are hoping that we will deliver some answers that will help you out to solve this problem of your car being stuck in anti theft mode quickly and effectively. So, let’s get into it.
1. Use Your Key Fob
The first thing you can try is to use the key fob that you use to unlock the car. This is basically the way you use to enter the vehicle. You are turning off the anti theft mode all of the times you enter your vehicle using this key fob.
Make sure that you are close enough to get the system disabled and you be able to enter the car. See what kind of options do you have, some key fobs have a feature to turn on and off the car alarm and disengage the alarm. This greatly depends on the vehicle that you use. Not all cars are the same and some of them might work differently. But if this doesn’t help then move on to the next step.
2. Unlock The Door With The Metal Key
If the key fob doesn’t react and lets you inside of the car, then there is a high chance that the battery is empty and you have to use the regular metal key to enter the vehicle.
You can try this method if you have an older vehicle that has this type of key that you can use to get inside of the car and turn the ignition over to turn off the anti theft mode.
If you don’t have a key like this or the chip that the key is powered on then you will have to move on to the next step.
3. Replace The Battery On The Key Fob
The first thing that will come to your mind when the car doesn’t want to unlock and get out of anti theft mode is to get a replacement battery for your key.
Maybe the battery is drained and doesn’t have the power to power up the chip that is in the key and make the car start. So, if you notice something like this, change the battery and get a quality replacement battery.
These batteries are usually flat and are easily replaceable. You just pop out the cover of the key and replace the battery with a new unit.
Then the car should unlock and you will be able to enter the car and start the car as well. This is the case because the car will recognize the key that you are inserting and will make sure that it starts right away. But it doesn’t work out, and you are still trying to learn how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? The last resort would be to call a locksmith or take your car to the dealership. And that we are going to cover next.
4. Call A Locksmith And Get A New Key For Your Car
The next logical step that you can make is to call a locksmith to program a key for you to get your car out of anti theft mode. A new key can be easily programmed by an experienced locksmith.
There are a ton of locksmiths that can come to your door and carry all of the equipment needed to program a new key. This also comes at a cost since they don’t work for cheap. So, prepare to pay a sum of cash if you want to get the functionality of your car back in check.
Another way is to go to the dealership and let them deal with the issue. They will likely sell you a new key for your car and this key might be more expensive than the locksmith will offer you. So, maybe you should call a locksmith if you want to get this sorted out quickly and effectively. If you don’t want to pay for a key.
You can install a simple device that will bypass the key and the anti theft system and that’s what we are going to cover next.
5. Install An Immobilizer Bypass Device
So, how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? The simplest answer for this question if you have a problem with your key is to install an immobilizer bypass device.
With this device, you will be able to start your car with the press of the button and drive off. Which means no key is needed to start the vehicle. These devices are also cheap and can cost you about $50 to $60 in the worst case.
Which is a really good deal. But you still have to know how to install it. So, if you are good at doing electrical work this might be it. Just be careful since you can burn the car to the ground. If you don’t connect the wires right and cause a short in the system.
How Much To Fix Getting My Car Out Of Anti Theft Mode
The cost to fix this problem would probably be the cost of a new key. You will simply need a new key if the system is not recognizing the old key and the anti theft system doesn’t shut off.
This is mostly because of a burned chip inside of the key. A new programmed key by an experienced locksmith will do the trick. And your car will run well as new once again. A new key also comes at a cost. You will highly likely have to pay about $250 or more in some cases.
If you go through the dealership, you will need to pay even more. Since they require a ton more money for simple services like these. And going through them for this issue is only in the worst cases. If nothing else helps to fix this problem. Also, an immobilizer bypass device is an option as well. These are fairly cheap but require some knowledge to set them up.
ar Anti-Theft Device Shutdown: Tips from A Locksmith
Here are 10 need-to-know facts from this article on how to shut off your car’s anti-theft device manually:
- A malfunctioning anti-theft system in your car can be caused by a dead key fob battery, a dead car battery, a damaged immobilizer chip in the key, or a damaged car door lock.
- If you’re in a situation where your car’s anti-theft device stops working, you can either consider hiring a locksmith or shut off the system yourself.
- Check the battery on your key fob to see if it is dead.
- Check your door lock cylinder for any damage that might have triggered the anti-theft system.
- Your vehicle might have a valet door or key that can only unlock your door but cannot start your car.
- Turn on the ignition without starting the engine to disable the system.
- Do a secondary check on the anti-theft light to ensure it’s not blinking.
- If the anti-theft light is no longer blinking, turn the key to the “off” position and wait for a couple of minutes to allow the system to reset.
- Insert the key into the door lock and turn it to unlock the car door without releasing it to disable the anti-theft system.
- If none of these methods work, or you’re in a critical situation, you can call a locksmith.
Conclusion On How Do I Get My Car Out Of Anti Theft Mode?
So, to sum things up real quick. We strongly hope that we answered the question of how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? We learned a lot about the safety systems that are installed in our vehicles. And what you could expect the car to react if the anti theft system is on.
Then we learned how do I get my car out of anti theft mode? We covered all the ways that you can use to pull this off. But you will likely need to get a new battery for your key. Or a new programmed key for your car.
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