The Truth About Ravelco Defeated Claims and IGLA’s Bypass Videos

For nearly 50 years, the Ravelco Anti-Theft Device has done exactly what it was designed to do — prevent vehicle theft.

Over 6 million units sold
4.8 out of 5 customer rating
Endorsed by law enforcement, government agencies, and AAA

Ravelco has earned its reputation as the most trusted name in vehicle security.

The IGLA Claim

Recently, a competitor, IGLA, released a video claiming they could “defeat” Ravelco in under two minutes.

Here’s the truth:
If you hand over your keys, your vehicle, and your Ravelco plug to someone in a shop with unlimited time, they can figure out how that specific installation was wired.
That’s not a real-world theft scenario — professional thieves don’t have that access or that kind of time.

Why Ravelco Stands Apart

The strength of the Ravelco is that every installation is unique — there’s no single method to bypass it.
Unlike off-the-shelf electronic immobilizers:

Ravelco is professionally installed by trained technicians
Features custom wiring and multiple strategies to protect each vehicle
Has never been defeated in the wild

U.S. Made vs. Russian Owned

Another important difference:

Ravelco is made in the USA by a family-owned company that’s been protecting vehicles since 1976.
According to U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records, the IGLA trademark is registered to a company in the Russian Federation — something they don’t advertise to customers.
IGLA requires you to create an account and login via their App because it’s software based. This gives the actual owners of IGLA access to your data.
Ravelco doesn’t require you to create an account or provide any of your private information.
Ravelco is a closed loop security system meaning it’s not possible to hack because it’s not software based.

We believe buyers deserve transparency about the products they choose and the companies behind them.

What a Real IGLA Owner Experienced

Beyond the marketing claims on both sides, it’s worth hearing from someone who actually lived with IGLA day to day. A RAM TRX owner posted a detailed account on the RAM-TRX forum after having IGLA installed and then removed just 5 days later. His issues weren’t about hacking, they were about daily usability:

A startup delay every time he drove: waiting for the dashboard gauges to “sweep,” then entering a PIN, then waiting for a hazard-light confirmation blink before the truck was ready to go.
Dashboard error messages appearing if the PIN was entered before that sweep finished.
Both of the wireless bypass fobs supplied with the system stopped working by day 3, despite fresh batteries.
Real doubt about whether his wife, who drove the truck only occasionally, could reliably remember the PIN-entry timing well enough to start it without an error, even after he’d trained her on it.

Read the full owner account on the RAM-TRX forum

Ravelco avoids this entire category of problem by design. There’s no PIN, no timing window, no battery-powered fob to fail, and no learning curve for a second driver. You plug it in to drive and unplug it to immobilize the vehicle, and that’s the whole interaction, every time, for every driver.

Ravelco vs. IGLA

Feature	Ravelco	IGLA
System type	Mechanical, closed loop	Digital integrates into your vehicle’s CAN bus computer network
Attack surface	None — no chip, no firmware, no wireless signal, nothing to hack, jam, or clone	Software/firmware-based
Account/data required	None. No app, no login, no account of any kind	Requires an account and app login, meaning IGLA’s owners have access to your data
Manufacturer	Made in the USA; family-owned, based in Texas	Trademark registered to a company based in St. Petersburg, Russia (per U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records)
Real-world track record	No documented successful theft of a properly installed unit in nearly 50 years and over 6 million installs	Unknown — no independently verified bypass record has been published either way
Installation	Custom, professional, soldered connections unique to each vehicle	Professional installation into the vehicle’s CAN bus
Warranty	Lifetime	Varies by installer

The Donut Media Context

Back in 2023, we did a video with Donut Media on YouTube explaining how cheap, ineffective anti-theft devices are defeated — based on facts, not opinions.

We explained:

We won’t share anything thieves don’t already know (to protect devices that work)
But we will explain how devices that do not work are defeated

IGLA twisted the premise of that episode and claimed that if we tested others, they could test us.

Where We Draw the Line

Real security companies devoted to theft prevention will not side with car thieves trying to undermine products that work.
IGLA crossed that line.

It’s unfortunate because their product may be legitimate — but we can’t recommend them based on who they side with: car thieves.

Would you buy anti-virus software from a company that showed hackers how to bypass competitor’s software?
No, you wouldn’t.

Our Mission is to Protect Vehicles from Theft

We won’t create “how-to” videos showing thieves ways to bypass competitors’ products.
Our mission is to prevent theft, not teach it.

That’s why we’ll stick to the facts:

In 2026: Ravelco is 50 years in business, one product, millions protected
Ravelco is loved by our customers with a 4.8 out of 5 star rating
The Ravelco anti-theft device is recommended by law enforcement
Ravelco is AAA-vetted and recommended
Ravelco is trusted and used by law enforcement, fleets, and everyday drivers
Ravelco has a Lifetime warranty, no false alarms, no tech failures
Ravelco is made in the USA, not owned by a Russian company

The Bottom Line

Looking for the bigger picture? See our Vehicle Security 101 guide for a full comparison across every type of anti-theft device, or our best immobilizer overview for why Ravelco leads the immobilizer category generally.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Ravelco different from IGLA?

Ravelco is a 100% mechanical, hard-wired immobilizer with no chip, firmware, or wireless signal, while IGLA is a digital system that connects into your vehicle’s CAN bus computer network and requires an app account. Because Ravelco has no electronics and no account of any kind, there’s nothing to hack, clone, or jam, and no data connection to anyone.

Why does it matter that IGLA is based in Russia?

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records show the IGLA trademark is registered to a company based in St. Petersburg, Russia. Combined with the fact that IGLA requires an app account and login, that means a foreign company has some level of access to data tied to your vehicle. Ravelco requires no account and collects no data at all.

Is IGLA difficult to use day to day?

Some owners report a real learning curve. One RAM TRX owner documented a startup delay at every drive, dashboard error messages if the PIN was entered too early, both included wireless bypass fobs failing within 3 days, and doubt about whether an occasional second driver could reliably remember the timing. Ravelco has no PIN, no timing window, and no fob battery to fail.

Has Ravelco ever actually been bypassed?

No documented case exists of a properly installed Ravelco being successfully bypassed in a real-world theft, across nearly 50 years and over 6 million installations. A competitor has published a demonstration video, but it was filmed in a private shop with unlimited time and full access to the vehicle, the keys, and the plug, conditions that don’t reflect how real theft happens.

Should I choose IGLA or Ravelco?

If you want a digital system with app-based convenience features, are comfortable with a PIN entry routine and an account login, and are OK with supporting a Russian company, IGLA is an option. If you want a mechanical system with no electronics to hack, glitch, or reset, no account, no data sharing, made and supported in the USA, with a simple plug-in/unplug operation and nearly 50 years of proven results, Ravelco is the choice most of our customers make.