4G Modem Disabling Instructions:

[Buldawg76]

Did you read all the fine print when they activated your fordpass?

Most don't. You should have seen the look on my salesman's face when I told him I didn't want it activated.

Nice guy, but the majority of folks just don't get it.

No, I did not read all of it but do understand what is in it as far as ford monitoring it and having the right to sell the info to whom they choose, I don't track my car and have nothing to hide since my phone and street cameras and all the other surveillance monitors in public nowadays gather as much if not more than our cars provide. So far, my auto insurance has not changed and actually dropped in price the last few renewals so I guess I am not triggering any red flags, I assure you when it goes up for no reason my car will go dark. Big brother has been watching for so long now it's virtually impossible to not be tracked wherever you go by multiple means.

Disabling your telematics does not protect you by any means from being monitored by insurance companies. If it gives you peace of mind them by all means, go for it.

My best friend and I growing up back in the 70s talked about this very scenario coming to fruition in the future but just never thought we would live to see it in our lifetime. George Orwell's book 1984 got it right he just missed on the year by a few decades.

BD

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[Prodigal]

Read all 23 pages but still confused. Do I need to pull the #10 fuse and disconnect the model behind the drivers tail light or just do one or the other?
and in doing so, everything else on my car will continue to work with the exception of the car reporting back to FoMoCo?

 

[Jaymar]

Read all 23 pages but still confused. Do I need to pull the #10 fuse and disconnect the model behind the drivers tail light or just do one or the other?
and in doing so, everything else on my car will continue to work with the exception of the car reporting back to FoMoCo?

Either or both, nothing else changes.

 

[nathanks]

Disabling your telematics does not protect you by any means from being monitored by insurance companies. If it gives you peace of mind them by all means, go for it.

How so? If you opt out of their safe driving apps, and disable telematics, I don't see how they could.

 

[EFI]

Disabling your telematics does not protect you by any means from being monitored by insurance companies. If it gives you peace of mind them by all means, go for it.

No, but it does protect you from being monitored by Ford (at least vehicle wise).

 

[EFI]

How so? If you opt out of their safe driving apps, and disable telematics, I don't see how they could.

They can still get your location and other limited telematics from your phone. Even if you don't use their apps, they could still subpoena phone records and telematics if they have any suspicion about your actions. It has to go through your carrier, but it's not impossible to get.

But they can only get certain things that a phone tracks, obviously they can't get any vehicle telematics anymore if the modem is disbaled. But again, I believe the car itself does store some data locally that can be subpoenaed.

 

[nathanks]

Even if you don't use their apps, they could still subpoena phone records and telematics if they have any suspicion about your actions.

I was referring to monitoring. You are talking about subpoenas. Two very different conversations.

 

[MAGS1]

They can still get your location and other limited telematics from your phone. Even if you don't use their apps, they could still subpoena phone records and telematics if they have any suspicion about your actions. It has to go through your carrier, but it's not impossible to get.

But they can only get certain things that a phone tracks, obviously they can't get any vehicle telematics anymore if the modem is disbaled. But again, I believe the car itself does store some data locally that can be subpoenaed.

I would add that all the apps on one’s phone collect an enormous amount of data, which is packaged and sold to a whole host of groups, insurance companies included. Geolocation, spending habits, even speed (think some of the maps apps that adjust arrival time based on the amount of distance you are covering, that’s easy to calculate speed from) are all tracked unless you go into each individual app and turn ALL of the tracking off. And even then, I’m not sure it’s entirely off.

 

[Lorne34]

Either or both, nothing else changes.

So I have my entire trunk liner and plastic removed for another project. I see the box I think you are referring to by the drivers side trunk area inside the trunk behind the plastic panel. Do I just unplug that vs trying to dig out the fuse? Does that box do anything other than acting as the modem?
.

 

[Tomster]

So I have my entire trunk liner and plastic removed for another project. I see the box I think you are referring to by the drivers side trunk area inside the trunk behind the plastic panel. Do I just unplug that vs trying to dig out the fuse? Does that box do anything other than acting as the modem?
.

Yes, that's the one. Pull the wiring/data harness. For good measure pull out the two coaxial leads too.

You will get no CEL lights, but a scan will show diagnostics in relation.

Pull the plugs!

 

[Buldawg76]

How so? If you opt out of their safe driving apps, and disable telematics, I don't see how they could.

@EFI explains it very well, you are always being watched these days by all sorts of means, big brother is always watching. If you disable the telematics it's just mean they can't watch the car.

The other modules still records data that can be accessed by the OBD port by LEOs especially in the event of accidents to determine at fault.

BD

 

[RocketGuy3]

So I was reminded of this thread after seeing that NY Times article about slimy insurance companies making the rounds...

Sorry if I missed it since this thread has gotten pretty big, but has anyone made a video of how to do this? As someone who hasn't wrenched much on my car in a while, I'm a bit intimidated by having to mess with interior trim to access this fuse box...

 

[Lorne34]

Finally got it done this past week. I had a buzz/rattle in the trunk area and had to remove the whole liner and plastic trim piece at the front of trunk, thus exposing the modem.
Felt better about unplugging there instead of messing with the fuses.
.

 

[Lorne34]

So I was reminded of this thread after seeing that NY Times article about slimy insurance companies making the rounds...

Sorry if I missed it since this thread has gotten pretty big, but has anyone made a video of how to do this? As someone who hasn't wrenched much on my car in a while, I'm a bit intimidated by having to mess with interior trim to access this fuse box...

Just pull the wiring on the modem itself. See the last couple of posts on how to...

 

[RocketGuy3]

Just pull the wiring on the modem itself. See the last couple of posts on how to...

Ah, interesting thanks, the trunk sounds less intimidating than interior footwell trim... Is that just around where the spare wheel well is? And I guess you left the yellow and red in place, but yanked the black-ended cable, which was likely power?

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