Geeks and Thievery
 

About 10 days ago I walked outside on Monday morn and found my Jeep gone and a little heap of broken glass. Last night I got a call from the cops that they found my Jeep and were towing it, my choice, to my apt or the yard. $155 later, I have it and the steering column is hacked, the back vent window is gone, and they took a few things but left the rest.

Thinking about all that, and that I am more of a geek than a gearhead, I started looking around and found some things that y'all might be interested in. First, this:

GPS-GSM Tracker (sub $100):
http://www.ankaka.com/gps-tracker-w-...tion_p286.html

You can read what they do in detail but the gist of it is that it uses the GSM cell network to send SMSs with your Jeep's position. It is event driven, meaning that when something happens, like you call the tracker or the tracker perceives something it sends SMS of the Jeep's position. I like the first one b/c it has the 2-way com, GEO-Fence, and SOS and I wonder if I can hack it to make it use my radio or speaker system (insult, threaten, etc) ;) But the second one says that it has kill switch ability and so that might be a better choice once I am more cool about stealing my stuff.

This needs a SIM card and one complaint is that some carriers are expensive. I looked around and found this:

SIMple Calling SIM Card (sub $20 with $10 credit included) :
http://www.planetomni.com/SIM_CTRY_usasimple_DTL.shtml

It is not too cheap to use (25 cents roundtrip SMS) but it is pay as you go and you do have some control on what the tracker will send and complete control on what you send. You can tweak this to fit your wallet and sense of paranoia. ;) It also uses 3 networks (T-Mobile, AT&T, and Rogers for Canada) so you have a better chance of coverage. And your number stays alive for a longer period of time than some other SIM card plans. YMMV...

As for Kill Switches, I have been following the discussion on what to kill and where to put the switch. I offer for your consideration:

My Fav (Key Fob Remote Relay Switch sub $20):
http://www.electronix.com/catalog/pr...ducts_id/20115

You can imagine the places to put this, what to kill, what to arm, etc. and now there is no switch to find unless they have your keys.

Cell Phone Activator (sub $20):
http://www.electronix.com/catalog/pr...ducts_id/12408

Use a cheap throw away phone (Net10 is my choice but yours may differ), hook up this to your kill switch and call your Jeep to make it stop - I think... the description doesn't say exactly how it works.

All that said, I haven't tried any of it yet so it is just a working theory. I am still trying to get my Jeep started and will wait until I get that far before putting more money into it... ;)

If anyone has any ideas on that, they cracked the column and broke the mechanical link from the ignition to the plunger that seemingly starts and runs the car. I can move the plunger to get the engine lights, radio, etc to work, but no love on getting the starter to engage. There are 3 wires hanging down and one is stripped, haven't tried much connecting them as I figured I would blow a fuse and complicate this more. I am hoping that I don't need to open the column more to get the ignition wires out but whatever it takes. I have an old column to pick up this weekend and if I hack this too much I have a backup plan I can do sooner instead of later. Opinions? How can I get this running now?

Thanks

1993 Jeep Cherokee
4.0 HO, Floor Shift Auto

P.S. If you use the tracker to spy on your GF and you don't like what you find... not my fault... ;)

I'm into ham radio and I run APRS which when my XJ is moving, will beacon a data packet out that is received out to anyone listening or over to the internet.

Here is my car for example (my tracker is currently getting repaired, but you get the idea) http://aprs.fi/info/KE7JFF-9

I have a heard of a few stories where hams with APRS had their car stolen and was recovered using APRS.

Er... I modified the link, but you do realize you just posted the location of your jeep, down to what, 15 meters, for the entire internet to see? Probably not a really good idea. Especially since it apparently shows the route traveled. :sweatdrop:

Still that's really cool.

Yes...that's kind of the point and you kind of accept that if you put yourself on APRS. And I don't care if other people can see me.

Ref the steering console hack...
 

I just took this pic of the hacked steering console:
Attachment 21960

This is a better idea of how it works:
Attachment 21962

As you can see, they busted open the console, busted the connection to the Ignition Switch Actuator Rack, and messed up the spring that engages the large pin that locks the steering wheel. I am guessing that they pulled the Ignition Switch Actuator Rod to start and run the Jeep. However, when I do that, the Rod comes most of the way out and the engine lights, radio lights, etc come on but pulling it the rest of the way makes everything go off, like it was trying to start without the starter turning over. No sound of the solenoid engaging. Nada...

