HomeLink transceiver

[AC_MDX]

In the old cars with no built-in remotes, you had your remotes in the locked compartment box. In the new generation of vehicles, the remotes are turned off when the accessories are turned off (immediately or by timer).

If you have your parked car outside the garage with the garage door remote inside the car in a visible place, then you are stupidly looking at getting burglarized. It is as stupid as leaving your house keys inside your car.

I can almost swear that my seats and my remotes did not worked after some time, but after people posted their experience, I tested it myself and had to retract my original post.

Nothing wrong in recognizing a stupid old man mistake, but it will be really stupid for people not realize Acura's design error in their HomeLink implementation. Rolling door opener codes, sturdy garage doors, double door locks, etc. all that is useless if they can just press the remote an open the garage door and break into your home.

People who put the remotes on their home visors normally park the vehicles inside the garage, but not all the people parked their vehicle in the garage because it may be full or temporary occupied.

This is clearly a poor design mistake by Acura and maybe people that think like you are the ones that poorly designed the HomeLink power feed. Anybody with basic security design considerations would have powered the HomeLink remote from the accessory power line.

Even Acura recognizes the security problem and potential consequences/implications and will try to address it in the future. They didn't try to come up with excuses for their design mistake. Saying that it is the way it is and doing/saying nothing does not help anything in solving the issue/defect now and in the future. Now from this post and after contacting Acura and HomeLink, now they both are aware of the issues and intend to correct it in the future, and we are aware of the risk of having our garage doors programmed and parking outside our homes.

AC

Originally Posted by Bill_de

But didn't you post below that you have to turn your key on to open your garage door?

As a public service, maybe you should have the garage door opener manufacturers notify their customers not to clip the remotes onto the sun visors.

If this was really an issue you've had heard about long ago, before there was any HomeLink. Garage door openers have been around for decades with no major problems ... until you see it on the internet.

[Bill_de]

Like I said, it's not just Acura. I do like your assumption that people who leave the remote on the visor park in a garage, or lock them in a compartment. Those clips are their for a reason.

As for power seats, in most, if not all vehicles they are always on. If a tall person had to get into a car when the previous driver was short and left the seat all the way forward, it would be a real pain to have to reach over the wheel and insert the key, just to move the seat back.

With Acura having built in alarms, do you really think someone is going to break into your car, set off the alarm so they can break into the house through the garage. That will make so much more noise then going through a window it just doesn't make sense.

It's a shame that one paranoid person on the internet can get you worked up to the point you want to bring lawyers in ... to solve a problem you never knew you had, and really isn't a problem.

I really hope you don't lose any sleep over this. It's not worth it.

[TheJimbo]

AC_MDX thanks for your efforts, I intend to call as well. And as I stated previously, thanks to the OP for bringing awareness to this security issue.

[ken88]

It has nothing to do with paranoid or not. Anytime anybody who can raise awareness on a security issue is not a paranoid person, just a rational and normal person, to say the least. I am pretty sure that many MDX owners were not aware of this issue until now and I have no doubt they can now take the necessary precautions not to become victims of thefts, etc. Honestly, it is better to be safe rather than sorry!!!!!

[ken88]

I enquired with HomeLink and this is their response:

Thank you for visiting our Homelink website. Below is a response to the inquiry you recently submitted. If you need further support please reference Incident number (Reference Number 121124-000448) when contacting us so we may assist you further.

The vehicle list indicates which models require the key in the ignition for operation. Most vehicle manufactures do not wire HomeLink® through the ignition; therefore the HomeLink® will work without the car turned on.. The vehicle manufacturer is the one that decides how the HomeLink® is installed and wired. You would need to contact the automobile manufacturer for further assistance.

Should you encounter any problems, or if you have any further questions, please feel free to respond via e-mail. If you would prefer to troubleshoot with me over the phone, please provide me with the best phone number and time to contact you.

I have to inform Acura and see what they will say.

[Bill_de]

Since it wouldn't cost more to wire through the ignition, most manufacturers are probably doing what most people want.

Hopefully Acura, as a courtesy, will have the dealer rewire yours.

