KARR Security Services

Is Your Car's Anti-Theft System Actually A Way In for Thieves?

Millions of vehicles sold through California dealerships between 2017 and today came equipped with a hidden security device called KARR or SWDS. Researchers have found that a flaw in these devices can allow a nearby attacker to unlock a vehicle's doors, disable its alarm, and prevent it from starting, all without leaving a mark. If your car has one of these devices, our team wants to hear from you. 

If you think you may be at risk due to the KARR security flasw, Singleton Schreiber's class action attorneys can help you understand your legal rights and determine your eligibility for compensation. 

Background

A Security Device Meant to Protect Your Car May Be Putting It at Risk 

Beginning around 2017, dealerships across the country, including many in California, began installing aftermarket security devices under the dashboards of new and used vehicles. Sold under the names KARR, KARR BT, KARR Fusion, KARR S.W.A.T., and SWDS, these devices were marketed as inventory protection for dealership lots and, later, as a paid anti-theft upgrade for buyers. 

Computer science researchers at the University of California San Diego have identified a design flaw affecting at least 2.2 million of these devices nationwide. Because every device relies on the same underlying access key, once that key became known, it could be used to reach any vehicle equipped with the system. A person within roughly five yards of an affected vehicle may be able to unlock its doors, silence its alarm, sound its horn, flash its headlights, or stop it from starting. 

The devices communicate with a companion smartphone app over Bluetooth. Our legal team is currently reviewing claims brought by consumers who purchased vehicles equipped with this technology from California dealerships, whether or not they ever activated the paid service. 

IS YOUR VEHICLE AFFECTED? 

How to Check Whether Your Vehicle Has a KARR or SWDS Device 

Many owners have no idea this equipment is inside their vehicle. Here is what our team recommends checking: 

• Look for a sticker in the lower corner of the driver-side window reading KARR, KARR Security Systems, SWDS, or S.W.A.T. 

• Use a flashlight to look beneath the driver-side dashboard for a small button or indicator light connected by wiring. 

• Review your purchase agreement, dealer addendum, and finance paperwork for a reference to KARR, SWDS, Southwest Dealer Services, or an inventory or vehicle recovery system. 

• Contact the selling dealership with your VIN and ask directly whether a KARR, SWDS, or S.W.A.T. module was installed before delivery. 

Vehicles sold through Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Ford, and Jeep dealerships in Southern California since 2017 have been most affected, but the device travels with the car. A vehicle later resold, transferred, or registered outside California may still carry it, and any make or model can be affected, depending on which dealership prepared it for sale. 

What This Means To You? 

Consumers who purchased a vehicle with this technology were promised added security, in many cases at an added cost. Instead, our team believes many owners were left with a device that could expose their vehicle to unauthorized access, expose their location history to anyone able to access public signal databases, and diminish the value of a vehicle they believed was better protected, not less. 

Safely removing the device is not a simple task. Because the module is wired into a vehicle's ignition and electrical systems, our team believes affected consumers should not have been left to manage this risk on their own, particularly when many never activated the system or even knew it was installed in their car. 

Do You Qualify?

Our team is speaking with California consumers who purchased a vehicle from a California dealership equipped with a pre-installed KARR or SWDS security device. You may have a claim whether you: 

• Activated and used the KARR app and paid security service, or 

• Declined the service but the device remained installed and connected, or 

• Purchased the vehicle new or used, for personal, family, or household use. 

There is no cost to speak with our team and no fees unless we win. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Do I need to have used the KARR app to qualify? 

No. Our team is speaking with consumers whether or not they activated or ever used the KARR service. 

What if I no longer own the vehicle? 

You may still have a claim. Please contact our team to discuss the details of your purchase. 

Is there a cost to speak with your legal team? 

No. Consultations are free, and our team works on a contingency basis, meaning there are no fees unless we win. 

Should I try to remove the device myself? 

Our team recommends against removing the device without a qualified technician, as it may be wired into your vehicle's ignition and electrical systems. Speak with your dealership or a licensed technician first.

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