These are the wires pulled:
Attachment 21961

Any chance these might be related to getting the starter to turn over? My current thought is that there is a missing part to the process and that pulling the Rod all the way is not enough to start the starter? If that should work then I have a bigger issue. But if there is more to it then I need to figure out what I am missing in the process.

Help? I am not seeing anything on the Net that can answer that question...

Thanks

Anybody have a clue what I'm talking about?
 

Honestly, I'm kinda surprised that there isn't more comments on this after 221 views. A little black box that let's you track down the sumb*tch that stole your Jeep? A way to kill switch your car without a manual switch using a key fob? A way to shutdown your Jeep with a phone call? A way to build your own personal OnStar SOS system? That's cool stuff... or at least it seems so to me. Once I get my Jeep rolling again and I do that stuff, I'll let you know how cool with a HowTo/Build or two on it.

The other question, about how to get my Jeep moving again after it was stolen and recovered? Well, I would have thought that was interesting too because we are talking about how people steal your stuff, but it is what it is. Maybe there's something about it on YouTube...:wallbash:

Thanks.

I've never seen this happen with a jeep. The last time I saw this was with a Honda CRX where the fruitcakes were doing the same thing to get the car started. And I don't know how it was fixed.

Remote shutdown can be done; its just requires some planning.

First and foremost, you sir (jeepmanman), are a geek ninja. I'm loving those links you posted up. Killing your jeep with a phone call and getting a text telling you where you stranded the SOB's?? That's epic. I'd so bring my shotgun with me and teach em a thing or two.

Second, just from looking at that sweet diagram you posted, you might want to try pushing the actuator rod INTO the steering column (towards the steering wheel). It looks like doing that would push the "sector" into what would be the "start" position of the key-lock. From what i understood of your explanation, you were pulling it (away from the steering wheel) which might only be putting it on "Accesory". Sorry if i'm wrong and just telling you to do what you're already doing.

Yes Sir-
Super Geek Ninja!

This is a fantastic write up on possible (depending on your skill level) thinsg to do to get your ride back.
Is there anyway to make sure the doors lock also? When you shut it down, so maybe it makes it a B*t*h to get out? Climbing out the windows and all that?

I gotta think though, if you shut down your ride, on the freeway at 80 mph, you'll be setting yourself up for a lawsuit if they can prove you did it. Especially if someone else gets hurt that wasn't involved. Although the tracking feature is pretty dam cool.

Good-luck. Have fun.

Personally, the Jeep's already about as much messed up as it can be. Why not cross some wires, after testing what's hot, put the plunger to on for your lights and stuff, and see how to start it up manually.

In some sort of post-apocalaptic (SP) America, these skills might come in handy. If it costs you some fuses, so what? The column needs to be replaced anyhow. You'll need to look up the wiring diagrams anyway, in order to make sure you fix it right... play around, it might be fufilling to know how to manually start your own jeep.

try pushing the rod to the spot the lights come on, then take that bare wire and touch ground, that might be the starter wire. if so, it should start, then just leave the bare wire hangin.

there was a show on the dicovery channel a couple of months ago, on dailey planet i think , a group of university students built a system just like what you are describing , if the vehicle was stolen it would call the owners cell phone and the owner could then put the vehicle into limp mode shutting it down slowly giving the thieves time to pull over , and im pretty sure it was tracked by gps, pretty cool stuff

thats some cool stuff to me also but i am not at all technologically inclined so i would be scared of screwing something up that way. i couldn't even get my bmw to run on a stand alone engine management i built, even though it tested fine and hte guy who bought it from me had his car running in 1/2 and hour on it

get a kill switch dude

I used to have an Oldsmobile that some one attempted to steal. The column was broken like yours but no wires were cut. To start it I would push the rack away from the wheel with a screwdriver. The only reason they didn't get away with my car is because I had my mechanic install a kill switch for only $50 under the dash, he had it wired to where the fuel pump and injectors were cut off, so it would crank but not turn over, i was trying to make it less obvious that it had a kill switch. After that I installed a quick release steering wheel (not street legal but hey:grin:) like race car drivers have, just as a deterrent from having my window broken again. So if they really wanted my hoopty they'd have to find the kill switch as well as bring a pair of vice grips to drive with or a tow truck. Any way I thought that was sufficient and better than an alarm, because those can be set off by loud stereo systems or if a kid hits your car with a ball, plus no one pays attention when an alarm is going off anyway. I live about 1 hour away from the mexican border so car theft is pretty popular here, especially cars that can fit a lot of people in them.