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I live in SF and bought my car at Marin Acura. I think someone else said they service their TSX at Marin Acura. (I wonder how many of us either bought or get service at Marin Acura.) I called them and the service manager I spoke with says he was familiar with the problem and just advised me not to keep anything in the car. He said, in particular they seem to want the Owner's Manual. I also spoke with a Customer Service manager and she said that she gets about 3 calls a month from people they sell to in SF. I have no proof but something seems quite fishy. I have filed a police report and I encourage others to do the same so at least they can track it and maybe see a pattern or something. I wish I had read these posts earlier but I am now garaging my car to prevent future break-ins.
I have a 2004 TSX. The owners manual was liberated during its first year in Noe Valley. I have taken to keeping the quarter dispenser stocked in hopes of appeasing whomever kept getting into my car. The dealer (South City) assured me that the car was impenetrable short of throwing a brick thru the window, so I must have left it unlocked....
My neighbors have grown tired of me clicking the lock button thru the kitchen window with it's reassuring click, several times a night. You can never be too sure.
So what happens?
They stole the shifter knob!!!
That one piece costs $150
The next one goes on with lock-tite.
But, now all I need is an aftermarket alarm to stop the madness.
Thank god, I'm not going senile.
K
This happened at Stonestown Mall - near the Borders/Nordstroms entrance. Nothing valuable was in view... And all they stole was... from the glove compartment was some cash and my Owner's Manual!!!!!!!!!!!!
I thought I do some research online about getting a new owner's manual or why this is being stolen and I ran into this forum just now... and I can't believe this has been happening to others too! I wonder what can I do to avoid this happening again!?!???
Also had another TSX-break-in last year at Harrison/Main St - w/ broken window & nothing stolen. But I found my silver sunshade opened on top of all the broken glass, which I always kept closed-up on the floor. They must have assumed the silver on the floor was a laptop or something.
So since then, I made sure there is absolutely nothing in site... But STILL, there are TSX break-ins for the Owners Manual????
Everyone, please do your police report so someone can track this pattern... And I wonder if Acura should do a recall of their carlocks or something? I don't know, what should they do or what should we, the car owners, do?
Here's a story we're all familiar with...My '04 TSX got broken into twice in SF - First time earlier this year - they got my golf clubs out of my trunk. No signs of forced entry, so just like others have said, I figured I forgot to lock my doors one night and chalked it up to the price we pay for living in the City. Second time was a few weeks ago....This time I KNOW my doors were locked and they got away with a laptop and some misc personal items (but not my owners manual). Again, no forced entry, and my car was locked when I returned. This time I filed a police report.
So yesterday I get a call from SFPD - Ingleside saying to come down to the station - they possibly had some of my property. Turns out they arrested someone on a routine traffic stop that had property belonging to me and 4 or 5 other people....all who own TSXs! The officer had some keys that I assume were taken from the dude who got arrested and tried to open my door with them -- a few of them actually fit the keyhole, but none of them opened the door....I'm not sure if I should be relieved or more worried at this point. I have got to believe that somewhere on the streets there is a key, or multiple keys, or special "jiggle method" that opens the doors to our cars.
This news is so fresh that the case is still being written up, so there's not a whole lot the police can let out yet....but I hope they can nail this guy and anyone else he is working with.
So if we are forced to park in public and assuming that there may be physical keys out there that open TSX doors, what are the best measures to combat against this?
Has anyone heard from the police or Acura any news of these events?
Any ideas other than getting a new non-Acura alarm and not keeping anything of value in the car?
Thanks in advance for any comments!
I went right away to Serramonte Acura to get my wheel locks replaced. I also spoked to the Service dept. and the only thing they suggested is to install a secondary car alarm. I contacted Marin Acura to see what they can suggest and per the General Sales Mgr Michael Gafford - he's never heard of this happening. But after reading all the messages, I'm sure he's known about it. His only advice to me was to contact Acura USA for a client relations rep.
I filed police reports both times. It's not comforting to know that someone out there has access to my car. I no longer keep any valuables in my car, but now I'm thinking of also NOT leaving my registration info in there as well.
There's got to be something we, as Acura owners and car theft victims, can be compensated for by Acura. At least replace our current alarm systems! This has gotten out of hand. How many more Acura break-ins will need to happen before the company takes action?!
