VW Golf Mk7 Radar Sensor Stolen, options?

[AndrewGP]

A family member has had the Radar Cruise Control sensor stolen from their 2019 Mk 7 Golf, it's the one that sits behind the VW badge, not the one that's fitted lower down on a bracket like on earlier cars. The thieving scum prised off the badge with a screwdriver scratching the paint in the process. They left the wire and plug.



Anyone have experience of this and the costs involved? A fair bit of googling suggests that once we've found the part (new £lots, used £130ish if we can find the right part) it'll need calibrating, can this be done by a VW specialist or does it have to be done at a VW dealership? Is it likely to be so expensive that it's a job for the insurance?

Finally, what's to stop it getting nicked again if we go through this whole process?

Many thanks.

[LivLL]

I don't think there is any meaningful way to stop it happening again, I have a 7.5R and know they strip entire front ends in less than 10 minutes as it's so easy. Only way to stop that is to try and stuff the nose of the car right up against bushes or walls. I just get very choosy where I leave it.

Not sure about calibration, sorry.

[Ninja59]

Just want to flag and I don't how possible beyond the theft of the radar device this is on a mk7. But the alfa giulia thefts are via the radar connection and hacking the canbus it might be less innocent than just the radar unit imo.

[AndrewGP]

LivLL said:

I don't think there is any meaningful way to stop it happening again, I have a 7.5R and know they strip entire front ends in less than 10 minutes as it's so easy. Only way to stop that is to try and stuff the nose of the car right up against bushes or walls. I just get very choosy where I leave it.

Not sure about calibration, sorry.

Unfortunately the car was parked with the nose right up to the garage door and it still got nicked

Ninja59 said:

Just want to flag and I don't how possible beyond the theft of the radar device this is on a mk7. But the alfa giulia thefts are via the radar connection and hacking the canbus it might be less innocent than just the radar unit imo.

Good point, just checked and luckily there was no other evidence of tampering or entry in the car. Looks like they got it super quick based on what I’ve googled, seems a crap design from VW as radar sensor thefts are rife and take less than minute.

[samoht]

Ruskies looking for missile guidance parts?

I guess there's always the possibility of adding some superglue around the badge to make it less likely to disappear again, at the cost of making any repair in that area more difficult in future.

[Stanley Rous]

AndrewGP said:

A fair bit of googling suggests that once we've found the part (new £lots, used £130ish if we can find the right part) it'll need calibrating, can this be done by a VW specialist or does it have to be done at a VW dealership?

I don’t know anything about this particular part but if these are being nicked on a regular occurrence then isn’t buying used just perpetuating the problem? Good luck with getting it fixed though; the world is full of scum bags.

[Whataguy]

I’ve seen a few of these stolen on my Mk7 owners group unfortunately - mostly the earlier ones in the lower bumper though.

People will steal anything, even complete radios with the glovebox control unit and dash screen! It’s a shame VW stopped putting locks on the glovebox lid.

Yes, a specialist can code it in for you. There’s no need to go to a main dealer.

[SteBrown91]

Any company with ADAS calibration kit can do this for you.

An example is vw retrofit in Reddich who seem to do it quite a bit

[Dr G]

Sorry to hear that; makes cutting their fingers off seem a reasonable punishment.

You can buy a used, matching radar but it will need to have component protection disabled. A VW dealer may well refuse to do this.

If Iver, Bucks isn't too far (J1 M40/J5 M4) then Renn Automotive will have no problem doing this and recalibrating for you.

[AndrewGP]

Thanks everyone, much appreciated.

Just to be clear, this isn't my car, it's my sister's, I'm just trying to advise her on the best course of action. After all your advice, I'll tell her to speak to a VW specialist and see if they can get a used part and then calibrate it for her. I think if she goes down the VW dealership route, it would have to be an insurance job which with the recent price increases, she's keen to avoid if possible.

[Bobley]

Someone reversed their cars towbar through my wifes Golf mk7 lower sensor. Luckily the sensor lived and there was a repair kit for it (shroud and bracket £70). The local bodyshop quoted about £2500 to repair it with ludicrous fees. My tamed local VW indy mechanic fitted a new grille (£35), the repair bracket and then sent it up to Northampton Tyres who realigned it for £60. He has a reciprocal deal with the tyre shop, he fits and codes them on the cheap for the tyre shop and the tyre shop align them for him.

The guy who did the reversing decided to tell his insurer that we drove into him even though 4 employees at Towcester recycling centre said it was him reversing. Anyway my mate said he'd fix it for free but I paid him the £360 he asked for and just made the issue go away.

Dont get your pants pulled down on the prices. Yes, you'll need a new/used sensor but the rest is fairly simple.

[dxg]

Don't they have to be coded to the car?

Although, I suppose at that level of targeted thievery, they'll have someone equally dodgy hooked up for that.

[Dr G]

dxg said:

Don't they have to be coded to the car?

They do indeed (as above).