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What the heck is this mystery device?

ShadowsPapa

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I posted in another thread that I had a sort of "rattle" and found it to be a hanging electrical connector. It looks like it should be in a bracket or holder, seen in the pics below. BUT, there's too much wire - it's awfully long and wouldn't be NEAT. It also doesn't look factory to me. I suspect the connector itself is a diagnostic connection since it's so handy............ but I'm suspect for other reasons -
First, the plastic connector end that looks like it would go into that bracket has a short pigtail plugged into it that extends that connection out and ADDS another small set of wires. The other wires are folded up and go to a small black plastic device that says "this end down" on one end. Then it's held up to another wire bundle with a black plastic tie strap that is not cut off neatly like the factory would do.
So there's a short extension with another wire that's folded up and strapped up with a plastic box.
It looks like they used some existing connector to plug in or connect another device, and also leave access to the original connection if that makes sense. Something has been plugged into this truck that I do not believe is factory.
I strongly doubt they'd wad up 18" of cable and strap it and a small device to another wire bundle under the dash. It's clumsy looking.
I am suspect it's some sort of add-in the dealer or someone did.
Please look very closely - if this ain't factory, it's getting unplugged pronto!
Further, I hate that wire hanging - yeah, I could just put the extra connector in the bracket, but there's still a whole wad of wire, and the extra length due to the piggybacked connection that doesn't have a good home.

Pics -
The extra added wire that goes from the extension up to the mystery device -

Jeep Gladiator What the heck is this mystery device? piggyback-1


Jeep Gladiator What the heck is this mystery device? piggyback-2


Jeep Gladiator What the heck is this mystery device? piggyback-3


You may see here this is an EXTENSION to the original connector, with a wire branched off to that wad of wire and mystery device -

Jeep Gladiator What the heck is this mystery device? piggyback-4


Better pic of the extension and piggy backed wire leading to the mystery device that's simply tie-wrapped up to another wire bundle, and it's wires all rolled up under the strap. Definitely not factory, IMO.

Jeep Gladiator What the heck is this mystery device? piggyback-5
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Vicegrips

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Mystery device seems to have some labelling. Any chance you could get a clear picture of what's on the label? Perhaps there's a UPC, model number or such that would help ID it.

The phrase "this end down" makes me think of trailer brake controllers. More than one manufacturer makes controllers where you mount the button, knob, whatever, on the dash, and the rest of the guts out of sight. In the old days, brake controllers required secific oreintation to work. Just a stab in the dark...

BTW, checked out Runnells IA on maps. That's smaller than where I moved from, where I lived on the street with the traffic light.
 
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ShadowsPapa

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Mystery device seems to have some labelling. Any chance you could get a clear picture of what's on the label? Perhaps there's a UPC, model number or such that would help ID it.

The phrase "this end down" makes me think of trailer brake controllers. More than one manufacturer makes controllers where you mount the button, knob, whatever, on the dash, and the rest of the guts out of sight. In the old days, brake controllers required secific oreintation to work. Just a stab in the dark...

BTW, checked out Runnells IA on maps. That's smaller than where I moved from, where I lived on the street with the traffic light.
I found discussion about this thing on the Wrangler side - it's a dealer installed GPS tracker!
Now WHY in the XXXX would the dealer put a GPS tracker on this truck?
I PAID CASH. There was never any loan on it for any reason. I took them a check for the full amount, paid for by selling my other truck, one of my cars and some I inherited from my father. Cash. No lease, no contract, no bank, no Chrysler Credit.
There's no brake controller as FCA still doesn't have their act together on that.
I found it's inline with the OBD port - I thought I recognized the connector.

OK, questions now are -
Why would a dealer put this in the truck?
Why was it NOT MENTIONED?
Is there any reason to leave it ? The wires are clunky and in the way and the connector doesn't stay nice in the bracket with all that extra BULK.
Will the FCA GPS cops come for me?

Am I correct in that this is a dealer installed GPS tracking device?

Here's one that someone removed from their Wrangler -

Jeep Gladiator What the heck is this mystery device? mystery-device
 

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You are my hero for July. Good catch.

