What the heck is this mystery device?

[punk'n]

This thread made me just go out and check my new Gladiator for a GPS. Glad I didn't find one.

Sponsored

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Hey is this the thread called where in the world is shadows papa? I was looking on my tracker and could not find him or her's jeep truck! Since I can't track from build step to build step, don't know delivery date or location, I'm so glad to find out I can track after the private citizen takes ownership of their private property!

Probably shouldn't "go there" but the device DOES say "designed in California, made in China". That in itself is sort of spooky.
I opened it up and sort of wonder if others should just leave it in place and have some fun by pulling the fuse and putting the cap back on, or taking out the #0 screw and renoving the cover and popping the GPS chip out of it and closing it all back up.

 

[mr_bots]

My Gladiator had one. Dealership puts them on everything when they're prepped. Pissed me off but they did disclose it. Also, went searching for it and ripped it out as soon as I got home though mine was very shittily cut into other wires under the dash instead of connected inline to an existing connector. Now two wires have holes in the insulation where they spliced it in.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

My Gladiator had one. Dealership puts them on everything when they're prepped. Pissed me off but they did disclose it. Also, went searching for it and ripped it out as soon as I got home though mine was very shittily cut into other wires under the dash instead of connected inline to an existing connector. Now two wires have holes in the insulation where they spliced it in.

I'll dig into the papers again, but there was no financing, no nothing as far as paperwork other than sales and I don't recall seeing anything "disclosed".
If it's not, and if they respond to my "GPS????" text, then I'll tell them they need to let people know they are being followed, or MAY be followed. If they don't say anything, I drop it unless or until it otherwise comes up in some way - like my wife trading her Jeep in...
There was a basic sales contract and mileage/speedometer disclosure, little else.

Holes in wire insulation would really BUG me because these are supposed to be water resistant. You go letting air into the wire and you get oxidation which over time will eat into the wire, even follow the wire a ways depending on your environment and how often it gets wet. Factory wires are sealed crimps. Even those over decades will degrade. Don't go using any lame DIY clamp-on connectors or poking holes in the wire insulation.

 

[GladiatorPilot]

My Gladiator had it too! It does have an indicator light on the side and it blinked red one time after i uninstalled it. Seems like this would be against privacy laws as they clearly did not disclose this device was installed. I'm glad it was at least the plugged in version. I checked with a buddy that has a Cherokee and he looked this afternoon and had one installed as well.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

My Gladiator had it too! It does have an indicator light on the side and it blinked red one time after i uninstalled it. Seems like this would be against privacy laws as they clearly did not disclose this device was installed. I'm glad it was at least the plugged in version. I checked with a buddy that has a Cherokee and he looked this afternoon and had one installed as well.

I disconnected mine before I cut the strap that held it up on the other wire bundle - if it had blinked I'd not have seen it. That one looks identical to the one I pulled, including wire color, connector, logo and the small screw that holds the cover for the GPS chip.

 

[jebsurf]

Hmmm just looked at mine, and this is all I found on mine so I’m in the good! For some strange reason mine says “If found, please return to FBI” ‍

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Hmmm just looked at mine, and this is all I found on mine so I’m in the good! For some strange reason mine says “If found, please return to FBI” ‍

I saw a big black SUV in your drive, windows tinted black, two men in black suites getting out walking toward your garage...........

 

[jebsurf]

I saw a big black SUV in your drive, windows tinted black, two men in black suites getting out walking toward your garage...........

 

[MMMII]

This type of post is why forums are so valuable. Decided to check mine today. Bought at Chapman Jeep Henderson. And I found a mysterious wire tapped into my OBD2 port black wire (red circle) and an unknown ground (yellow circle):

following the wires to the wire channel right below....I found this:

Then a little googl-fu discovered this.

I left the wires (since I can’t find electrical tape at the moment) and wrapped them up and stuffed them back in the panel and the spy device is now in my garage with other misc Gladiator pieces.

I prefer to leave FCA and Siris/XM be the keepers of my tracking data.....and....Apple whenever I use Apple Maps......and Google in the rare times I use Google Maps......and Waze whenever I use.....CRAP looks like everyone knows where I go already so I’m going to plug it back in.

