5 star car alarms – The flawed rating system
According to the NZSA, 5 star car alarms offer the highest standard of car alarm that you can get. This claim is totally flawed!
Vehicle security standards
Given what I know about the lack of security standards required for a 5-Star car alarm, I’m happy to stick my neck out and say that I would not have one in my own vehicles. I’m sure some of you reading this are thinking that I’ve lost the plot here, as I sell them. This may surprise you, but actually, I don’t!
If they’re not good enough for me, then I don’t consider them good enough for my customers! Let me explain.
What is wrong with the 5 star car alarm standard?
Key features of a 5 star car alarm which need to be improved:
The idea is that if the battery is disconnected, then the siren will continue to sound.
The problem is that battery backup sirens with an override key are still allowed. This requires them to be accessible and, in turn, makes them just as easy to remove as disconnecting the battery.
There are no requirements for a star rated immobiliser to have an attack-proof security housing.
This means that most 5 star alarms can be opened up with a screwdriver. Once the case is breached the wires for the immobiliser are easy to spot and can be bypassed quickly.
So much for vehicle security standards!
There are no requirements for a 5 star car alarm to have any protection against unauthorised remote programming.
This leaves your car vulnerable to anyone who gets access to the vehicle and the remote as they can simply code a new remote to your alarm without your knowledge.
So why the lack of vehicle security standards?
I believe the reason for this is because the alarm distributors have done a really good marketing job. The NZSA vehicle security requirements have been set up to suit the needs of the alarm distributors. In other words, the NZSA vehicle security committee is a vested-interest group.
Looking at the NZSA website it looks to be professional, but that is not always the reality.
NZSA Car Security Cartel
Let’s not beat around the bush here: why would the likes of Mongoose, AVS, Dynatron, Meridian, etc, push to raise product standards when it would prevent them from selling their existing alarms?
Do you think for a single second that the security of your car comes before clinching a sale?
I’d like to see the standards updated to reflect those set by Thatcham (UK), which is independent of alarm distributors. If you feel the same, then it would be great if you could share this post, as the only way change can be forced will be by raising awareness of the problem!
2025 Update
As of April 2012 the NZSA no longer represent the NZ car alarm scene.
Now in 2025, companies like AVS and Mongoose continue to claim their alarms are 5 Star alarm rated. There is no official Star Rating and the standard quoted have long since expired.
