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niktuckuk

Having read many articles in magazines and on the internet on the issue of Motorhomes being stolen, I devised a solution that is simple, cheap and effective.

I was concerned that this situation could easily happen to me , so I carried out some research.

Due to the fuel filler cap being prised off and subsequently a vehicle key being made from it, an unsuspecting owner can be unaware of the problem because of the filler cover flap obscuring the theft, until the Motorhome is missing from its normal parking space.

I inquired with the local Fiat dealer as to a replacement cap and key only to be told that a complete vehicle set of keys and locks would be required at a very extortionate price.

Not happy with that avenue of investigation but still concerned greatly my solution was to visit to my local vehicle salvage yard whereupon I obtained a 2nd hand fuel lock and key suitable for our Motorhome. Now if our cap is prised off and a new key made it will be of no worth to the entrepreneur as the key manufactured from the fuel lock will not fit the motorhome.

As an added bonus, if the replacement cap is prised off then the original can be fitted until another visit to the salvage yard can be arranged.

These caps are fitted to a variety of vehicles i.e. for the Fiat based this includes Doblo , Scudo and obviously Ducato. I did not check whether Peugeot or Citroen fit but I do not see why not.

Boff

Hi,

you don't need to prise off a fuel cap to buy a screwdriver. And a screwdriver is all that any semi-professional thief needs to break open a standard Ducato door lock. Within seconds, and almost without noise.

Once he is in, the next obstacle is the ignition lock. And here it is only one question that is of importance: Is the vehicle fitted with an immobilizer or not?

If it has an immobilizer, then any key made from a stolen fuel cap will not work, as it lacks the transponder that can disarm the immobilizer. If it has no immobilizer, then again the same semi-professional thief can easily short-circuit the ignition lock. So, in one case the re-made key does not work, in the other case it is not necessary.

So, even if it is theoretically possible to make a key from a stolen fuel cap, it simply makes no sense for any thief to do that.

Best Regards,
Gerhard