RonsRig

I was wondering if anyone with a gray key has had their truck stolen. The perp that hit my truck broke the sliding glass window in the back and crawled in. He tried to pop the ignition when the alarm went off. I have several broken parts laying on the floor board including the lever for the tilt. He wanted to take the truck because he didn't take anything else.

I know the skim key works because I had a spare made just to open the doors in case I locked my keys in the truck. (I carry two small sets of keys instead on one large one) I cannot start the truck with that key. I was just wonder how effective it is at keeping the truck from being stolen.

Ron

t-boe

Don't have an answer to that one. It just irritates the heck out of me when someone would disrespect someone else like that . It also seems Arizona is a hotspot for CTD theft. Find'em and string'em up!

CD in NM

Theft was the #1 reason I did not get the rear sliding window, too easy to gain access. Sounds like your guy is not too good at car theft, made a mess out of it. The Dodge alarm system needs a few modules like glass-break and motion detection to improve their alarm system.

I also cannot answer the key question, I was considering getting one just in case I locked my keys in. I have the black key, no factory alarm. I am going to have a Clifford alarm installed in the spring. Till then I am staying out of Arizona, at least with my truck. My car has the Viper system, works to perfection.

I agree with t-boe, find'em and string'em up!! Theft in general irritates me, car theft irritates me even more. Too bad these guys cannot just get an education of some kind and then get a regular job. It would seem to me that the risk of getting caught far outweighs the money they earn stealing cars and trucks, they actually get a pittance of the value of what they steal. The middleman makes the biggest bucks. Kind of like slave labor isn't it?

CD

csxt665

Without the SKIM key, the truck will NOT run. People tried stealing a couple of trucks where I used to work with no luck. They all had the SKIM module, and the thief never got what they wanted.

KWKING

I use a steering wheel lock just as an added deterrent,since I already have one anyway,that way if they think they can beat the imobilizer they will still have to deal with the steering lock,I lock everything,wheel locks,gas cap,spare tire,being an electrician,I would like to electrify the dam thing and build a force field around it.I can park way on the other side of a parking lot and some A$$^@** in a S#$T box will still park 6" from my door!

reecegr

I install remote starters and alarms on the side and there is no way to steal a dodge with a skim key unless you know the value,and for that you need to the key,if you unplug the receiver in the steering colum that also sets it off.

00Dog

Is that the black keys that come with the truck or something else?

TurboTed

Sorry to hear about this, Ron. I'm glad they never got very far. I have the Viper alarm, grey key, and use the club. My brother has skim key, factory alarm, wheel club, and brake club. Theft in Alberta of HD pickups is very high now. Semis are even being stolen at alarming rates.

SRTchris

the key's have a "chip" in them. someone left a set at my store and after 2 months of sitting in my office i figured they wern't coming back and they didn't, so i cut the rubber off and in the middle of it there's a square "chip" 3/8 x 3/8. the guy's on the srt forum where i also frequent remove this "chip" open the steering colum and glue the chip right beside the ign tumbler so they can use "viper head keys" (vipers come with a killer alarm so don't need the key chip tech) i think is dumb to defeat your security for a key no-one ever sees, but to answer your question, yes there is a chip in em thats why there over $100.00 to replace when you loose one.

3500lly

I have a viper remote starter on my truck, so i had to get that chip bypassed with that other key behind the stearing colum...I did this for the remote start system but if I was worried about my truck being stolen in my area I probably wouldnt have done that

RonsRig

Thanks for your comments. It is reassuring that the SKIM key feature is really hard to defeat. It looks like I will have to have my SKIM replaced along with the molding under the steering column, the tilt lever and the sliding rear window. I may have them replace it with a one piece rear window and eliminate the slider.

Ron

96_12V

Ron,

Very sorry to hear about your break in. You did file a police report of the incident, yes? They can proably ID the individual based upon the mess they left and method of entry.

RonsRig

I filed a police report but they were not very helpful. The cop told me that these kinds of truck were very popular with the theives and there are a lot of them out there. I wasn't sure but I think I saw the guy. A little Mexican that was walking past my townhouse when I went out to check why the truck was honking. He told me that there were 2 other guys that went the other way. I didn't see the damage right away, or otherwise I would have detained him until the police came. If it happens again I am going to grab my gun.

LeftLane

On of my clients is Vigil GPS. Its basically a GPS tracking unit that gets installed in your truck so you can constantly monitor the position of your vehicle anywhere in the world. It also has the ability to remotely unlock your doors and (I really love this one) kill your ignition.
I don't see how it would have helped you in this situation but if the bum had been successful in ripping off your rig you could have tracked it, killed its ignition and called the police (or not). The box is about 200$(Canadian) and then 15$ a month for the service, but your insurance premiums should go down.
It's kind of strange, no one ever tried to steal my 1988 Plymouth Reliant. Maybe I should become the first guy to drop the 5.9 Cummins in a K car!

SRTchris

i don't think you need new keys, unless they got on of them.