 

[Mr._Bill]

This type of post is why forums are so valuable. Decided to check mine today. Bought at Chapman Jeep Henderson. And I found a mysterious wire tapped into my OBD2 port black wire (red circle) and an unknown ground (yellow circle):

following the wires to the wire channel right below....I found this:

Then a little googl-fu discovered this.

I left the wires (since I can’t find electrical tape at the moment) and wrapped them up and stuffed them back in the panel and the spy device is now in my garage with other misc Gladiator pieces.

I prefer to leave FCA and Siris/XM be the keepers of my tracking data.....and....Apple whenever I use Apple Maps......and Google in the rare times I use Google Maps......and Waze whenever I use.....CRAP looks like everyone knows where I go already so I’m going to plug it back in.

You should have received a document in your sales packet from the dealer. It lets you setup an account to track the vehicle location. Not all Gladiators have the 8.4 Uconnect, and not everyone is willing to pay the SiriusXM fees after the first year.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

This type of post is why forums are so valuable. Decided to check mine today. Bought at Chapman Jeep Henderson. And I found a mysterious wire tapped into my OBD2 port black wire (red circle) and an unknown ground (yellow circle):

following the wires to the wire channel right below....I found this:

Then a little googl-fu discovered this.

I left the wires (since I can’t find electrical tape at the moment) and wrapped them up and stuffed them back in the panel and the spy device is now in my garage with other misc Gladiator pieces.

I prefer to leave FCA and Siris/XM be the keepers of my tracking data.....and....Apple whenever I use Apple Maps......and Google in the rare times I use Google Maps......and Waze whenever I use.....CRAP looks like everyone knows where I go already so I’m going to plug it back in.

I see the red wire even has a small fuse holder in it. That would bug me even more knowing they had drilled for a ground and tapped into an otherwise sealed wire to do that!
If they had cut or otherwise tapped into a wire, I'd be going for them to replace the harness. You do NOT tap into wiring like that.
At least in my case, no harm done, no wires tapped or cut or modified. (just a clumsy install that FELL OUT at last service)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

You should have received a document in your sales packet from the dealer. It lets you setup an account to track the vehicle location. Not all Gladiators have the 8.4 Uconnect, and not everyone is willing to pay the SiriusXM fees after the first year.

If that's the case, they should ask first - not just hang it in there and then try to sell something that is already in the vehicle.

The same company that makes the GPS tracker I found in mine - anyone can go there and purchase a unit and set up an account - likely cheaper than through a dealer. I can buy those devices like I found.

 

[Mr._Bill]

If that's the case, they should ask first - not just hang it in there and then try to sell something that is already in the vehicle.

The same company that makes the GPS tracker I found in mine - anyone can go there and purchase a unit and set up an account - likely cheaper than through a dealer. I can buy those devices like I found.

I bought from another Chapman location. I believe they use it to track inventory. They didn't say anything about it, that I can remember. I found the flyer in the document package telling me how to setup an account to track the vehicle location. I don't know, they may also provide the information to the finance company. I'll have to look under the dash and see what they did when it cools down enough to install the brake controller.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Brake controller is next if they ever get off their butts and release one. I have a feeling they won't, they'll just say "go pick one and buy it".

I'll look in my documents but I'm quite sure there's nothing in there - could be wrong so will look.

EDIT:
I grabbed the original documents. There were three (3) pieces of paper.
1. Motor Vehicle Purchase Agreement
this has the price of the vehicle, VIN, our names and address, signatures saying we are buying the vehicle, no trade, etc. and lists out the fees for license, title fee (state of Iowa stuff) and the final price, etc. It's a standard form, single sided.
2. Odometer disclosure statement
A state thing, showing the miles, stating they are actual miles, etc. Standard form.
3. A photo-copy paper saying that if the factory changed the price of the vehicle they had the right to increase the price to us and we had a right to agree or cancel, that if we had a trade vehicle that they had a right to re-evaluate it if we had kept possession of it between the time we ordered or agreed to buy and the time the new one arrived. It's pretty much just a definition of terms. Nothing about lease, loans, etc. Extremely simple and not even filling the whole page.

Not a single word about "hey, you can also track this thing if you want" or "we have the right to track if it you go back on payments". Not a word, nothing. In fact the forms compare almost exactly to the forms used when we bought my wife's Grand Cherokee back in 2015 - she's on a 2018 model now.

Sponsored