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4G Modem Disabling Instructions:

CrazyHippie

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And so it has begun! This was one reason I didn't go for the 2024 Mustang GT. I was afraid of that. We already know they locked the ECM so you can't tune it. but 500HP is plenty for street use so the ECM being locked, was for me, no big deal. However, the Tell-On-Your-Antics modem was a bridge to far.
I saw last evening in the news that the FTC took action against GM's On-Star for this.
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/new...rivers-precise-location-driving-behavior-data
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Paul McWhiskey

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I have brought this subject up to our club members about their Mustangs. Some do not heed my recommendation to disconnect or power down their telematics units. Recently one of them told me about his 130mph run coming to an event. I replied that he aught not be surprised when his insurance premiums take a rather hefty bump in the next policy year.

Even if you do not have a MY that incorporates the TMU you may have a bug on board. My car had a unit installed after it was built that has tracking and disabling ability. I ordered the car, but did not order the I-Trax unit. I was also completely unaware of its capabilities until much later. I was originally told that it was for situations like auto theft. I could contact the highway patrol give them the number on my card and they would locate the car and shut it off. That sounds peachy as long as one does not dig further.

I can understand finance companies wanting to be able to recover the car if purchasers fail to make payment. But, use by the manufacturer to sell data for an additional income stream without being very open about it is less than respectable. The use of these systems to track vehicle movement, speed, braking, lateral g-force, and even video and sound in the cockpit is just to 1984-ish for me. I don’t street race. The only place I have ever applied maximum effort is on a track. When I choose to do that it is not anyone else’s business but my own. And I am entirely responsible for any occurrences, which is why track insurance is a good idea.

With all of that said, there are insurance companies that encourage the driving of the car for what it was built for (either by the manufacturer or the owner) and their are ways to disable the snitches installed on them. But, in the end it boils down to individual responsibility. I don’t believe that disabling TMU’s or trackers makes a person suspect of illegal activities or criminal. The installation of such equipment WITHOUT full disclosure of its abilities does, in my opinion, make those who do so suspect. So, with this knowledge, it is up to the individual who possess cars so equipped to do what they think is the responsible thing. Disable it, drive responsibly on public roads, and accept that your insurance rates and liability in an accident situation could be higher and more easily determined.

Just be responsible for whatever decision you make.
 

Buldawg76

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GM has had onstar in its vehicles since the mid 90s and it has always had the ability to spy on you by listening to your conversations, shut the car off if it is stolen, ETC. I worked as GM tech from the 80s till 98 so dealt with it from its beginning. I had a customer that had his car stolen in the 90s and was able to call onstar for them to track the car and inform police if its location, when an officer was behind the suspect vehicle onstar activated the right rear turn signal to allow the police to verify they were behind the correct vehicle and when they informed onstar that it was the correct vehicle onstar shut the car down for the police to apprehend the thief.

That was 30 years ago.

BD
 

Joe Gonsalves

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Auto Manufactures deceptively market these modems as a feature for your benefit. How you can control added features of your car remotely, when in reality it's a Trojan horse. All part of the master plan to restrict, limit, and control what you do. The NWO wants us driving little EV's with limited range, so you can't really go anywhere. The way they get to this fantasy utopia is making the car you like too expensive to drive, i.e. gas prices, insurance rates, and of course vehicle purchase price or regulating out the ICE. Mustangs used to be a cheap to buy sports car, now they are way over priced if you ask me. Still love them obviously, but you get my point.
 

MAGS1

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LOL tin foil hat much? Yeah, I’m sure there’s some mastermind seeking total control of the world via electric cars and car modems 🙄. And who exactly is this mastermind or NWO as you call it? And don’t say government because they can screw up a 1 car funeral procession. You’d be giving them way too much credit

It’s about money and selling your data. It’s happening across virtually all industries. Have a cell phone with a bunch of apps on it? Guess what, they’re collecting data about you and selling it. Car companies are no different. They’ll keep doing it until it’s no longer profitable (or until its regulated out) then they’ll move on to something else.
 

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CrazyHippie

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LOL tin foil hat much? Yeah, I’m sure there’s some mastermind seeking total control of the world via electric cars and car modems 🙄. And who exactly is this mastermind or NWO as you call it? And don’t say government because they can screw up a 1 car funeral procession. You’d be giving them way too much credit

It’s about money and selling your data. It’s happening across virtually all industries. Have a cell phone with a bunch of apps on it? Guess what, they’re collecting data about you and selling it. Car companies are no different. They’ll keep doing it until it’s no longer profitable (or until its regulated out) then they’ll move on to something else.
It's OK. Some frogs simply can't feel the water temperature rising.
 

Jaymar

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Capability /= action. And even then you are a far cry from showing intent. It's ok to be suspicious of capability but extrapolation of that to the other two is the territory of lunatics.
 

MAGS1

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It's OK. Some frogs simply can't feel the water temperature rising.
Not everything is a giant conspiracy. It’s pretty simple, profits over privacy. Not a new concept. Don’t make it harder than it is folks. Unfortunately, most people are willing to forego their privacy for what they feel is more convenience or “cool” tech. That’s what most EV’s are, tech on wheels. And even ICE cars are going that way because that’s what most people feel they need.

And the manufacturers are loving it because they collect so much info not only on your driving habits, but I bet the second you plug your phone in to connect to the car, it’s pulling info from your phone too. And what do they do with that data? Sell it for a good chunk of money. Even if it’s “anonymous” (I go back and forth on that), it’s absolutely packaged with other data and sold all over the place.
 

Buldawg76

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Not everything is a giant conspiracy. It’s pretty simple, profits over privacy. Not a new concept. Don’t make it harder than it is folks. Unfortunately, most people are willing to forego their privacy for what they feel is more convenience or “cool” tech. That’s what most EV’s are, tech on wheels. And even ICE cars are going that way because that’s what most people feel they need.

And the manufacturers are loving it because they collect so much info not only on your driving habits, but I bet the second you plug your phone in to connect to the car, it’s pulling info from your phone too. And what do they do with that data? Sell it for a good chunk of money. Even if it’s “anonymous” (I go back and forth on that), it’s absolutely packaged with other data and sold all over the place.
Definitely profits over privacy for sure and I would wager to say that the manufacturers make as much if not more money from our info than they do selling us the vehicle itself.

I never plug my phone into my cars USB port for any reason period so just use the accessory power receptable with adapter to charge phone although with phone connected via Bluetooth, I don't think it makes any difference whether it's connected to USB port or not since it still can track phone info and location. There is no expectation of privacy in today world sadly.

BD
 
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Tomster

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is the territory of lunatics
I don't agree. They (FMC) has gone into the business of extracting personal data and driving habits. Being cautious and aware certainly isnt in the realm of lunatics.

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S550HPP

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Definitely profits over privacy for sure and I would wager to say that the manufacturers make as much if not more money from our info than they do selling us the vehicle itself.

I never plug my phone into my cars UCB port for any reason period so just use the accessory power receptable with adapter to charge phone although with phone connected via Bluetooth, I don't think it makes any difference whether it's connected to UCB port or not since it still can track phone info and location. There is no expectation of privacy in today world sadly.

BD
I just unplugged the trunk module and the fuse.
 

Buldawg76

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MAGS1

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If you have a Smart TV with a camera on it, put a cover over the camera too. Indoor security cameras are notorious for being easy to get into as well.
 

Buldawg76

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I have a dumb smart TV since it is not connected to the internet and never will be, I do have a piece of tape over the camera on my PC though so no spying on me.

BD
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