General Emergency EPB release

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General Emergency EPB release

Joystickbluez

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Hello, I am new to the forum. Recently I have had a few thieves break into my fiat 500x pop star. The ignition is completely f*****, I have had the aa try to get what looks like a key in 3 million bits out but failed then a Fiat mechanic (a family friend) tried and did not succeed. Now I need to get it towed but how am I meant to get the epb off as key can't be put it car to get ignition into acc. Furthermore, if anyone can explain how they got in as there is no damage to the car or push dents in the door. They got in before but stole nothing and did nothing but move a seat back.
 
To make things worse 2 more fiats were broken into and had the ignition fooked. If anyone lives in uk Gravesend Kent keep a close eye on your fiat. any response would help me and ease the stress over my fiat when it is fixed of it getting stolen
 
A little disconcerting that they got in with no visible damage.

Things that cross my mind are:

1) As you have a key ignition then I assume you have a remote fob as well?

2) Were the deadlocks set?

3) The recovery service will just put a dolly under each rear wheel before hauling the car onto the low loader OR if a typically two wheel lift and tow arm is used then if the steering lock pretty much "straight ahead" then they will use two trolley jacks to lift the rear wheels up and put two wheel lift arm/dolly under the rear wheels and take the car backwards. (assuming you don't have an auto box?)

Sorry to hear about your misfortune and I hope the police find the culprits and bring then to the next AutoItalia where all the Fiat Forum and all the Italian car owners can have some fun :)
 
Yes the deadlocks were set and the 2015 model the two keys I have have a key and nothing else on the fob and the main key has a unlock, lock, boot unlock and flash lights
 
Yes the deadlocks were set and the 2015 model the two keys I have have a key and nothing else on the fob and the main key has a unlock, lock, boot unlock and flash lights

Ouch! In theory with the deadlocks set then any "slim jim" attempting the grab and pull and mechanical linkage bar to the internal handle or rocker assembly (if such exist) should not be able to be done.

Not tried to break into my 500X but I'm wondering if you were targetted by a "sniffer" in a car park and followed home or outside your house.

I would certainly be pressing to find out how it was done?
 
Ouch! In theory with the deadlocks set then any "slim jim" attempting the grab and pull and mechanical linkage bar to the internal handle or rocker assembly (if such exist) should not be able to be done.

Not tried to break into my 500X but I'm wondering if you were targetted by a "sniffer" in a car park and followed home or outside your house.

I would certainly be pressing to find out how it was done?

I dont think i was personally targeted i think they found an exploit in fiats imobilizer and can disable it and then use shaved keys to get it as from examining what we manged to get out it looks like a 1980's to 2000 key.

Also the car does not have an alarm so could have popped the door with aomething that inflates enough to push the manaul unlock button
 
Wait they are doing **** through the obd2 port as my cover for it was off the car and in my center console storage
 
Did you see my post from the other week? I had my car broken into without any damage at all. Didn't try and take the car, just the content of my boot. (I cant admit to what was in there, but it was worth taking......)

I thought that really I must have forgotten to lock it.... But now I hear this Im worrying even more. Are you keyless??
 
No and How the **** do I release? I need to know as they need to get the car moving as this is going through insurance not fiat and they need to get it on a trailer
 
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No and How the **** do I release? I need to know as they need to get the car moving as this is going through insurance not fiat and they need to get it on a trailer



Maybe pass the problem of getting the car to dealer on to Fiat? The insurance company can pick up the problem from there.
 
Maybe pass the problem of getting the car to dealer on to Fiat? The insurance company can pick up the problem from there.

They can't as I am not paying to have £200 to get towed and then not get a courtesy car if they don't have one where as if the insurance do it i only pay my £350 and get a courtesy car
 
I can't think of a way of disabling the EPB without the ignition key working, at least not one that would not potentially cause more damage to the car.
If the insurance company are paying, then I would expect that they would also sort the recovery, especially if the car was effectively immobilised as part of the original incident.
They could either arrange to have the EPB disabled in situ, lift the rear wheels & tow, or use sliders to load it onto a recovery truck with the wheels locked.
 
Have the recovery firm actually said that they can't recover the car until the EPB is released? They are normally quite resourceful and can deal with most situations.
 
Have the recovery firm actually said that they can't recover the car until the EPB is released? They are normally quite resourceful and can deal with most situations.

second recovery firm coming to street lift the car first one could not drag car as they did not realize the car had an epb and the cars steering lock was on. there paying but if i wanted to go to fiat then it would cost me
 
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Word of advise to everyone who owns a 500x, keep an eye on them over night and park with security cameras on them when possible. I say this as the tow guy told me that these thieves are targeting fiats and the new ford transits as they are easy to get into. He said they get a device to go in the door lock and it pumps up inside to realise the security pins or something like that
 
He said they get a device to go in the door lock and it pumps up inside to realise the security pins or something like that

Not heard of a device that "pumps" up inside the lock but there are lock picking tools for just about every house and car key type out there.

Now interestingly after a little research most of these pick tools require the pick tools are long and require straight in access.

On the Croma 2005+ the mechanical lock is hidden underneath the lift up door handle paddle and there is only just enough access space to get the emergency stubby key in.

Joystickbluez car was probably lock picked. Once in the thieves tried to pick the ignition lock and a combination of the steering wheel loading and the steering lock put too much pressure on whatever picking tools they were using and broke them off in the lock ????????
 
Trouble with scum like this is they don't care if they ruin your car and get nothing as they move onto the next one. If caught they get a smack on the bottom and told not to do it again even though they are normally serial offenders. I try if I can to park the 500x on the drive and the Seicento in front of the drive. This makes them think twice one would hope. If they do break in all they will find is some shopping bags and our cleaning kit.
 
I was down with my 500X playing with the settings/options and was possibly confused by my previous Croma 2005.

I was looking for an option, which I did not find, that put the boot/hatch release separate from the door unlock release.

Now no disrespect to 500X (or other) owners but after 42+ years of working on my Fiats I carry a comprehensive toolset, diag equipment etc. in my 500X all squirrelled away under the boot floor panel. Doing this has saved my bacon a few times (in other cars) on long European trips where "something" has occurred that for other would have resulted in a "call to the aid/recovery services".

Not wanting to be paranoid but I'm dreaming/thinking about how I can neatly and securely secure the 500X boot floor panel to protect the contents there in should someone gain access to the cabin.

In reality unless I come up with an acceptable solution I'll live the practicality / risk assessment scenario and hope the insurance company believes I carry all that stuff.

All this make you wonder about a separate entry alarm system not armed/disarmed with the Fiat systems but with a separate fob, but what a hassle that would prove to be.

It is amazing that in this day and age of un-crack able 256BIT encryption etc. car manufacturer's can't secure their vehicles. Simple lock pick, slim jim tool etc. and "you are in"!
 
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