Has anyone disabled telematics / LTE and GPS antennas?

[dcmdon]

Edit - someone kindly provided a link to its location. Now I'm changing the thread title asking if anyone else has disabled them. Does it cause unanticipated issues or problems??

Open for posts speculating on issues that it may cause also.

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It looks like I'll be ordering a Gladiator when the 22s come out.

In the mean time I'm gathering info for once I receive it. One of the things I intend to do is disable telematics and GPS to try to maintain some small degree of privacy.

Please, PLEASE no posts asking why I would want such a stupid thing. Or pointing out that my phone already tracks me. PLEASE.

Thanks.

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[GreyGhost]

There you go follow link
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/sirus-xm-antenna-location.12465/
post #5
or
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/relocating-siriusxm-antenna.29689/
post #3

 

[dcmdon]

There you go follow link
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/sirus-xm-antenna-location.12465/
post #5
or
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/relocating-siriusxm-antenna.29689/
post #3

Oh shoot. That's easy. Thank you very much.

I'm changing the thread title asking if anyone else has disabled them. Does it cause unanticipated issues or problems??

Open for posts speculating on issues that it may cause also.

Thank you all.

 

[Mr._Bill]

You can disconnect the antennas, but not easily disable anything. The 8.4 Uconnect is setup for OTA updates, so you will interfere with that, which will require a Dealer visit to get updates applied. It will also inhibit the ability to pay AT&T for service to use it as a Hotspot. It will also interfere with the remote start, and with the Emergency call button. Apps that require authorization before they will function, like the Off Road Pages (gauges display), will not work.

The 8.4 Uconnect is essentially an Android tablet with cellular service. It just has some added capabilities to receive data from the truck computer and send a few basic commands for the remote functions. It is not directly connected to the internet, and cannot be hacked without the attacker having previous physical access to the device.

As you already pointed out, it is stupid to attempt to disable the telematics for privacy reasons. Only AT&T and SiriusXM have immediate access to your location data. You are much easier to find using the cellular phone you keep with you all the time.

 

[dcmdon]

You can disconnect the antennas, but not easily disable anything. The 8.4 Uconnect is setup for OTA updates, so you will interfere with that, which will require a Dealer visit to get updates applied. It will also inhibit the ability to pay AT&T for service to use it as a Hotspot. It will also interfere with the remote start, and with the Emergency call button. Apps that require authorization before they will function, like the Off Road Pages (gauges display), will not work.

The 8.4 Uconnect is essentially an Android tablet with cellular service. It just has some added capabilities to receive data from the truck computer and send a few basic commands for the remote functions. It is not directly connected to the internet, and cannot be hacked without the attacker having previous physical access to the device.

As you already pointed out, it is stupid to attempt to disable the telematics for privacy reasons. Only AT&T and SiriusXM have immediate access to your location data. You are much easier to find using the cellular phone you keep with you all the time.

Thanks. Its not stupid to try to disable telematics for privacy reasons. There are services now that will locate any vehicle using telematics vehicle information. Just like companies can buy real time mobile phone user location data that is not anonymized.

I have zero interest in using most of the features you mentioned. I'm not worried about the car being hacked. Just it being easily observed.

I also think that you are wrong with only Sirius and ATT having knowledge of your location. When you call emergency services they know your location.

I also don't care about OTA updates for U-Connect if its working propertly to begin with. Based on info provided in earlier posts, I'm going to remove the antenna. connections. With bluetooth I can do CarPlay and drive everything from the phone.

 

[Mr._Bill]

Thanks. Its not stupid to try to disable telematics for privacy reasons. There are services now that will locate any vehicle using telematics vehicle information. Just like companies can buy real time mobile phone user location data that is not anonymized.

I have zero interest in using most of the features you mentioned. I'm not worried about the car being hacked. Just it being easily observed.

I also think that you are wrong with only Sirius and ATT having knowledge of your location. When you call emergency services they know your location.

