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Guide

OBD port theft explained — and how to stop it

How thieves use your car's OBD port to clone keys in seconds — and the practical, fitted ways to stop them. Plain-English guide by Prime Motive.

OBD Port Theft

The same port your garage uses can be turned against you.

Every modern car has an OBD (on-board diagnostic) port — the socket a garage plugs into to read fault codes. Once a thief is inside the vehicle, they can plug a handheld device into that same port and programme a blank key in seconds, then drive away as if they owned it. No original key required.

OBD port locks add a physical barrier and are worth considering, but determined thieves can sometimes work around them, and like a Faraday pouch they rely on consistent use. The more complete answer is to make a programmed key worthless.

That's exactly what an Autowatch Ghost does. Even with a freshly cloned key, the engine won't start without your unique sequence — so the OBD attack, like the relay attack, simply fails. Protect the start, and you protect the car.

Protect it before someone else takes it

Want it sorted properly?

I'll fit the right system at your home across Warwickshire — hidden, approved and guaranteed.