Manitoba cars with immobilizers can also be stolen: CBC report

Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) has a new list of cars that are at the most risk of being stolen, according to a CBC online report, and they include new cars that should have had electronic ignition immobilizers installed at the factory.

“The new list from [MPI]…includes 11 categories of cars sold in 2005 or later,” the CBC reported.

“Previous lists were dominated by older cars, most of which were sold without immobilizers, which prevent an engine from starting without a specific electronic signal, usually generated by a chip in the auto’s ignition key. But the MPI documents show thieves have started targeting different vehicles, including some whose owners may think are protected by immobilizers.”

According to CBC, some of the later models that are most at risk of being stolen include the 2005-or-older models of the Chevrolet Avalanche, GMC Jimmy, Jeep Cherokee, Chevrolet Blazer, Pontiac Grand Am, GMC Envoy, Ford F250 and Chevy Trailblazer.

“What we are seeing is some of the newer-line Chevy products reflect the fact that the immobilizer system within those vehicles does not meet the North American standard, and that’s exactly why we haven’t reflected them in the [auto premium] rate reduction [that MPI offers to owners of cars with immobilizers],” an MPI spokesperson is quoted as saying to the CBC. “What we are seeing is proof of the fact that those vehicles can be stolen.”