Good Luck

[ken88]

I just got off the phone with Acura Canada and brought to their attention about this security issue. To my great astonishment, Acura referred me to my dealer. I told the rep this is a design flaw and has nothing to do with the dealer. They could not care less and with this kind of attitude, I am really disappointed. They told me if I want this issue fixed I have to pay it myself. I told them to bring it to the attention of the design engineer so that future Acura vehicles won't have to deal with this issue. The rep's attitude is, hopeless, to say the least. I don't know how Acura in U.S will deal with this issue. With more customers in U.S, any complaints will get more attention.

[phins2rt]

Thanks for bringing this up Ken. I used to park all of the cars in the garages but now with 5, that is not possible. Food for thought.

[JL_SS]

Originally Posted by Bill_de

But didn't you post below that you have to turn your key on to open your garage door?

As a public service, maybe you should have the garage door opener manufacturers notify their customers not to clip the remotes onto the sun visors.

If this was really an issue you've had heard about long ago, before there was any HomeLink. Garage door openers have been around for decades with no major problems ... until you see it on the internet.

I agree, the easiest way into a house is a rock through a back door window. Most alarm companies alarm the door from the garage into the house not the garage doors themselves.

[AC_MDX]

Sometimes the garage contains more valuable stuff than inside the house. In my case, I have generators, portable AC, power washer, air compressor, power tools, high-end mechanic/electronic/etc. tools. $15,000.00+ in just a couple of quality stuff.

From the garage, crooks can just cut the dry wall and come into the house without using the door, without sounding an alarm, and without making much noise.

I have a gun, but I don't want to use it unless it is the last resort. Acura should be very clear to note that the remote control power, on Acuras, is always on.

Does Acura mention in their documentation that the power on the remote control is always on? and does Acura recommends owners to be careful parking the vehicle on the driveway if it is programmed? If not, I will like to send Acura a letter with the names of various Acura owners to tell Acura to notify it's owners about this issue. If they refuse, I will contact a TV station news team to follow this with Acura and their lack of pro-activeness from Acura's part.

AC

Originally Posted by JL_SS

I agree, the easiest way into a house is a rock through a back door window. Most alarm companies alarm the door from the garage into the house not the garage doors themselves.

[ls973800]

Originally Posted by AC_MDX

Sometimes the garage contains more valuable stuff than inside the house. In my case, I have generators, portable AC, power washer, air compressor, power tools, high-end mechanic/electronic/etc. tools. $15,000.00+ in just a couple of quality stuff.

From the garage, crooks can just cut the dry wall and come into the house without using the door, without sounding an alarm, and without making much noise.

I have a gun, but I don't want to use it unless it is the last resort. Acura should be very clear to note that the remote control power, on Acuras, is always on.

Does Acura mention in their documentation that the power on the remote control is always on? and does Acura recommends owners to be careful parking the vehicle on the driveway if it is programmed? If not, I will like to send Acura a letter with the names of various Acura owners to tell Acura to notify it's owners about this issue. If they refuse, I will contact a TV station news team to follow this with Acura and their lack of pro-activeness from Acura's part.

AC

Well, if the owner's don't know about the transmitter being on when the ignition is off, that means they probable don't have it programmed in order to use it. Therefore a thief wouldn't be able to open the garage door using it.

I am still waiting to hear on this or any other forum from ANYONE who has had their house burglarized by someone opening the garage door after breaking into their car which has the Homelink constantly on! There have even been insurance agents on here and other forums who have NEVER had such a claim made.

As for notifying the TV station about the situation, heck, all that is going to do is let the thief's know about it being vulnerable. I would venture to say there are more thief's watching the TV then Acura MDX owners who would benefit from such a "public" service announcement.

If this were a real problem for some owner's, they would have the Homelink disconnected or have it re-wired to be on only with the ignition on. I'm sure the $100.00 or so cost to do so should let them sleep better at night.

[Bill_de]

Originally Posted by AC_MDX

Sometimes the garage contains more valuable stuff than inside the house. In my case, I have generators, portable AC, power washer, air compressor, power tools, high-end mechanic/electronic/etc. tools. $15,000.00+ in just a couple of quality stuff.

From the garage, crooks can just cut the dry wall and come into the house without using the door, without sounding an alarm, and without making much noise.

I have a gun, but I don't want to use it unless it is the last resort. Acura should be very clear to note that the remote control power, on Acuras, is always on.

Does Acura mention in their documentation that the power on the remote control is always on? and does Acura recommends owners to be careful parking the vehicle on the driveway if it is programmed? If not, I will like to send Acura a letter with the names of various Acura owners to tell Acura to notify it's owners about this issue. If they refuse, I will contact a TV station news team to follow this with Acura and their lack of pro-activeness from Acura's part.

