Does my truck "talk" to the mothership?

[leVieux]

2019 Ram 1500. I don't have the hotspot or uConnect features activated. I do not wish to share telemetry, nor do I want automatic updates. I certainly do not want my truck accepting over the air connection requests. How do I ensure that my truck is not communicating with FCA or other entities without my knowledge and specific authorization?

>
I’m certain that my brand-new 2023 JEEP Gladiator initiates regular tet-a-tete’s with Old Beezelbub hisself ! At least it is running today, first time in a week !
leVieux
.

 

[1911'S 4 Me]

My truck is so old it is deaf and dumb.

 

[Tnhawk]

My truck is so old it is deaf and dumb.

That's the kind of 'smart' vehicle I like!

 

[leVieux]

>
My elder 2001 JEEP Wrangler “Sport” never learned to talk. . . . . .

 

[MountainGirl]

I do not consent. All I'm asking is how I assert control.

You might not be able to. Maybe search YouTube for ways to 'disconnect' etc...?

Whenever I disable a 'self-installed App' on my phone (because the updates let them in the door) I always get the warning message "If you disable then other functions will stop working! Danger Will Robinson!" or some horsesht like that. I'm like - good. Shut them all down, lol.

But that's just a phone. I'm sure your truck is a bit more intertwined, by design.

 

[Tnhawk]

Pull the modem fuse or the power lead to it. Might need a service manual to find it.

Could the signal be blocked, possibly with foil?

 

[Outrider]

I do, most times. Or it's off.

Doesn't matter if it's off at all. They still track where you go, there are videos on YT about it. You also cannot stop the truck from tracking unless you ditch the ECM and strap on a carb, then pull all the electronics including the roof antenna.

 

[pronstar]

Could the signal be blocked, possibly with foil?

Anything is possible, but the antenna are pretty sensitive.

They’ll typically work in underground parking (to a point) and that’s a ton of concrete and steel the signal is going thru.

Maybe disabling the antenna would work.

For modern cars, with the exception of Tesla it’s still relatively rare (but growing fast) for the ECU to get flashed OTA (over the air). Things are loosening but there are real security concerns… my company is a provider of OTA solutions to carmakers.

But it’s not so rare for things like your infotainment system to get updated OTA.

 

[Brains]

2019 Ram 1500. I don't have the hotspot or uConnect features activated. I do not wish to share telemetry, nor do I want automatic updates. I certainly do not want my truck accepting over the air connection requests. How do I ensure that my truck is not communicating with FCA or other entities without my knowledge and specific authorization?

Yes, is is connected and the cellular radio is built into the in-dash screen. You can unplug the antenna and short the terminals on the back of the radio to keep it from communicating. I can't remember which color antenna connector is which though, sorry.

My Ram hasn't been in a dealership in years.
But certain functions change without me lifting a finger.
It used to let me drive forward or reverse with the driver's door open.
Now, if I open the door with it in gear, it goes to Park.

Lot's of safety recalls are done without our consent.

I don't think anyone on this forum can honestly be untraceable.

Unless we get off line and throw away the phone.

My Charger does that, annoying when you try to drive up a pair of ramps for an oil change. I noticed if you hover the brake it will let you move though.

So, if you were going 30, and opened the door, it would go into park?

Hmm, I might have to try that. If you're going 1 mph, it'll stop dead I know that for sure. If you have the door open already, and start moving, again it goes to park and yells at you on the dash.

Could the signal be blocked, possibly with foil?

Not effectively, no. Unplugging the antenna is the easiest method. Pop the trim, four screws to remove the "infotainment system" module, unplug the antenna.

 

[no2gates]

Anything is possible, but the antenna are pretty sensitive.

They’ll typically work in underground parking (to a point) and that’s a ton of concrete and steel the signal is going thru.

Maybe disabling the antenna would work.

For modern cars, with the exception of Tesla it’s still relatively rare (but growing fast) for the ECU to get flashed OTA (over the air). Things are loosening but there are real security concerns… my company is a provider of OTA solutions to carmakers.

But it’s not so rare for things like your infotainment system to get updated OTA.

You work for SKYNET???

 

[Wiliamr]

Wrap the vehicle with aluminum foil.