The beginning of January, San Mateo indicted the original theif on number of counts and I was subpoened to be a witness in her court hearing but she pleaded guilty before the hearing.
Pretty much, my "anti-theft" system right now is to leave nothing in my car and before I lock my car I leave my glove compartment, center consule, and astray open just to show any theif that I don't have anything in my car. This has seemed to work since November.
I know everyone on this forum has a busy life, jobs, family, etc. But if we could all pull our stories together and bring it to Acura USA we may have something. It's a big job that I think no one really has time in their life to address. But if we all volunteer and break it down to specific duties we could possibly get something accomplished. Strength in numbers, right. Anyways, I'm just putting it out there but I would like to get together some sort of live chat, conference, whatever to get an action plan going. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas please speak up. After all we have put our hard earned money into an expensive automobile. It would be nice if it locked.
I am definitely willing to do whatever we think is necessary to bring to Acura USA about the problems their cars are causing us. I am now not even driving my car into SF right now because I fell no sense of security for it...and this is causing a lot more grief on my commute. Anyway...if anyone else is interested in going as a group to Acura USA, please join in. The more numbers and events we can bring to them, the better.
Let's all raise some hell!!! THANK YOU!!!
Since the Accord, TL, and TSX are basically variations of the same car, I suspect that they share the same keys/locks/alarms.
Just wondering...
I am still very curious how someone got in because there's no one at the Acura dealership that has any connection to where my car was when it was broken into.
There is something seriously wrong here with Acura's lock system and they need to do something about it! I also agree that there is a SF TSX break in ring from reading all of these posts.
Did you file a police report with SFPD and what was there response? Any response from the Acura dealership? I am taking mine there tomorrow and am going to raise hell!
I filed a police report but it's just an online form and I didn't get a response. I think the city has more important things to deal with than thefts... unfortunately. I haven't spoken to any of the local dealerships but did call the Acura Client relations dept and they said they've only heard of one other instance. I would give them a call to help raise the alarm. 1-800-382-2238 option 5
Bottom line is that car thieves can get into pretty much any car. it just sucks that the Acura alarm system is pretty much useless and that they're being targeted because they're high end. i can think of really only 2 options at this point. 1: don't put valuables in there and 2: get an aftermarket alarm system. Either way isn't the real solution which would have to come from Acura themselves - a new lock/alarm system that's not vulnerable to what these thieves are using.
I am going to the Acura dealer tommorrow to at least report the problem to them and see if they can change the code of the remote locking system. I am going to start unlocking and locking my car manually. I know that they did not get in with a master key and here is why. The passenger door lock on my car was already not working and I had permanently locked it manually-it does not respond to my remote. When I came to my car this morning the three other locks were open as if by a remote. If they had a key only the driver door lock would have been open.
I am going to get one of those random code security systems I think.
Thanks for the input.
:mad: :confuse:
No sign of break-in, manual and registration was stolen.
I called Acura Client Relations and they were downright rude. I am *deeply* unsatisfied by the response by acura. I'm filing a police report today.
I'm glad to hear there are a number of other people with the same issue. Hopefully this helps catch whoever is behind this.
Anyway, because of the proximity to the Honda dealership and the police station my first inclination is that this has to be some sort of inside job, as whomever did it obviously knew what they were doing. They had to have been fast and didn't worry about looking suspicious to the police. Well, lesson learned - I'll never keep anything in that car again.
I drive quite a bit in CA, but I'm making sure I don't spend the night in that vicinity with my '08 (the last one before the beak).
An insider clearly has the key(s) to the kingdom.
Thanks for all the posts. I'm looking into getting a second alarm system for the car. I will also contact Acura Client Relations tomorrow. I'm so paranoid that every time I walk up to my car, something will be taken.
If you drive a TSX in the Bay Area, especially in the city itself, beware -- big time. Park in a locked garage or take everything you value out of the car when you leave it.
I went to my dealership and had my remote fobs reset. The guy told me to "install an after market alarm system" (Acura of Serramonte). Like someone suggested, use your key or just get an after market alarm system.
Acura's Client relations: 800 382 2238, option 5
**I also suspect that someone will set your alarm off - wait till the owner disarms and clone your remote when you disarm.
I will also contact client relations as well.
Although they never stole anything of large value, it's a violation of privacy.