AC

You're making it sound like it's an Acura thing. HomeLink reported that most manufacturers do it the same way.

You mention that you can get from the garage to the house without setting off an alarm. But this is only after you set off the car alarm. On top of that, with all you have in your garage, don't you have the garage alarmed?

The garage door opener isn't the weak link in home security.

[AC_MDX]

>
> You're making it sound like it's an Acura thing. HomeLink reported
> that most manufacturers do it the same way.
>
From all my former vehicles, my MDX is the first one to have the remote permanently powered on. It is just stupid to wire the remote control to be always on, and it is our fault for allowing Acura to not be aware of this stupidity. If there are just enough concerned owners about this issue, Acura will already have fixed this years ago. It costs nothing for them to fix this, but I can see Acura people in charge of these decisions thinking the way some people in this forum thinks and doing nothing about it.

>
> But this is only after you set off the car alarm. On top of that, with
> all you have in your garage, don't you have the garage alarmed?
>
My garage has an alarm, a security camera, and the garage door is burglar proof, but all is defeated if the burglar can use the remote control.

>
> The garage door opener isn't the weak link in home security.
>
If you have an Acura vehicle parked outside and with the remote control programmed, then the garage door opener becomes the weakest link to my entire home security.

It's amazing how some MDX owners in this forum will think that doing nothing and saying nothing is better than telling Acura to do a simple no-brainer fix that should have been done years ago.

If I am elevating this concern is because of the stupidity and lack of action from Acura to address this simple security issue. I am sure I am fine and better off than many people now that I know what to do with my home/vehicles when they are parked outside my house.

I like to enter my home from the garage since I park outside. Now I have to deprogram my HomeLink remote feature or turn-off/lock the garage door remote opener so that it cannot be used whenever I park outside or whenever we go in a trip and leave one vehicle outside.

It is a really retarded logic to have the remote always powered on and can't see any Acura owners thinking this is not an issue that should be address by Acura in the future, even if they parked inside the garage most of the time.

[Bill_de]

Again, I ask, why are you making it sound like an Acura thing. Ken posted his response from HomeLink.

" The vehicle list indicates which models require the key in the ignition for operation. Most vehicle manufactures do not wire HomeLink® through the ignition; therefore the HomeLink® will work without the car turned on.. The vehicle manufacturer is the one that decides how the HomeLink® is installed and wired. You would need to contact the automobile manufacturer for further assistance."


Does your remote turn off your garage alarm? If so, you should change that, it's not secure. If not, the theif would have to disable your car alarm and your garage alarm. If they can do that, they'll get in without the remote.

You read something here and it has you all upset. The manufactures and most folks aren't too concerned. Maybe, for your peace of mind, the first step you should take is get yours rewired, even before calling the TV station.

[AC_MDX]

I talked personally with both HomeLink and with Acura. They mentioned very clearly that Acura was the designer of the circuit where they connect their HomeLink device, and that any question/modifications should be done through Acura not them. Acura said the same thing and recognized that it was their mistake. HomeLink just provide the parts.

HomeLink is just a third party supplier, like many others, not the designer for Acura's electrical system.

I don't know why you mention Ken, because on Ken's reply excerpt (below) HomeLink specifically says it is Acura's (vehicle manufacturer) the one who decides how the device will be wired. So it is an "Acura thing"

"From Ken reply: The vehicle manufacturer is the one that decides how the HomeLink® is installed and wired. You would need to contact the automobile manufacturer for further assistance."

AC

Originally Posted by Bill_de

Again, I ask, why are you making it sound like an Acura thing. Ken posted his response from HomeLink.

" The vehicle list indicates which models require the key in the ignition for operation. Most vehicle manufactures do not wire HomeLink® through the ignition; therefore the HomeLink® will work without the car turned on.. The vehicle manufacturer is the one that decides how the HomeLink® is installed and wired. You would need to contact the automobile manufacturer for further assistance."


Does your remote turn off your garage alarm? If so, you should change that, it's not secure. If not, the theif would have to disable your car alarm and your garage alarm. If they can do that, they'll get in without the remote.

You read something here and it has you all upset. The manufactures and most folks aren't too concerned. Maybe, for your peace of mind, the first step you should take is get yours rewired, even before calling the TV station.