I found discussion about this thing on the Wrangler side - it's a dealer installed GPS tracker!
Now WHY in the XXXX would the dealer put a GPS tracker on this truck?
I PAID CASH. There was never any loan on it for any reason. I took them a check for the full amount, paid for by selling my other truck, one of my cars and some I inherited from my father. Cash. No lease, no contract, no bank, no Chrysler Credit.
There's no brake controller as FCA still doesn't have their act together on that.
I found it's inline with the OBD port - I thought I recognized the connector.

OK, questions now are -
Why would a dealer put this in the truck?
Why was it NOT MENTIONED?
Is there any reason to leave it ? The wires are clunky and in the way and the connector doesn't stay nice in the bracket with all that extra BULK.
Will the FCA GPS cops come for me?

Am I correct in that this is a dealer installed GPS tracking device?

Here's one that someone removed from their Wrangler -

Jeep Gladiator What the heck is this mystery device? mystery-device
 

Shootist

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That sir is an ELOS GPS tracking device installed by your dealer and probably listed in your addendum. It hooks inline with the obd2 port. Some dealerships install them for tracking their inventory and for recovery in some cases if they pander to high risk buyers. You can and should disconnect it in my opinion.
 

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Here is the one I removed from mine. It was not the OBD2 model it was hardwired into the hot lead but you can see it is the same thing.

06B454A9-1EA5-4A0D-BB9E-8348F1D5A7D0.jpeg
 

Vicegrips

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I didn't notice anything like it when I put in my brake controller, but I'm dang sure going out to peek under the dash again.
 
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ShadowsPapa

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That sir is an ELOS GPS tracking device installed by your dealer and probably listed in your addendum. It hooks inline with the obd2 port. Some dealerships install them for tracking their inventory and for recovery in some cases if they pander to high risk buyers. You can and should disconnect it in my opinion.
I bet it was there in the Sport S model we test drove. I thought it interesting that this guy handed me the key fob and said "enjoy" for the test drive, and he walked back inside. No time limit, no "see you in 5 minutes".

Yes, that's how I'd describe it - inline with the OBD port, like a piggyback - likely where it gets power, I suppose.

I ordered it in October and gave them $100 deposit. I picked it up evening of the day it arrived (mid-November) and paid for the rest - no loans involved. Not exactly a high-risk buyer.
So when the service guy said "that's probably the GPS" when I asked him what fell out from under the dash and is dangling by the diagnostic port area, that's what he meant!
 

Shootist

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I disconnected mine after the first night it came home. No GPS police yet because there is nothing in my finance agreement that states they are going to track my vehicle or did I agree to it. But many dealerships do install them for the tracking purposes previously mentioned.
 
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ShadowsPapa

ShadowsPapa

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PS - this is NOT connected with the uconnect phone app "your Jeep is in your front yard" bit, right?
Right now my phone app will tell me where the truck is.............
 

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ShadowsPapa

ShadowsPapa

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I disconnected mine after the first night it came home. No GPS police yet because there is nothing in my finance agreement that states they are going to track my vehicle or did I agree to it. But many dealerships do install them for the tracking purposes previously mentioned.
OK, Thanks. it's really not bad to disconnect. There's no reason I can think of for the dealer to need to track it for anything. And uconnect tells me where it is now.
 

Shootist

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PS - this is NOT connected with the uconnect phone app "your Jeep is in your front yard" bit, right?
Right now my phone app will tell me where the truck is.............
No, Uconnect still works for the find my Jeep. The difference is that function has a lot more legally binding language that makes it yours and only you being entitled to use it for your purposes. This other thing is way more shady with no such agreements and I would say borderline illegal if anyone were to ever challenge it in court.
 
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ShadowsPapa

ShadowsPapa

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That's one way to describe it - since this is the first I heard of any such a device being there, especially since I paid in full before driving away and no one ever said a word about it being there - until the service guy said - here's his quote - "That does appear to be the wiring for the GPS and the wiring does not go any specific way "
And I responded/texted back "GPS????"
 

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Just know you will not lose any functionality in your vehicle if you remove it.
 
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ShadowsPapa

ShadowsPapa

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Well that was an easy thing to resolve. Thanks.
I can remove some bulk - get it out of the way for a when hell finally freezes over brake controller.
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