- The 2012 Cadillac Escalade is getting new security enhancements to foil car thieves.
- New sensors will make it more difficult to push or tow an Escalade undetected.
- The Escalade is the most popular vehicle with thieves, according to an August study by the Highway Loss Data Institute.
DETROIT — The 2012 Cadillac Escalade is getting new security enhancements to foil car thieves, according to General Motors.
New sensors will make it more difficult to push or tow an Escalade undetected. The Escalade also gets a "more robust steering column-lock system," said GM, along with an optional new wheel lock system to prevent the theft of wheels and tires. The big SUV also gets PASS Key 3+, which GM describes as "a sophisticated encryption system for the key, key cylinder and ignition system."
"These new systems work in the background and few people realize they are there, but they are strong added protections," said Bill Biondo, General Motors' global leader for vehicle theft prevention in a statement.
Biondo said the security upgrades "comprise one of the most extensive sets of theft-deterrent measures available for this type of vehicle, and meet or exceed security specifications among global vehicle security analysts."
The Escalade is the most popular vehicle with thieves, according to an August study by the Highway Loss Data Institute. The study found that the Escalade EXT, which has a pickup bed, was the most frequent target of thieves.
"The Cadillac Escalade is more than six times as likely as the average vehicle to be targeted by thieves and has overall theft losses more than 10 times as big," said the analysis of insurance claims for 2008-'10 vehicles by the Highway Loss Data Institute.
However, a different study by the National Insurance Crime Bureau in August said that the 1994 Honda Accord topped the list of the 2010 Most Stolen Vehicles.
Inside Line says: Mission Impossible for car thieves? Or a goad?
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saunupe1911 says:
06:23 AM, 01/03/2012
@qdp,
Ahhhhh that explains it. Now it makes sense.
saunupe1911 says:
06:21 AM, 01/03/2012
My wife's cousin had the back glass popped open and the thieves even stole the On-Star system itself! This security system as a hole is a joke. But apparently there's a huge market for Escalade parts
openeyes1 says:
07:06 PM, 01/02/2012
@miscpippa; Just wait for Cadillac's latest new feature to come out "Pedestrogaurd", designed for the average Escalade owner who desires absolute silence while driving. Now when you drive recklessly in your giant gas hog on our roadways, and you run over a large object, its screams won't be disturbing your luxurious ride.
threemopars says:
06:56 PM, 01/02/2012
"They're either towing them, pulling insurance scams or carjacking them. If not, they're stripping the seats, doors and wheels and leaving the vehicle in place."
No they're pushing them away.
The column shifter lock was so flimsy that they were able to pull it out of park and push it away
mista_tee says:
05:16 PM, 01/02/2012
What about the heated turn signal mirrors? 2 of my friends have Escalades and their mirrors have been stolen a few times.
qdp says:
03:42 PM, 01/02/2012
The reason Caddie is oft-sought theft target is because GM sells Caddie's repair parts at very high prices, so stealing Caddie is very profitable business .
miscpippa says:
02:04 PM, 01/02/2012
Anybody dumb enough to want a obsolete monstrosity like this should get one free.
church123 says:
12:28 PM, 01/02/2012
A 2001 Integra (or any last century Honda) is pretty easy to steal. The windows can be pried out far enough (without breaking) to open the door lock manually. Theives seeking to cut the battery can access the hood latch cable from the fender well and then disconnect the battery and siren. The ignition cylinder is a screwdriver and hammer away from being disabled.
This I know because my own Integra was stolen in 1999. An experienced thief can be in and rolling in less than 5 minutes without making a sound or breaking any glass.
As for the Escalade, GM's passkey system works well. It can be bypassed with a laptop and the right software, but that does take time and effort. I suspect that given the cultural makeup of Escalade buyers and the theft patterns detailed, most of the Escalade theives are not hacking the ECUs and driving them away. They're either towing them, pulling insurance scams or carjacking them. If not, they're stripping the seats, doors and wheels and leaving the vehicle in place.
ed341 says:
11:57 AM, 01/02/2012
@bk1715:
That was my point. I consider myself lucky mine hasn't been taken.
I'm not quite sure why GM is making a big deal of this. These features are neither innovative nor effective.
bk1715 says:
11:44 AM, 01/02/2012
@ed341 says:
My 2001 Integra has all of these features..
Integra is/was one of highest stolen vehicles.
my GSR was one :(