I also don't care about OTA updates for U-Connect if its working propertly to begin with. Based on info provided in earlier posts, I'm going to remove the antenna. connections. With bluetooth I can do CarPlay and drive everything from the phone.

The service is provided by AT&T and managed by SiriusXM. Only they have 'immediate' access to location data. When the emergency functions are activated, your location is shared with all necessary parties. The access numbers for the vehicles are not readily available like they are with phones and tablets, so they cannot be easily tracked.

 

[Kevin_D]

I also don't care about OTA updates for U-Connect if its working propertly to begin with. Based on info provided in earlier posts, I'm going to remove the antenna. connections. With bluetooth I can do CarPlay and drive everything from the phone.

That's a mighty big, "If!"

Kevin

 

[Mr._Bill]

That's a mighty big, "If!"

Kevin

Mine has always worked fairly well, but behaved better after the OTA update that brought it up to version J. I ordered a Map update last month, when it was on sale for $99. It included an update to version Q that had to be applied before the Map update could be installed. The whole process took just over an hour, and required the engine to be running the entire time. It seems to be working better. The only visible difference, that I've noticed so far, is the loading of the SiriusXM song icons.

 

[johnparjr]

Just buy a Jeep with the 5 inch radio and call it a day

 

[sunrise089]

That's a mighty big, "If!"

Kevin

Not saying whether this is a good idea or not, but couldn't one disable the antenna and just re-enable it for like a day when you know you're going to be parked? Seems like there could be some workable mechanism to 'force' the update and then go back into 'airplane mode.'

 

[Mr._Bill]

Not saying whether this is a good idea or not, but couldn't one disable the antenna and just re-enable it for like a day when you know you're going to be parked? Seems like there could be some workable mechanism to 'force' the update and then go back into 'airplane mode.'

You could, but OTA updates are not scheduled, predictable, or done on demand. They are done over a period of months.

There are some apps, like the Off Road Pages, that are only accessible on certain models. The system checks in to verify your VIN before showing the icon on the screen. For most, this is transparent, goes unnoticed, and happens quickly. In areas with poor cellular coverage, or if the service goes offline, access to the apps becomes erratic or stops.

 

[dcmdon]

Just buy a Jeep with the 5 inch radio and call it a day

The jeep is still using telematics to send data about how it is running and general status to the mother ship. This includes location data derived from the onboard GPS.

OTA updates to the infotainment system have been discussed, but that is hardly the only thing that telematics is used for.

 

[dcmdon]

You could, but OTA updates are not scheduled, predictable, or done on demand. They are done over a period of months.

There are some apps, like the Off Road Pages, that are only accessible on certain models. The system checks in to verify your VIN before showing the icon on the screen. For most, this is transparent, goes unnoticed, and happens quickly. In areas with poor cellular coverage, or if the service goes offline, access to the apps becomes erratic or stops.

You can make up a cover to block the two antennas. Ground it to the hoop and you have a decent faraday cage. If you use velcro or magnets to hold it in place, you can remove it in a matter of seconds to get access to off road pages if you want that.

Offroad pages isn't of any great value to me.

 

[rharr]

Any more info on this. I just want to know if all jeeps now come with some sort of cell chip that is calling mopar? Seem there is a Telematics Module - Mopar (68379838AB) listed. just want to know if they are all phoning home?

I am talking factory telemetric (just for mopars use) not the feature stuff that comes with uconnect 8.4.

Maybe one of our local radio nerds here has a scanner they can use to see if jeeps with 5 and 7 uconnect are broadcasting a cell signal?

 

[dcmdon]

I'm 99% sure they all have it. I wouldn't be 100% sure unless I went and looked at a base truck with a 5" radio and looked above the roll bar where the GPS antenna is.

Bottom line is telematics is the future. I doubt that they will leave it off low end models with the inconsequential cost of modern 4g modems and gps receivers. We're talking a few dollars.

I haven't tried disconnecting the antenna or covering the gps antenna yet. I'm enjoying the U-connect remote start that comes free for a few months. Also its been very very cold the last month.

Once spring comes I'll play around with it.

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