Had my mint condition 2016 Maxima SL with 66k miles on it stolen from my office parking lot at 12:43-12:44pm CST on Thursday, December 15th, 2022.

It wasn't a key fob steal as they had to break in via the back window then climb into the driver's seat to then work a little to start it.

Does anyone know why this car was this easy to steal? I had no idea it was or I would have had a Club on the steering wheel.

Here's the complete video of the theft which was caught on security cameras on the lot.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/yZ6CbizQ4mXHUvdt7
Thanks for any help.

Michael

 

Your fob uses radio frequencies to communicate with your car. Those signals can get intercepted by someone with a code reader and uses that code to program a new fob and steal your car. I'm not sure if this is the method used with your car, but I have seen it done on TV news stories. Some experts believe it is easier to steal a keyless entry push button start car then a physical key car because of the simple procedure to program a new fob.

Sorry to hear of your loss, hope you can get it back.

 

That looked pretty quick

 

That didn't look like a key fob style theft. Can you find out who owns the charger and see if they have a dash cam that captured clearer details of the suspects? Maybe even a nearby business to see if their cameras picked up clearer images. I'm assuming the Jeep was stolen but wouldn't hurt to check if you can get a plate off it. What did they leave on the ground?

I hope you get it back. That really sucks.

 

Key fob signal reaches very far believe it or not. It’s possible if OP worked any where near the car. Even at quite the distance. Could have had just enough signal to get it started. Sorry this happen to you OP. Maxima is known for being stolen. If you had the Platinum trim and Nissan services. Might have had a chance of recovery.

 

I had another thought about this. You could have been scoped out or followed as well. That would give them the time they need to match up the remote. Just a thought.

 

It breaks my heart to see how crooked the world can be. I had my car stolen 4 days after I bought it - brand new. It was parked in my apartment’s parking garage. So I know how you feel. Sorry for your loss. It sure sucks.

 

Oof that is even worse. Sorry to hear that and would be pretty mad about it. Thieves probably sitting in there and when you used the remote, they got the signal.

 

It's the new world we live in....If you want it take it.....

 

Why in the world was a 2016 Maxima targeted?

 

Look up most stolen vehicles. Maxima is on the list along with the Altima.

 

Back this up with fact. Show me a list. And I didn’t say “Altima” - this thread is about the “Maxima”.

How many Maximas does Nissan even sell?
… versus Accord, RAV4, F-150, Silverado, CR-V, etc. Those are top-10.

Not the Maxima.

 

There are all kinds of most stolen vehicles lists out there. They vary based on how “most” is defined. This could be absolute number vs % stolen vs sold etc.

I did find this list with Maxima on it

https://www.cars.com/amp/articles/th...s-iihs-457296/

 

Don't be an entitled snarky *** hat about it. Do the research yourself. FACT

 

“claims per 1,000 insured vehicles“

so including fleet sales - maxima rental cars, law enforcement - the maxima has outsize numbers.

but on raw numbers, there are 5000 of these sold a YEAR.

compared to millions of pickup trucks

 

actually the fob is setup where you HAVE to have it inside the car to start the car.
sit in your car and hold the fob out of the window----it wont start.
the other feature of the fob are longer reaching.

 

Remote start…

 

i know
the thief still HAS to have the remote inside the car in order get it in gear without stalling.

 

This seems very odd - there is clear proof that the car was stolen.
The question - which worries me - is how.

 

Is your insurance company going to cover you for a comparable vehicle in comparable condition? I hope my Maxima never get's stolen: I have over $25K in mine and my insurance company will only cover it for $3K.

 

that seems like a bad investment.

 

odd but the car still needs a signal inside the car in order to drive it.
could be the thief had some kind of signal replicator.

 

It was a "in for a penny; in for a pound" kind of thing. I like how it turned out. A 5th Gen Maxima has far fewer toys to break. It's not vulnerable to a chip shortage because there are plenty of them in salvage yards with no shortage of parts. Barring some unexpected casualty, I intend it to last for another 15 years. I also wanted something than could be fixed in middle-of-nowhere Mexico in the unlikely event it does break down. It's also very unlikely be desired by a thief, even in Mexico.

 

Sadly, recent aftermarket key programmers would do it with seamless ease. I don't intend to mention names. I'm sure the thief had such a tool on him. Scour YouTube and you'd be amazed. There's an option/feature called All Keys Lost (AKL). All he needed was a compatible fob, easily obtainable on ebay.

 

but… why the maxima? Parts?
Ford, Honda, GM, Kia have a much larger market for OEM and aftermarket stuff.

 

Maybe he was shopping for himself.

 

Did they ever catch the guys?

 

wondering if they used an immobilizer bypass... just read something about this today.
And based on amount of time in car - could be.

(or, like my car from years ago, there was a secondary key in the car...)