Can my remote unlock other cars?

By Miss Cellania in Auto & Transportation on Dec 30, 2009 at 7:45 pm

Anyone with a remote car lock has wondered at one time or another whether the signal is really one-of-a-kind. What are the chances that your keyless entry could unlock someone else’s car? It turns out the odds are pretty slim.

Modern remote keyless entry systems are pretty secure, but there is a slight chance Jason could open another Camry if he wants to walk up to one and press the unlock button on his remote (assuming it uses a 40-bit code) one trillion, ninety-nine billion, five hundred eleven million, six hundred twenty-seven thousand, seven hundred and seventy-six times, running through all the possible codes his remote could transmit until one works (assuming he can hit the button once every second without taking any breaks, he’ll need just shy of 34,842 years to do so).

Mental_floss explains how the coded radio signals work on a keyless entry and why the odds of unlocking another car are so small. Link

Tags: Car, keyless entry, lock, remote control

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Edward
Dec 30th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
All I know is that one time in the Lowes parking lot, when I pressed my remote buttons, another car’s horn sounded. I thought about investigating further, but did not want to know the answer.Next time I will.
seekshelter
Dec 30th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
ive unlocked other cars with my keys… you can also buy replacement remotes if you lose yours…
renderanything
Dec 30th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
It also depends on the age of your car and the design of the system. I have a vehicle from the early nineties which uses an infrared remote. There are only a small finite number of codes which were used in this system making it much more likely someone else out there will have the same code.
Alan
Dec 31st, 2009 at 11:13 am
I used my remote in a parking lot and started someone’s truck. After thinking it was a fluke, I repeated the trick for my wife. I’m sure his cab was nice and warm when he went home.
linty
Dec 31st, 2009 at 1:50 pm
from 3 years as a locksmith I can tell you that your chances are much better with the keys themselves…of which there are a much more limited amount of possibilities and more importantly, tolerances are sloppy.

Still, with modern transponder technology you still won’t get the car started.
Jeff C
Dec 31st, 2009 at 7:05 pm
With my late-90′s mercury remote, when I unlocked my car, it locked my neighbors car. I could tell because his horn honked and lights flashed. The opposite didn’t work, however.
mike 1
Jan 1st, 2010 at 7:54 am
my key fob sets off someone else’s car alarm. Once a week I drive by and wake them and their neighbors up.
dave s
Jan 11th, 2010 at 7:07 pm
My 2005 honda fob made the late model chevy next to me in a parking lot beep and the lights work weakly. Do not know if i was unlocking the doors. did it many times and showed my wife.
Dutch Schultz
Mar 10th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
BS is free today I see. Some people like to spread it freely…
discovery
Dec 4th, 2010 at 7:23 am
My problem is that my car remote also unlocks my neighbors car, they are both the same make but different models and 3 years apart in ages. The strange think is that it has just started to happen after about 4 1/2 years. Now when I go out and unlock my car – car unlocks and I drive away leaving my neighbours car unlocked it does lock it self after few minutes but it is not very comforting it only happens with my remote the neighbours car remote does not unlock mine – does any one have any ideas of a fix or is it a garage job – it is a pain – thanks
Sp8
Jan 7th, 2011 at 11:47 am
to Discovery – my car is at the shop right now for your same problem – they can’t seem to fix it!!

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