 

[pronstar]

Wrap the vehicle with aluminum foil.

Must be formed into the shape of a hat, won’t work otherwise

 

[Sam Colt]

I decide when or if to update the other devices in my control. Phone, PC, routers, appliances. I have a user agreement that spells these choices out. I received no such agreement with my vehicle. That feels slimy to me.

 

[Texan79423]

A few years ago I walked out of a casino in OK and got a text saying directions to your pickup and showed me google map to truck in parking lot.

OK cool but how the hell did they know I had a pickup

 

[dsgrey]

My Ram hasn't been in a dealership in years.
But certain functions change without me lifting a finger.
It used to let me drive forward or reverse with the driver's door open.
Now, if I open the door with it in gear, it goes to Park.

Lot's of safety recalls are done without our consent.

I don't think anyone on this forum can honestly be untraceable.

Unless we get off line and throw away the phone.

My 2019 Jeep does the same but I believe it will ONLY do that from PARK (standstill). I received an over-the-air update when driving home from the dealership when new, you can google updates in various auto forums. That first update was for some CarPlay tweaks. I know our Honda hybrid has received updates too related to tweaking the hybrid power management. Over-the-air updates are usually minor tweaks related to potential TSBs so less expensive from the manufacture to push updates versus shop time.

Not sure if the PARK feature can be overridden but at least with the JL series of Jeeps, there are plenty of aftermarket items since Jeeps are grown up Tonka toys. I've added a module that will constantly remember my auto-stop-start setting which is now permanently turned off unless I push the button. I've added another module that allows me to roll down all windows by pushing unlock twice and it also rolls up all windows when I push the lock button on the remote. I know the latter feature is from a company that makes the feature for Toyota trucks too.

 

[Dawico]

This is the world we live in. Choice is an illusion.

Wrap boxes, pull fuses, unhook antennas, it doesn't matter.

If you actually find the correct way to really disable the communication systems it probably won't run.

My phone pulls up ads for stuff I have thought about shopping for but have never actually said a word about. Seriously.

It's scary to think about how bad it would be if our government wasn't so inefficient and inept.

 

[MountainGirl]

^^That.

 

[Brains]

My 2019 Jeep does the same but I believe it will ONLY do that from PARK (standstill). I received an over-the-air update when driving home from the dealership when new, you can google updates in various auto forums. That first update was for some CarPlay tweaks. I know our Honda hybrid has received updates too related to tweaking the hybrid power management. Over-the-air updates are usually minor tweaks related to potential TSBs so less expensive from the manufacture to push updates versus shop time.

Not sure if the PARK feature can be overridden but at least with the JL series of Jeeps, there are plenty of aftermarket items since Jeeps are grown up Tonka toys. I've added a module that will constantly remember my auto-stop-start setting which is now permanently turned off unless I push the button. I've added another module that allows me to roll down all windows by pushing unlock twice and it also rolls up all windows when I push the lock button on the remote. I know the latter feature is from a company that makes the feature for Toyota trucks too.

There's a lot you can do when all the modules are on the bus, and the messages are (currently, probably not in the future) unencrypted and easy to reason.

Coming from GM cars for so many years, I got really used to my cars locking themselves when I walk away. My Dodge didn't do that, so I built a simple module that waits for the CAN bus to quiet down, then wakes it to send the 'keyfob lock button press' message.

I also added an aftermarket module that switches the backup camera input into four, and I added a front camera since the bumper is lower than parking blocks. The module trigger to turn on the screen and switch to the front camera is a N to D shift, so when parking you just flick the stick to Neutral and back to Drive and you can see how close you are. A third added module takes the full volume, non-EQ'd line out signal from the radio, and using the fader, EQ, volume, etc. messages from the radio to provide full range F/R and a non-fading, non-EQ'd, low pass subwoofer output.

 

[OldPhart]

There is a website dedicated to 5th Generation (2019+) RAMS. https://5thgenrams.com/community/ If it's possible, they should have the answer.

 

[TheDan]

It used to let me drive forward or reverse with the driver's door open.
Now, if I open the door with it in gear, it goes to Park.

You might br able to adjust those settings with AlfaOBD.