Urge Volkswagen to Address Widespread Theft of Front-Facing Radar Sensors
Urge Volkswagen to Address Widespread Theft of Front-Facing Radar Sensors
The Issue
*** YOU MAY HAVE RECEIVED A LEAFLET OR JUST COME ACROSS THIS PETITION DURING YOUR SEARCH FOR ANSWERS - EITHER WAY YOU ARE LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF HAVING YOUR FRONT FACING VW ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (ACC) RADAR STOLEN. ***
Our personal story - After owning our car for less than 4 months we were shocked to wake up one morning and find the radar and badge of our 2017 Volkswagen Golf car gone.
Upon checking our CCTV we were staggered to watch the sheer speed and ease with which it was done - a mere 4 seconds !!!
Extremely alarming. We weren't the only ones either that night. Just 500m up the road several others were also stolen in the same night.
Upon inquiry for parts replacement, a large West London VW dealership openly admitted, with a sheepish smile on their face, they receive at-least one inquiry each week due to radar theft.
This has been going on for years and it is evident this problem is rife and has been reported several times in the new press and is discussed on car forums frequently.
Without the ACC radar the cars
-Cruise control + adaptive cruise DOES NOT WORK
-Emergency Braking system DOES NOT WORK
-Engine stop/start does DOES NOT WORK
Since we had this theft we have been more aware of the problem. Going about our daily lives driving around different parts of the country we have noticed many other VW's with their front badges/radars missing from the front. Passing the time in the back of the car our kids have even made it almost a game to spot missing badges/radars.
It appears this issue is not isolated but rather, a significant problem affecting various Volkswagen car models built between abt 2015/16 and 2019/20, with the front-facing radar sensors extremely vulnerable to theft.
The cost of replacement? £1,500 quoted by Volkswagen themselves!
Looking at well known actuation sites the cost to buy a "second hand" radar and VW badge sold openly for a fraction of the price (£100-300). Fueling these thefts.
VW suggest stolen units lock and hard to unlock and be reused on a different car, however this suggestion is totally untrue as there is evidence that they can indeed be reprogrammed without too much hassle.
Unfortunate Owners must then decide to replaced the radars via the costly VW dealer or source via the second hand market. They next need to ask the question what are the chances of the system being "harvested" again by thieves and resold as they know where the cars are generally located overnight.
VW UK head office customer service when approached have a scripted reply downplaying the issue. We have see this by VW int he past and seen where it has got them..... Obviously they have to repeat themselves a lot. It is simply unacceptable!
///QUOTE - FROM VW CUSTOMER SERVICES UK///
While we empathize with your situation, our data doesn’t indicate a nationwide rise in such thefts; rather, it seems these might be isolated incidents by persistent criminals. It's important to report any thefts to local authorities, as they can address the issue effectively. Specifically, for stolen vehicle sensors, reporting is crucial because these parts are coded, which can help prevent unlawful use in other vehicles.
Unfortunately, at this time, Volkswagen is unable to provide any goodwill support regarding this issue. We understand this may be disappointing, and we apologize for any inconvenience. Our goal is to assist our customers in ways that align with our policies.
///UNQUOTE///
So the issue is two-fold: the financial burden imposed on owners for the high replacement cost, and the security concern over the alarming ease with which these parts can be stolen and reused. Both situations are unacceptable for owners of these Volkswagen vehicles, and it's high time Volkswagen addressed this issue.
We call on Volkswagen to commence imminently a thorough investigation into this problem, alert existing owners of the make/year potentially vulnerable models, and devise a solution to prevent the theft and lessen the financial impact on victims of these thefts.
Please sign this petition to help us urge Volkswagen to take immediate and effective action.
+SPREAD THE WORD TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS+
Collectively we are stronger.
Please also share your stories/make/model of car that was effected.
-When/where in the country did it happen?
-What did you do about it?
-Did it happen again after you replaced the stolen unit?
200
The Issue
*** YOU MAY HAVE RECEIVED A LEAFLET OR JUST COME ACROSS THIS PETITION DURING YOUR SEARCH FOR ANSWERS - EITHER WAY YOU ARE LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF HAVING YOUR FRONT FACING VW ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (ACC) RADAR STOLEN. ***
Our personal story - After owning our car for less than 4 months we were shocked to wake up one morning and find the radar and badge of our 2017 Volkswagen Golf car gone.
Upon checking our CCTV we were staggered to watch the sheer speed and ease with which it was done - a mere 4 seconds !!!
Extremely alarming. We weren't the only ones either that night. Just 500m up the road several others were also stolen in the same night.
Upon inquiry for parts replacement, a large West London VW dealership openly admitted, with a sheepish smile on their face, they receive at-least one inquiry each week due to radar theft.
This has been going on for years and it is evident this problem is rife and has been reported several times in the new press and is discussed on car forums frequently.
Without the ACC radar the cars
-Cruise control + adaptive cruise DOES NOT WORK
-Emergency Braking system DOES NOT WORK
-Engine stop/start does DOES NOT WORK
Since we had this theft we have been more aware of the problem. Going about our daily lives driving around different parts of the country we have noticed many other VW's with their front badges/radars missing from the front. Passing the time in the back of the car our kids have even made it almost a game to spot missing badges/radars.
It appears this issue is not isolated but rather, a significant problem affecting various Volkswagen car models built between abt 2015/16 and 2019/20, with the front-facing radar sensors extremely vulnerable to theft.
The cost of replacement? £1,500 quoted by Volkswagen themselves!
Looking at well known actuation sites the cost to buy a "second hand" radar and VW badge sold openly for a fraction of the price (£100-300). Fueling these thefts.
VW suggest stolen units lock and hard to unlock and be reused on a different car, however this suggestion is totally untrue as there is evidence that they can indeed be reprogrammed without too much hassle.
Unfortunate Owners must then decide to replaced the radars via the costly VW dealer or source via the second hand market. They next need to ask the question what are the chances of the system being "harvested" again by thieves and resold as they know where the cars are generally located overnight.
VW UK head office customer service when approached have a scripted reply downplaying the issue. We have see this by VW int he past and seen where it has got them..... Obviously they have to repeat themselves a lot. It is simply unacceptable!
///QUOTE - FROM VW CUSTOMER SERVICES UK///
While we empathize with your situation, our data doesn’t indicate a nationwide rise in such thefts; rather, it seems these might be isolated incidents by persistent criminals. It's important to report any thefts to local authorities, as they can address the issue effectively. Specifically, for stolen vehicle sensors, reporting is crucial because these parts are coded, which can help prevent unlawful use in other vehicles.
Unfortunately, at this time, Volkswagen is unable to provide any goodwill support regarding this issue. We understand this may be disappointing, and we apologize for any inconvenience. Our goal is to assist our customers in ways that align with our policies.
///UNQUOTE///
So the issue is two-fold: the financial burden imposed on owners for the high replacement cost, and the security concern over the alarming ease with which these parts can be stolen and reused. Both situations are unacceptable for owners of these Volkswagen vehicles, and it's high time Volkswagen addressed this issue.
We call on Volkswagen to commence imminently a thorough investigation into this problem, alert existing owners of the make/year potentially vulnerable models, and devise a solution to prevent the theft and lessen the financial impact on victims of these thefts.
Please sign this petition to help us urge Volkswagen to take immediate and effective action.
+SPREAD THE WORD TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS+
Collectively we are stronger.
Please also share your stories/make/model of car that was effected.
-When/where in the country did it happen?
-What did you do about it?
-Did it happen again after you replaced the stolen unit?
200
Supporter Voices
Petition created on 25 March 2025