Vehicle Security Questions — Answered Honestly
Frequently
Asked
Questions
Got a question about vehicle security? We have answered the most common ones below. If you cannot find what you are looking for, call our team directly on 01536 645 365 — we are happy to talk through your specific situation before you commit to anything.
🔒 Phantom FAQs📷 Dash Cam FAQs📡 GPS Tracker FAQs🚛 DVS / HGV FAQs
Still have a question?
Ask us directly — we will answer on the spot
📞 Or call 01536 645 365 — we answer personally.
General questions
About AKC Vehicle Security
We offer five services: Phantom canbus immobiliser fitting, professional dash cam installation, GPS live vehicle tracking, DVS HGV compliance cameras and immobiliser removal. All services are carried out by our mobile team at your location.
Yes — we are based in Corby, Northamptonshire (NN17/NN18) and operate as a fully mobile service across the region.
No — we come to you. We fit at your home, workplace, fleet depot or any convenient location. There is no workshop to visit.
We cover Corby and a wide surrounding area including Northampton, Kettering, Leicester, Rugby, Wellingborough, Market Harborough, Stamford, Oakham, Rushden, Desborough, Raunds, Oundle and many more towns and villages across Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and beyond.
Call us on 01536 645 365 — we will ask a few questions about your vehicle, confirm compatibility and give you a fixed price. All quotes are free and no obligation.
Yes — every installation we carry out comes with a 12-month warranty on parts and labour as standard. No exceptions, no conditions.
Yes — we work extensively with commercial fleet operators. We regularly fit across entire fleets of Ford Transits, Mercedes Sprinters and VW Transporters at depots and industrial units across the region.
Call us to discuss availability — we aim to be as flexible as possible to fit around your schedule and working hours.
Phantom immobiliser questions
Phantom Immobiliser FAQs
A Phantom canbus immobiliser is a hidden vehicle security device that communicates with your car's electronic canbus network. It prevents the engine from starting unless a secret PIN sequence is entered using your vehicle's existing buttons — steering wheel controls, door buttons or dashboard switches. There is no visible hardware, no key fob and nothing for a thief to detect.
Relay theft is where criminals use electronic amplifier devices to capture the signal from your key — even through walls and doors — and relay it to your car. A Phantom immobiliser stops this completely. Even if a relay thief gets into your car and starts the engine with a relayed key, they cannot drive away without entering the correct PIN sequence.
Yes — AKC Vehicle Security are a certified Phantom approved fitter. Our installations are manufacturer-certified, use genuine Phantom units and are recognised by UK insurers.
Many UK insurers recognise Phantom installations by approved fitters and will reduce your annual premium. We recommend checking with your insurer before fitting — we can confirm which products are recognised.
Both are canbus immobilisers but are separate products made by different manufacturers. We fit the Phantom exclusively.
Prices vary by vehicle make and model. Call 01536 645 365 for a free, fixed quote with no obligation to proceed.
Typically 1.5 to 2.5 hours depending on vehicle type. We carry out all work at your location.
Keyless entry vehicles are the most targeted — Range Rover Sport and Evoque, BMW 3/5 Series and X5, Audi Q5 and Q7, VW Transporter T6, Ford Transit Custom and Mercedes Sprinter. These are vehicles we regularly fit Phantom immobilisers to across Corby, Northampton and Kettering.
Yes — we fit to Tesla Model 3, Model Y, Model S and Model X. Call to confirm compatibility for your specific variant.
Yes — Ford Transit is one of the most commonly stolen vans in the UK and one of the vehicles we most frequently fit. We have fitted Phantom immobilisers to individual Transits and entire Transit fleets across the region.
Call us. As your approved installer we assist with PIN resets as part of our after-installation support — included as standard at no extra charge.
In some cases yes — call us to discuss. In most cases a new installation is more cost effective. We will advise honestly on the best course of action.
Dash cam questions
Dash Cam Installation FAQs
A plug-in dash cam connects via your cigarette lighter socket — it only works when that socket has power, requires you to plug it in each time and leaves cables visible. A hardwired dash cam is connected directly to your vehicle's fuse box — it powers on and off automatically with the ignition, enables parking mode and has all cables fully concealed. We only carry out hardwired installations.
Yes — if your dash cam supports parking mode and is hardwired to a permanent live power supply. We set this up as part of our installation service on compatible cameras.
It depends on your use case. For a private car, Nextbase offers great value and reliability. For fleet use with remote viewing, BlackVue is excellent. For advanced safety features, Thinkware is our recommendation. Call us to discuss what best suits your situation.
Yes — if you have already purchased a camera we can install it. Call to confirm the model is compatible with hardwired fitting.
Yes — but employees must be informed that dash cams are in operation. For forward-facing cameras there are no significant legal concerns. Driver-facing cameras require a clear policy and staff notification under GDPR.
A single front dash cam typically takes 45–90 minutes. Front and rear systems take 1.5–2.5 hours. 4-channel fleet systems take longer — call to discuss.
GPS tracker questions
GPS Vehicle Tracking FAQs
A live tracker updates your vehicle's location every few seconds via a mobile network — giving you immediate, real-time data. These operate on a subscription basis. A standard GPS tracker logs location data and updates at intervals — suitable for journey recording and general fleet management but slower for stolen vehicle recovery.
Yes — live trackers connected to 24/7 monitoring centres alert both you and the monitoring centre immediately when your vehicle moves unexpectedly. They provide live location data to police, significantly increasing the chances of rapid recovery.
Thatcham Category 5 and Category 6 approved trackers are recognised by most UK insurers and can reduce your premium. We will confirm which products your insurer recognises before fitting.
We fit all trackers covertly — concealed within the vehicle's structure with all wiring hidden. The location of the unit is not visible to a thief.
For fleet vehicles — yes. UK law requires employees to be informed if their vehicle is being tracked. We can advise on best practice when fitting fleet tracking systems.
Typically 45–90 minutes depending on the vehicle and tracker type.
DVS / HGV questions
DVS & HGV Compliance FAQs
The Direct Vision Standard is a Transport for London scheme rating HGVs on how much the driver can directly see from the cab. HGVs over 12 tonnes need a DVS permit to operate in Greater London. Vehicles below the required star rating must fit a Safe System of cameras, sensors and audible warnings.
Non-compliant HGVs face a Penalty Charge Notice of £550 per day in Greater London.
Any HGV over 12 tonnes entering Greater London needs a valid DVS permit. This affects most East Midlands hauliers running routes via the M1, A14 or A1(M) into London.
A full DVS Safe System installation typically takes a full working day per vehicle.
Yes — we travel to haulage yards and fleet depots across Corby, Northampton, Leicester, Rugby and the surrounding region.
Immobiliser removal questions
Immobiliser Removal FAQs
If your vehicle cranks but the engine will not fire, an immobiliser fault is a common cause. Call 01536 645 365 — we will talk through the symptoms and advise whether we can help before you commit to a booking.
Yes — our team can diagnose unknown immobiliser systems, identify the unit fitted and advise on the best course of action — whether that is obtaining a new PIN, bypassing the system or removing the unit entirely.
Costs vary depending on the system type and vehicle. Call 01536 645 365 for a free diagnosis and quote.
We remove all types of aftermarket immobilisers from all vehicle types. Call to confirm we can assist with your specific situation.
Still have a
question? Just
call us directly
We answer personally — no call centre, no script. Fixed price before we start, honest advice.